“We are in a state of emergency. Black people are dying in a state of emergency” Tamika Mallory, activist Pictures of a white Minneapolis police officer killing unarmed black man George Floyd provoked an immediate and furious response. Angry protests demanding an end to entrenched racism erupted in scores of cities across America. Floyd’s last words ‘I can’t breathe’ have become a rallying cry. White and black, young and old, across 50 states, have protested peacefully against police violence and racism.