The following statement is attributable to Kyle Bragg, 32BJ SEIU President.

“We hope this ruling brings a sorely needed measure of relief and peace to the family of George Floyd, and that it signals a step in the right direction towards repairing our broken policing and judicial systems.

Televising the horrific play-by-play of George Floyd’s murder forced viewers to face the ugly truth about pervasive racism in policing that leads to wholesale murder in Black and Brown communities.

As a union representing mostly Black and Brown workers, our members cannot escape a dangerous reality that they too could become a victim of police brutality, even as they risk their own lives keeping us safe on the frontlines as essential workers who clean and secure buildings. Many must travel to and from work during off-hours and fear being harassed and brutalized by the police.

While justice was delivered today, we must never forget Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Michael Brown and all of the victims for whom justice was denied. The fact still remains that police shootings are a leading cause of death among Black men, yet few officers are ever charged and even fewer are convicted.

While today’s decision is a step in the right direction, we are far from where our nation needs to be in order to live up to our own ideals.We must ensure this ruling signals an end to the cycle of violence against our Black and Brown communities, and the beginning of long overdue reform of our broken policing and criminal justice systems.”

With more than 175,000 members in 11 states, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country.

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