From Minnesota to Syria, artists around the world are paying tribute to George Floyd with powerful murals

Monica HumphriesJun 6, 2020, 03:10 IST

A man stands in front of the George Floyd mural in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Rueters

As a call for justice for George Floyd spreads across the world, artists have used murals as a tool to urge action and commemorate the 46-year-old man who died on May 25.
From Syria to Minnesota, murals depict George Floyd as an angel and a hero.

For nearly nine minutes, George Floyd was pinned to the ground with a knee to his neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. Floyd died on May 25 in police custody.

"Please, I can't breathe" were some of his last words.

Those words have echoed around the world as people seek justice for Floyd and call for an end to police brutality.

Protesters have flooded streets with power chants and signs. Others are taking a knee. And artists are creating powerful murals and street art around the world.

Artists in Syria, Kenya, the US, and throughout the world have used their skills to commemorate Floyd. The powerful images leave a lasting impression on cities and their people.

Five local artists painted a mural in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Floyd died on May 25.

Names of others who have died in police custody are written behind George Floyd. Steel Brooks/Anadolu Agency/Getty Image

Artists Aziz Asmar and Anis Hamdoun painted a mural of Floyd on ruins in Idlib, Syria.

Aziz Asmar and Anis Hamdoun painted the mural on the remains of a ruined house. Izzeddin Idilbi/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

A spray-painted mural was created by Theo Ponchaveli in Dallas, Texas.

Theo Ponchaveli used spray paint to create the piece. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Multiple murals have been painted across Minneapolis.

Two people raise their fists as they sit in front of a mural at a memorial site for George Floyd. REUTERS/Leah Millis

Street artist Akse paid tribute to Floyd through a mural located in Manchester, UK.

Quickly after the mural was finished, flowers and letters started to pile up. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Artist Celos painted a mural in downtown Los Angeles, California.

"I can't breathe" is painted across his mouth. APU GOMES/AFP/Getty Images)

A black, red, and white mural was painted across a wall in Nantes, France.

"RIP George Floyd" was painted in the corner of the mural. LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images

Artist Allan Mwangi, also known as Mr.detail.seven, painted this mural of Floyd in Nairobi, Kenya.

The mural was added to the wall of a building in the Kibera slums in Nairobi, Kenya. Donwilson Odhiambo/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

A colorful mural appeared on a boarded up shop in Inwood, a neighborhood in New York.

A halo is painted above George Floyd's head. Celia Fernandez/Insider

As protests take place across Ireland, a mural was painted on a wall in Dublin.

The black-and-white mural was painted on a white-washed wall. Niall Carson/PA Images/Getty Images

Artist eme_freethinker painted a mural of Floyd on the graffiti-covered remains of the Berlin Wall in Germany.

"I can't breathe" is painted next to a portrait of George Floyd in Berlin, Germany. Omer Messinger/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Murals have also popped up commemorating Floyd, like this one in Oakland, California.

A woman walks past the mural in Oakland, California. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

An artist turned Floyd into an angel in Houston, Texas.

A mural of George Floyd was painted on the wall of Scott Food Mart in Houston, Texas. Sergio Flores/Getty Images

Barcelona's street art now includes Floyd with angel wings and a stop sign.

A woman walks by the George Floyd artwork on a street in Barcelona, Spain. PAU BARRENA/AFP/Getty Images

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