Candlelight vigil held in Owego for George Floyd

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in Minneapolis, Minnesota after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed face down in the street. The next day, protesting erupted throughout the nation, with a protest held locally in Binghamton, N.Y., and a peaceful vigil held in Owego, N.Y. 

During the Binghamton protest last Sunday, crowds filled the streets and then marched in protest to Recreation Park in Binghamton. Later that day, the city’s Mayor applauded the protesters for remaining peaceful.

But later that night, several vandals took advantage of the situation and set fire to the park’s playground equipment, setting into motion immediate action on its residents to rebuild it. A GoFundMe, Rebuilding Rec Park in Binghamton, was set up shortly after the fire, which happened in the early morning hours the following day, and quickly raised over $40,000 and is climbing. 

On Thursday in Owego, a candlelight vigil to stand in solidarity with George Floyd was set up by 21-year old Dylan Feliciano. A 2017 Owego Free Academy graduate, Feliciano attended SUNY Broome, and will be attending Binghamton University this fall where he is majoring in philosophy, politics, and law.

A former boy scout that earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 2016, Feliciano puts together events to help people heal, and to provoke change. Last year he organized a climate strike in Binghamton, N.Y. 

“There’s a lot of injustice in the world, and I’m always looking for ways to fight it,” said Feliciano.

The candlelight vigil on Thursday began peacefully at 8:30 p.m. and offered those attending a pause, or long moment of silence representing the close to nine minutes where people witnessed, on May 25, George Floyd take his last breath.

Those that gathered did so peacefully, and then went home when the vigil was over; there was no violence, just a gathering of support by community members standing united with the nation for change.

In Minnesota, all of the officers involved in George Floyd’s death have been arrested as protests continue across the nation, and now across the world.

To view more photos, click on the thumbnails below.

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