Balloons released in honor of Floyd, others killed

Dozens gathered in a Minneapolis park on Saturday afternoon to remember George Floyd and release balloons to honor lives lost lost at the hands of law enforcement. Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer put his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground.

Courtney Ross, Floyd's girlfriend, spoke briefly at the balloon release, telling the crowd "Floyd is here with us, he loves us." "We are going to celebrate his life and spread, as I keep saying, peace, love and justice around this world," she said.

The gathering occurred as tens of thousands of protesters streamed into the nation's capital and other major cities Saturday in another huge mobilization against police brutality, while Floyd was remembered in his North Carolina hometown by mourners who waited hours for a glimpse of his golden coffin.