Five Years After George Floyd Locals Talk About Impact and Lasting Change

As the nation celebrates Memorial Day, some communities are also remembering George Floyd on the fifth anniversary of his death on May 25, 2020.

Floyd died due to asphyxiation caused by a police officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes, according to autopsy findings.

Floyd’s death sparked a global movement against police brutality and racial injustice. On Sunday, Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable President and former Pasadena Weekly columnist Earl Ofari Hutchinson called on all Angelenos to “take a kneel.”

Local change

Locally, the incident shifted the political opinion on police accountability. The Pasadena City Council had long resisted calls for a civilian oversight commission, which dated back to the Michael Bryant incident.

The push for these oversight mechanisms was further intensified by the fatal shooting of Anthony McClain, a 32-year-old Black man, by Pasadena police in August 2020.

McClain was fatally shot by a Pasadena police officer after he fled from police during a traffic stop.

Police say McClain was armed and his possession of a firearm prompted the shooting, but many local residents say they do not see a gun in the video footage of the fatal incident.

According to police, McClain’s DNA was found on an unserialized ghost gun recovered at the scene. The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing.

“Our community has experienced its own tragedies similar to that of George Floyd, with names like Leroy, Barnes, Anthony McLean, JR Thomas, and Kendrick McDade—sons and fathers whose lives were cut short and should never be forgotten,” said Councilmember Tyron Hampton. “As a nation, we must reflect on our past mistakes to ensure we don’t repeat them. However, there are still many in our community who feel that these injustices persist. I believe the pandemic has helped to shed light on these issues, allowing us to witness the injustices firsthand.”

According to Hampton, it is now more crucial than ever that the City invest in comprehensive training for employees and actively confront biases.

The City has introduced new technologies, aimed at transparency and technologies including body-worn cameras and a system that activates all nearby officers’ cameras when a weapon is drawn.

“With a collective awareness growing, community members are taking accountability, as are city officials. Together, we can and will improve.”

Still, some local activists called the use of force in the incident “egregious.”

“Nationally we know of the murder of George Floyd, locally we know of the killing of Anthony McClain by the Pasadena police,” Heavenly Hughes, who leads My TRIBE Rise told Pasadena Now on Sunday.

“These events were followed by historical protest and multiple lawsuits and legislations to protect human beings from law enforcement and to hold police accountable with immediate transparency and tender discipline. Demands for reform still scream from the blood stains on the streets and from the hearts of those who have lost family due to police violence.

Today we remember George Floyd, and continue to advocate, take action and fight for justice, peace and humanity.”

Shift in the wind

In October 2020, the City Council unanimously approved the creation of the Community Police Oversight Commission. The 11-member body is designed to provide independent review and oversight of the Pasadena Police Department.

The unanimous vote marked a seismic shift. Although the matter was discussed at the City Council’s Public Safety Committee several times. A majority of the members of the committee strongly opposed a civilian oversight commission.

Alongside the commission, the city established the position of an Independent Police Auditor. The Independent Police Auditor is tasked with reviewing police policies, practices, and incidents involving use of force. While the auditor holds subpoena power to gather information during investigations, any findings cannot directly influence disciplinary actions within the department.

Some residents have expressed concerns about the limitations of the commission’s authority.

Despite the calls for a commission, the meetings are sparsely attended, sometimes with as few as five community members in attendance.

While the establishment of the Community Police Oversight Commission and the appointment of an Independent Police Auditor marked significant progress.

“It’s like the blinders came off for a lot of folks,” Esprit Jones, who chairs the City’s oversight commission. “With everyone stuck in their homes during the pandemic, no one had the space to distract themselves from the circumstances that took George Floyd from this existence. It is unfortunate that it took a lot of local and national tragedies to get the world to see that accountability for law enforcement is necessary.”

Community members continue to advocate for more substantial reforms. Pasadena’s journey toward enhanced police oversight reflects a broader national reckoning with law enforcement practices and the pursuit of justice and equity in community policing.

The Public Safety Committee was scheduled to discuss AB392 earlier this month. The use-of-force raised the standard for when officers may legally use deadly force.

Known as the California Act to Save Lives, AB 392 limits the use of deadly force by police officers to two specific scenarios: when defending themselves or others from an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, or when apprehending a fleeing person who poses that same level of threat.

However, that meeting was canceled due to the lack of a quorum and will be rescheduled.

Taking it to the streets

Like many other cities, local residents took to the streets after the incident.

On May 31, 2020, hundreds of protesters gathered in Old Pasadena, marching from Pintoresca Park to the intersection of Fair Oaks Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.

The demonstration remained largely peaceful. One man, Benjamin Hung was arrested. According to a press release by the US Attorney’s office, Hung, accelerated his Dodge pickup truck toward the intersection where the protest was taking place. As he drove past the demonstrators, Hung caused the truck to emit a large amount of exhaust in what is sometimes called “coal rolling.” No protesters were injured during the incident. Police arrested Hung a few blocks away.

In court, he admitted to bringing one of his illegally obtained firearms, a Glock 26 9mm handgun, to counterprotest in Old Pasadena.

Judge Wilson described Hung as “looking for trouble” when he went to the protests and determined that while Hung did not intend to endanger anyone’s life, he engaged in “threatening” behavior designed to “intimidate” and “create fear.”

Later that evening, a candlelight vigil at Pasadena City Hall drew over 2,000 participants, honoring George Floyd and local victims of fatal police incidents such as Kendrec McDade and Leroy Barnes.

In response to the national outcry, Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) authored Assembly Bill 26, known as the “George Floyd Law.” Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2021, the legislation mandates that police officers intervene and report instances of excessive force by fellow officers, aiming to prevent incidents similar to Floyd’s death.

“Derek Chauvin was charged for the killing of George Floyd, but justice for George Floyd doesn’t rest in Chauvin’s conviction alone – there were three additional officers who simply stood by and watched him die,” Holden said in a prepared statement when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed his bill.

Remembering …

In Minneapolis, commemorations began Friday and continued through Sunday at George Floyd Square, the now-iconic intersection where officer Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe.

Sunday’s events included a worship service, a gospel concert, and a candlelight vigil.

In Floyd’s hometown of Houston, relatives visited his gravesite Sunday for a memorial led by civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton. A separate public service featuring music, spoken word, and a balloon release were held at a nearby park.

More work to be done

Some civil rights advocates continue to express frustration over what they see as stalled progress on police reform.

Michelle Gross, president of the advocacy group Communities United Against Police Brutality, said in a recent statement that while officials often speak of improvements, many in the community have yet to see meaningful change.

In the wake of Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, massive protests and calls for systemic reform swept the U.S. and other countries. Although some municipalities promised overhauls to policing practices, activists say momentum has waned, particularly amid shifting political priorities.

Earlier this week, the Trump administration signaled a reversal of federal oversight policies, announcing plans to abandon agreements with Minneapolis and Louisville that had mandated changes to their police departments in the wake of the killings of Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

These agreements, which were pursued under President Joe Biden, were part of a broader Justice Department effort to hold local police accountable for patterns of misconduct.

President Trump has also made dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs a key part of his policy agenda, both within the federal government and at state and local levels.

His administration has begun using federal funding to pressure institutions — including schools and universities — to roll back DEI initiatives. Republican-led states have also ramped up efforts to eliminate such programs.

“There is still much work ahead, but the silver lining is our incredible community, which holds us accountable and continuously shares suggestions for improvement,” Hampton said.