George Floyd death: 5 years after murder in police custody, Chicago civil rights experts say calls for change have stalled
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO — Sunday marked five years since the murder of George Floyd in police custody.

The case led to protests around the world, including in Chicago, but many experts say the calls for change have since stalled.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The death of George Floyd in 2020 sparked a global movement and a call for changes in policing practices. While some individuals expressed to ABC7 that advancements have been made, others feel that progress is regressing.

It’s been five years since the world stopped to chant his name.

Ernest Crim III, an Emmy-nominated producer, educator, and author, remarked, “I believe many of us expected it to mark the start of significant transformation in this country… Unfortunately, no, it didn’t happen.”

RELATED | Day of action protest downtown Chicago commemorates 5 years since George Floyd murder

But now, questions are mounting on whether or not those protests and rallying cries made a lasting difference.

Aislinn Pulley, who founded the Black Lives Matter Chicago chapter, noted, “After the George Floyd footage was released, it allowed us to view it collectively, without excuses or distractions diverting our attention.”

The pressure was high in 2020.

According to Google trends, interest in “George Floyd” spiked in the days following his death, reaching a peak the following week. The surge came with mass protests and heightened conversations around police brutality, systemic racism and social justice.

But a new 2025 report by the National Urban League shows that interest has faded.

RELATED | 5 years after George Floyd’s death, Minneapolis police work to rebuild trust

“Let’s say it’s December 2019, and we have the death of George Floyd, do you think you would have seen the same level of care that we did?” ABC7 asked.

“No, and we know that we wouldn’t have, because we had very similar murders happen so he wasn’t the first,” Pulley replied. “It just happened at this very unique time where there wasn’t an ability to look away.”

“We saw what happened with several other people, Tamir Rice and Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown,” Crim III said. “It’s not trendy anymore, right? Like, they don’t have to live with this.”

Just this week, the Department of Justice said it’s moving to drop police consent decrees in Louisville, Kentucky, and Minneapolis. Those agreements coming after investigations into the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

That announcement did not impact Chicago, where a consent decree between the city and the state of Illinois was sparked by the 2014 murder of Laquan McDonald.

“Because the state attorney general stepped when the United States attorney general of the Department of Justice withdrew previously, people can recognize that there is a pathway for reform that remains here in Chicago,” said Edwin Yohnka with the Illinois ACLU. “We have reservations about how that process is working.”

In a statement to ABC7, CPD wrote in part, “The Chicago Police Department has implemented significant reforms since 2020 that further our commitment to fair and constitutional policing. These reforms, which aim to build greater trust in our communities, include instituting 40 hours of mandatory annual training for all officers, as well as significant policy updates that inform this training.”

Their training was showcased during the 2024 Democratic National Convention, which was praised by the secret service.

But for those like Black history educator Crim III, the efforts haven’t been enough to stop history from repeating itself.

“If you Black, and you living in a Black community… you’ve been inundated with so much trauma since then, you can’t even think about five years since five days ago, it happens,” Crim III said.

“How do you get to a point where it’s not you versus me, but more so us together, moving forward towards the same thing?” ABC7 asked.

“The way that we got the Civil Rights Act passed was through massive consistent organizing over a 10-year period,” Pulley said. “It was not as a result of a summer of uprising.”

“We need to be here for the long run, not just for summer,” Crim III said. “It’s something inside of you that is burns like ultimately, you just want all of humanity to do better.”

There are several organizations working to continue the mission of better police-community relations and restore healing to communities of color. Chicago police also have regular events to connect with the public.

CPD’s community engagement calendar can be found here.

More resources:

Equality and Transformation Chicago

Chicago Torture Justice Center

“How Black History Can Save Your Life: From the Talk to George Floyd, Everything You Need to Know to Deescalate a Racist Situation” by Ernest Crim III

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Bottom Line: Without Honest Elections, There Can Be No Republic

Essential Truth: A Republic Cannot Exist Without Fair and Transparent Elections

It’s Been a Heck of a Ride In the last several months…
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Pushes to Slash $500 Million in Aid to Nuclear-Armed Israel From NDAA

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Advocates for a $500 Million Reduction in U.S. Aid to Nuclear-Armed Israel in NDAA

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is set to introduce an amendment stripping $500…
Lawmakers visit 'Alligator Alcatraz' after being blocked

Legislators Tour ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Following Previous Denial

OCHOPEE, Fla. (AP) — Democratic legislators have criticized Florida’s newly established Everglades…
17-year-old British teen dies after beach sand tunnel collapses during family vacation: report

Tragic Accident: 17-Year-Old British Teen Dies in Beach Sand Tunnel Collapse During Family Vacation

A day at the beach turned tragic when a 17-year-old boy was…
Gervonta Davis arrested in Miami on domestic violence charge

Gervonta Davis faces arrest in Miami for domestic violence allegations

Police say the charge was connected to an incident that occurred last…
Jonestown survivors weigh in on site becoming tourist attraction

Jonestown survivors comment on plans to turn site into tourist destination

Jonestown remains etched in the American conscience as one of the darkest…
Low-quality security camera footage of a mugging.

Elderly British Tourist Mugged and Pushed to the Ground During Majorca Vacation

THIS is the shocking moment an elderly Brit is mugged and violently…
Lontray Clark to face murder, arson charges in court for Austin, Chicago fire that killed 4 at North and Laramie avenues

Lontray Clark to be arraigned on murder and arson charges for Austin, Chicago blaze that claimed 4 lives at North and Laramie Avenues

CHICAGO (WLS) — The suspect in a deadly fire in Chicago’s Austin…
The Broadway Butterfly, the Lady Gangster of the Jazz Age, flew too close to the lights

The Broadway Butterfly: The Jazz Age’s Notorious Lady Gangster Who Flew Too Close to Fame

NEW YORK — Vivian Gordon, often referred to as the Broadway Butterfly,…
Portrait of Caroline Dinenage, Britain's culture minister, at the G20 Culture Ministers meeting.

Young people prioritize everyday concerns over trans discussions

YOUNG people are more worried about bread and butter issues than racism…
Rotting toe found in box on Washington beach

Decaying Toe Discovered in Box on Washington Shoreline

A Tacoma, Washington, man found a gift-wrapped severed human toe while celebrating…
Texas Trump threat suspect arrested after allegedly writing 'I won’t miss' in social media post

Texas Resident Arrested for Alleged Social Media Threat, Declaring ‘I Won’t Miss’

A man from Texas was taken into custody on Thursday for allegedly…