Amid protests, George Floyd to be buried in Houston on Tuesday

George Floyd will be buried in Houston on Tuesday. The burial will take place two weeks after he was killed when a white police officer knelt on his neck.

On Monday, thousands of mourners passed by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church. During the six hours of service, mourners wore masks due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I'm glad he got the send-off he deserved," Marcus Williams, a 46-year-old black resident of Houston, said outside. "I want the police killings to stop. I want them to reform the process to achieve justice, and stop the killing."

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Floyd's funeral ceremony will be a private affair and the 46-year-old will be buried next to his mother.

The murder of George Floyd in the United States has triggered protests not only in the country but across the world. Protesters are demanding justice for Floyd while calling for an end to systemic racism which targets black people across the globe.

In the video that went viral after Floyd’s death, the officer was seen kneeling on the man for almost nine minutes, even when he was repeatedly telling the officer about his inability to breathe. It was only when the ambulance arrived that the officer retracted his knee from the neck. An hour later, Floyd was dead.

Derek Chauvin, the 44-year-old police officer who knelt on Floyd was charged with second and third-degree murder, with his previous bail set at $1 million. However, on Tuesday, the bail was raised by $250,000 to $1.25 million.

The officer from Minneapolis appeared in front of the court via video call and was seen in an orange jumpsuit with handcuffs.