20 April: After a three-week-long trial, the jury found Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer guilty of the murder of George Floyd. Derek Chauvin was filmed kneeling on the neck of Mr Floyd, an african american citizen, for more than 9 minutes in May of 2020 and the incident was the spark of one of the largest recent anti-racist movements in the United States and the world. George Floyd's last words, "I can't breathe" became a significant statement that was hailed by the BLM movement as a testament to the police brutality and racism faced by black people.

The conviction of Chauvin is being hailed as a watershed moment of justice, especially considering how it is rare for any police officer to be charged with killing African-Americans in the US. The leaders of the US including President Biden and Vice President Harris have appreciated the judgment and stated that this was just the beginning of countering racial injustice in the country.

The verdict brought some solace to activists for racial justice who had been riveted to the courtroom drama for the past several weeks. However, several rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union believe that though this verdict brings justice and hope, the systems that allowed Mr Floyd's murder and which continue to target people of colour still need to undergo major changes. This sentiment stood true due to the fact that Black killings by the police continued even during the wake of Chauvin's conviction including the recent shooting death of Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb. 

According to CD4Peace perspective, while justice has been served in George Floyd's case, significant systemic changes are needed in the US as well as other countries in the world to ensure equality and justice for all.

Photo credit; https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/20/us/george-floyd-protests-police-reform.html