A full-length statue of George Floyd was installed in Newark

A full-length statue of George Floyd was installed in Newark

A 700-pound statue of George Floyd has appeared in the largest city of New Jersey, which will stay at the city hall for at least a year.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka unveiled the statue at a ceremony on Wednesday, June 16, along with director Leon Pinckney, who commissioned the bronze sculpture, and several local activists.

In a speech dedicated to the opening, the mayor of Baraka expressed the hope that the statue will inspire local residents to fight for racial justice and support the activity that has grown as a result of the protests in response to Floyd’s death.

«George Floyd represents much more than himself at this historical stage,» Baraka said.

«I hope that when people pass by and see [the statue], it will inspire them to be active in the struggle that is happening right here in Newark, and right here in New Jersey.»

The bronze statue is a full-length sculpture of Floyd sitting on the edge of a park bench. Its official opening in front of the Newark City Hall took place on the eve of June 19: the day of the liberation of enslaved African Americans.

The statue was presented to the city as part of a public art project for at least a year, but the mayor of Baraka expressed hope that the statue will eventually be able to stay in the city on a permanent basis.

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