The Late Floyd's Wife: "The Only Thing I Can Tell Our Daughter Is 'Daddy Couldn't Breathe'"

Protests Over George Floyd's Death Enter 9th Day
Floyd's Wife: "We Want Justice for Him"
Pope Francis: "Racism Cannot Be Tolerated"

George Floyd's daughter, Gianna Floyd, who died due to excessive force by a white police officer in the United States / Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] The protests condemning racial discrimination and abuse of public authority, triggered by the so-called 'George Floyd incident' in which an unarmed Black man died due to excessive force by a white police officer in the United States, have continued for the ninth day. Amid this, Floyd's wife revealed that "the only thing I could say to my 6-year-old daughter was 'Daddy couldn't breathe'," adding to the sorrow.

Floyd's wife, Roxie Washington, appeared on CNN on the 3rd (local time) together with their daughter, Gianna.

Washington said, "My daughter stood by the door and asked, 'Mom, what happened to our family?' When I asked, 'Why do you say that?' she replied, 'Because I heard people saying Daddy's name on TV,'" she began.

She continued, "My daughter wanted to know how her father died," and "The only thing I could tell her was 'Daddy couldn't breathe,'" she revealed.

On the 3rd (local time), a protest denouncing racial discrimination in the 'George Floyd case' was held in Manhattan, New York, USA. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Earlier, on the 2nd, Washington and Floyd's friend, former NBA player Steve Jackson, held a press conference in Minneapolis to express their feelings. On that day, Washington raised her voice, saying, "No matter what anyone thinks, George was a good person, and I want justice for him."

Jackson also shared a video featuring Gianna on his Instagram. In the video, Gianna is seen sitting on Jackson's shoulder, shouting, "My daddy changed the world."

On the same day, Floyd's son, Quincy Mason Floyd, visited the site where his father died and expressed his anger, saying, "We want justice regarding what is happening now," and "No man or woman should be without a father."

Meanwhile, the anti-racism protests sparked by Floyd's death have spread beyond the United States to the entire world.

Large-scale protests were held in the United Kingdom, and Pope Francis issued an official statement opposing racial discrimination.

In his Wednesday general audience homily on the 3rd, Pope Francis said, "We are closely watching the social unrest ongoing in the United States following the tragic death of George Floyd," and emphasized, "We cannot tolerate or ignore any form of racial discrimination."

However, regarding some violent protests, he criticized them as "self-destructive and suicidal acts," stating, "Nothing can be gained through violence, and rather, much more will be lost."