LOS ANGELES (AP) – A report that Los Angeles police officers distributed a photo of George Floyd saying ‘you are breathtaking’ in a Valentine format has sparked an internal investigation and led to a blistering conviction of Floyd’s family, the district attorney and the police union.
Los Angeles police chief Michel Moore said on Saturday that investigators will try to determine how the image came to the workplace and who may have been involved, according to the Los Angeles Times. reported. Moore said the officer who filed the complaint would be interviewed Monday.
“Our investigation aims to establish the accuracy of the allegations while reinforcing our zero tolerance for anything racist,” said Moore.
Floyd, a black man, died last May after a Minneapolis police officer squeezed a knee into the neck, while Floyd repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe.” His death sparked mass protests across the country over racial injustice and police brutality.
Ben Crump, a lawyer for Floyd’s family, said on Monday the family is outraged.
“This is not only insulting, but injuries beyond death. The kind of insensitivity and cruelty in a person’s soul that it takes to do such a thing evades understanding – and points to a much bigger problem within the culture of the LAPD, ”said Crump.
“We demand that everyone involved be held accountable for their disgusting behavior and that an apology be made to the family immediately.”
George Gascon, the Los Angeles County district attorney, condemned the image, saying he would investigate the case to see if any of his cases “may have been jeopardized by biased police work.”
The Los Angeles Police Protective League board of directors said in a statement that the union “rejects this disgusting image” and that any officer who “feels the need to be part of an online group that engages, promotes and / or promotes. or celebrates these types of activities should quickly rethink their career choices, as they clearly do not have the judgment or temper to be members of law enforcement.
If the internal investigation confirms that LAPD agents have spread the picture, “people will find my anger,” the police chief said.
The Times reported that Moore also confirmed that the department is investigating two anonymous Instagram accounts allegedly linked to department personnel – including one called the ‘Blue Line Mafia’.