Contact: Johanna Kichton, [email protected], 202.660.0605

WASHINGTON, D.C.—People’s Action Director George Goehl and Deputy Director Bree Carlson today released the following statement in response to the conviction of Derek Chauvin:

“No verdict will bring George Floyd back, or deliver justice to his family  and others who have suffered state-sanctioned police violence. Today, we breathe a sigh of relief as the Floyd family and the people of Minneapolis are offered some shred of accountability.

“We have a long road ahead, and we know that convicting one guilty person cannot bring justice for generations of oppression. True justice begins with defunding the Minneapolis police department and diverting that funding to programs to make communities healthy and whole, and it will be complete only when our country finally and permanently ends state-sanctioned murders of Black people. 

“We join our members at TakeAction Minnesota to support the Black-led coalition advocating for the Yes 4 Minneapolis Charter Amendment campaign that will defend Black lives and transform public safety so that it works for all of us.

“We remain united in solidarity, love, and rage with George Floyd’s family, Minneapolis, and communities everywhere fighting to end state-sanctioned police violence.”

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People’s Action is a national network of 40 state and local grassroots, power-building organizations in 30 states, united in fighting for justice. We operate the largest progressive rural organizing project in the country. People’s Action and its member organizations coordinated one of the biggest distributed organizing programs in rural areas this election season.