Minneapolis (Minnesota) buried, Thursday April 22, Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old from a mixed family, killed during a police check ten days earlier, during a funeral that looks like a plea for justice .
Authorities in Minneapolis feared, a few days ago, that Daunte Wright’s funeral would take place in an electric climate, but the verdict, Tuesday, April 20, recognizing Derek Chauvin guilty of suffocating African-American George Floyd calmed the protesters. They had previously settled several nights in a row in front of the police station in Brooklyn Center, that suburban town where Daunte Wright died, to “demand accountability”; and had clashed with the police in several clashes. Their anger, however, turned into a determination to continue their fight for fair justice.
Despite the return of calm, the men of the “Fighters for freedom of Minnesota ”paced back and forth Thursday, submachine guns slung around Shiloh Temple International Baptist Church, as guests began to arrive. It took more than two hours to bring in and place the 1,300 masked people inside the room, where Daunte Wright’s white coffin awaited, covered with a huge wreath of red roses.
The assembly rose several times, when they were presented, carried at arm’s length, a black and white portrait of the young man painted by Ange Hillz, known to have immortalized the victims of police violence; or when jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold sang Amazing Grace or Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing, the African American anthem.
Symbol status
On the stage seated the gospel choir, eighteen pastors, as well as Attorney General Keith Ellison, Congressman Ilhan Omar, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. After the quick welcome from the pastor of the church, two men took over the ceremony: Ben Crump, the high profile lawyer for the family of George Floyd – he will also represent the family of Daunte Wright. And the Reverend Al Sharpton, a figure in the civil rights struggle. The Reverend’s organization, the National Action Network, paid for all of the funeral costs.
“Daunte Wright’s life mattered! Daunte Wright’s life mattered! “ Ben Crump declined the Black Lives Matter formula and offered to chant it with him, fist raised.
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