Directors Guild Releases a Statement on the Killing of George Floyd

The protests rocking America over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis have drawn support from every corner of the globe. Celebrities and regular citizens alike are taking to the streets and social media to demand an end to race-based police brutality. The Director’s Guild of America, representing 18,000 members who are involved in the country’s entertainment industry, has issued a statement expressing solidarity with the protestors.

“As our nation mourns the senseless killing of George Floyd and so many other people of color, the Directors Guild of America stands in solidarity with those peaceful voices of frustration calling for the end of institutional, systemic racism. This tragic incident once again shines a harsh light on the reality of our unequal justice system, one which is baked deep in the history of our country. Statements of support are important but unless we are honest enough to look at ourselves and our institutions, we will never move past this injustice and begin the hard work of real change. We at the DGA are committed to that change and will not let this moment be forgotten.”

The #BLM protests, which started peacefully on the last Friday of May, quickly devolved into rioting and looting in many cities. After months of strictly observed self-isolation, all social distancing norms were thrown out the window as chaos reigned on the streets. Protestors clashed with police guards in some areas, while in others, officers knelt down on their knees as a show of support for the cause the protestors were fighting for.

Some entertainment personalities like John Cusack and Nick Cannon have taken to the streets to join the protests, while others are using social media to spread awareness of the movement, and tackling hecklers. When Seth Rogen’s #BlackLivesMatter Instagram post was trolled by some users, Rogen individually replied to each troll in the comments and asked them to stop watching his movies.

There has been some concern that the initial point of the protests would be lost from public view as the focus shifts to the riots and looting that have dominated news feeds for the past few days. A number of civic leaders have appealed to protestors to abstain from causing violence and destruction against public property and businesses owned by other citizens.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, citizens have seen a reflection of their own problems in the chaos engulfing America. In Paris, more than 20,000 citizens defied the ban on public gatherings to take to the streets to demand justice for Adama Traore, who was killed in an incident of police brutality similar to Floyd’s death four years ago.

The movement started by Goerge Floyd protestors shows no signs of slowing down any time soon, even as experts worry about its effect on the spread of disease and infection as more and more people break curfew. It is now up to the leaders of the countries to come up with a speedy resolution that ends the protests and provides some measure of comfort and relief to the protestors, and the families of the bereaved. DGA issues this statement.