Saturday, 11 May 2024

When is George Floyd's funeral and can you watch it in the UK?

Thousands of mourners have queued to pay their final respects to George Floyd ahead of his funeral in Houston, Texas.

More than 6,300 people attended the city’s Fountain Of Praise church to view the 46-year-old’s body in an open gold-coloured casket, as his death continues to spark protests around the world.

The public viewing came two weeks to the day after his death was captured by an onlooker’s video.

Mr Floyd was filmed lying face down on a Minneapolis street gasping for air and groaning for help while a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

The case was reminiscent of the 2014 killing of another African American, Eric Garner, who died after being placed by police in a chokehold while under arrest in New York City.

The dying words of both men, ‘I can’t breathe’, have become a rallying cry in a global outpouring of rage, with thousands taking to the streets across the world in protest, in spite of the current coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Floyd’s funeral is due to take place today – but what time is it and how can you pay your respects?

When is George Floyd’s funeral?

Mr Floyd’s funeral will be held on Tuesday, followed by burial at the Houston Memorial Gardens cemetery in suburban Pearland, where he will be laid to rest next to his mother, Larcenia Floyd.

The funeral is at 12pm ET – which is 5pm in the UK.

The service will have a limited attendance of 500 people in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, although it will also be livestreamed.

Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather is reported to be paying for the funeral, with Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, telling ESPN: ‘He’ll probably get mad at me for saying that, but yes he (Mayweather) is definitely paying for the funeral.’

Can you watch George Floyd’s funeral in the UK?

Although no UK news channels are confirmed to be showing Mr Floyd’s funeral, it will be livestreamed on C-SPAN in the US – although it’s not confirmed whether viewers in the UK will be able to watch it live.

CBS News has also been live streaming coverage of his memorial service and of the public viewing of his body, all of which is accessible to UK viewers.

You can see all their coverage on their YouTube channel here.

Who is attending George Floyd’s funeral?

Those attending the service will include Houston mayor Sylvester Turner, Floyd family attorney Benjamin Crump, rapper Slim Thug, singer-songwriter Leela James, actor and rapper Paul Wall, US reps Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, actor Jamie Foxx, boxer Floyd Mayweather and former vice-president and US presidential hopeful Joe Biden.

Biden met with Mr Floyd’s relatives for more than an hour in Houston on Monday, according to the family’s lawyer Benjamin Crump, who said: ‘He listened, heard their pain and shared in their woe. That compassion meant the world to this grieving family.’

If you want to make a donation to the George Floyd memorial fund you can do so here.

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