Pilot follows unique flight path to draw 'raised fist' as tribute to Floyd; netizens react

As social unrest over the death of the African American George Floyd continues to convulse the US and many other countries, a pilot in Canada on June 7 flew the plane in the sky in the shape of the “raised fist” a sign that has become a symbol of the Black Lives Matter movement. A pilot named Dimitri Neonakis from Nova Scotia, Canada took a flight path in the sky to demonstrate his support and express solidarity with  eorge Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other black Americans as he sent a strong message against the police brutality. 

With a historical significance in the Black Power movement of the 1960s, the fist represents unity with the oppressed people of colour. The clenched fist is linked with the black nationalism and sometimes socialism in the 1960s was used by the Black Panther Party. In the US, protests that broke out after a white police officer exercised chokehold on African American George Floyd that resulted in his death, the gesture is connotated with disproportionate police brutality.  Founded in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale to challenge police brutality against the African American community, the gesture has long been symbolic for the black lives movement.  

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Taking off a nearly 380-mile flight, the Canadian pilot wrote in a Facebook post, “took the shape of a movement symbol which I respect and support.” Further, he added, he dedicated the flight “for George.” "I see a World of one race in multi colours," he wrote. "This is the World I see, and this is my message. End Racism,” he said in a post he wrote on social media. The users worldwide lauded the pilot’s views and support for the communities, as some called Canada their “sprit country.” 

Netizens lauded the pilot

“What a heart of this Canadian pilot to 'paint' this symbol in support of #BlackLivesMatter, what skills in drafting to design the route, what skill as a pilot to complete it, hours of flight,” wrote a user appreciating the pilot. “I love everything about this,” wrote a second. “CR-22. Halifax has a very large black population. Historically a very interesting and cool history,” wrote the third.

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