NAACP Maryland State Conference Voices Solidarity for Justice in Statement on the Murder of Mr. George Floyd

The NAACP Maryland State Conference President Flowers released the following statement regarding the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Officers:
 
The NAACP Maryland State Conference grieves for the loss of our brother George Floyd who was murdered violently in Minneapolis, MN on Monday, May 25, 2020. This murder continues a pattern of White Supremacy and a gross abuse of power that are the most insidious aspects of our nation’s history. These systemic patterns must come to an end.
 
Like other acts of hatred before the murder of Mr. Floyd, this horrific incident reinforces the urgent need to work together to put measures in place to prevent violent acts like this one from ever happening again.
 
Murdering citizens does the opposite of community building by tearing the community apart when it should be the job of law enforcement to bring the community together. It also brings shame and stigma to officers who work for the good of the communities they serve.
 
In the state of Maryland, we encourage every law enforcement entity to use the horror of Minneapolis to serve as fuel to re-commit to community & police relations with the intention of serving together to not only protect the community but also to unify to resolve the long-term challenges with social determinants of health that commonly stifle American communities.
 
The NAACP Maryland State Conference stands in solidarity with Mr. Floyd’s family, the Minneapolis City Branch, and the Minnesota State Conference in the aftermath of this heinous killing. We encourage all residents of Maryland to work in your local communities to build stronger relations with law enforcement and support the positive actions of those leading on the ground in Minneapolis to achieve justice for Mr. Floyd.
 
Our fight for justice is a steadfast continuous process that requires relentless urgency and commitment from all of us. We must journey together, or we will continue to fall apart.
 
The recent arrest of the lead officer Derek Chauvin is a welcomed update but we encourage everyone to continue to advocate for justice in this case with the hope that the conviction fits the crime of murder.
 
Willie Flowers 
President 
NAACP - Maryland State Conference