RICHMOND, Va. -- A large crowd gathered around the Robert E. Lee Monument on Tuesday evening to listen to the family of George Floyd speak and watch the unveiling of a hologram in his memory.
Floyd was an African American man who died in May after a Minnesota police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes, sparking nationwide protests calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism.
“All of y’all are helping us right now by us being able to be here," Philonise Floyd, one of George's brothers, said.
The unique display, a hologram of Floyd projected on the Lee monument, brought Floyd’s family to Richmond for the evening.
“My older brother, George Floyd. Wonderful man. Beautiful human being, kind spirit, loving," Rodney Floyd said. "If he could see this in the physical form with us, I promise he would give all of y’all hugs."
Floyd's brothers said the project was the first collaboration between the George Floyd Foundation and Change.org.
With more than 19 million signatures, Justice for George Floydbecame the largest and fastest-growing petition on Change.org’s platform of all time, according to the website.
The image was designed by Kaleida Hologram Co. and projected by Quince Imaging of Virginia.
“We’re going to keep rolling I told ya. We going to put our foot on the pedal and we’re going to take care of business because if we stop now we’ll never get finished," Philonise said. "I’m fitting to talk to everybody from state to state. I love y’all Richmond, Virginia, y’all are in my heart.”
