The crowd was small, only about 20 people showed up to honor the life of George Floyd at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando on Sunday. The day marked five years since Floyd was murdered by a former Minneapolis police officer. His death sparked a summer of protests across the county and here in Orlando.
Sunday’s protest was organized by a group called Orlando Against Police Crimes in partnership with other community organizations.
Edmund Anglero is an organizer with Orlando Against Police Crimes. He said issues remain with local police that need to be dealt with.
“What we're trying to do is to unite as many people as we can, right?" Anglero said. "I think that a lot of organizations have their own lane, and they're fighting for their own issues, but at the end of the day there is a common through line that unites us all.”
People held signs that read “Remember George Floyd,” while another read “Justice For Luis Lopez!” Lopez was shot and killed by an Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy after a call was made about a break in at his home. There are discrepancies about what police encountered once they arrived, but a friend of Lopez has been charged with his death because police say he entered the home without permission and caused the situation in question.
People on hand also called into question many of President Donald Trump's executive orders. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department dropped police reform agreements with both Louisville, Kentucky where Breonna Taylor was killed by police serving a search warrant and the Minneapolis police department. The so-called consent decrees were put in place under former President Joe Biden to address what were believed to be issues of systematic racism within police departments.
Back at the rally in Orlando, people also voiced concerns about the Orlando Police Department entering an agreement to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also known as ICE. Mayor Buddy Dyer has said the city did not have a choice following legislation passed by the state of Florida.
