HOUSTON — "Please join us in this fight."
During a George Floyd rally at Houston City Hall on Tuesday, speakers made an emotional plea to politicians across the country to create legislation in order to enact change in how police treat people of color.
"I plead with them today to create legislation to help us fight this serious disease (racism)," Bun B said.
Shortly after Bun B's plea, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said she would introduce "revolutionary legislation" on Thursday that talks about a "new culture for police and for policing."
Jackson Lee said the legislation would include guidelines for recruitment, de-escalation, accreditation and to enforce the fact that police are here to protect and serve the people. She said a bill would be named in honor of Floyd.
Rep. Al Green also spoke. He said it's time to declare war on racism just like we've declared war on poverty, drugs and other things.
“We have declared a war on poverty, we declared a war on drugs, we declared a war on cancer, it’s time to declare a war on racism," said Rep. Al Green.
"It is time for a revolution of change for the dignity of all of us, no matter what our color," Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee told the crowd. "We will name a bill in the United States Congress of the United States of America after George Floyd. To be able to have his memory to never be forgotten, never be ignored."
Bun B said he wants to see legislation because when police departments aren't able to police themselves, something needs to be in place to ensure they are held accountable.
"When police can't police themselves, that we the power have a voice because we are the dogs in this fight," Bun B said. "When the police departments of America can't police themselves, we need independent review boards with subpoena power to hold them accountable, to have them arrested and have charges brought against them. And that takes legislation."
Floyd's death has sparked protests across the world, some peaceful and others violent.
Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 when an officer was seen on video kneeling on his neck for nearly 11 minutes in an attempt to detain him for what police called a non-violent forgery.
Derek Chauvin was identified as the officer seen on video with his knee on Floyd's neck while Floyd was pleading, "I can't breathe."
Chauvin and three other officers were fired following his death, but protesters took the street of Minneapolis to demand the officers be charged.
It wasn't until four days later that Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three other officers who were at the scene have not been charged.
The news of Chauvin's arrest hasn't stopped protesters from continuing to gather in cities like New York, Chicago and Atlanta to demand justice for Floyd and speak out about police brutality.
Many of the protests around the country have led to the looting of businesses and more violence between citizens and police officers.
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