WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Hundreds of public defenders from Palm Beach County rallied for racial justice on Monday following the police-involved death of George Floyd in Minnesota. It's part of a nationwide protest of public defenders across the country in a call for racial justice.
The Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office held the protest in front of the historic courthouse on N. Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach.
WATCH RALLY:
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Public defenders hold rally at Palm Beach County's Historic Courthouse
Rows upon rows of public defenders stood outside the courthouse, holding signs and chanting rally cries like, "No justice, no peace. No racist police." The group called for racial justice and voiced their opposition to systemic racism.
"To be seen, to be heard to speak out against racial violence and racial inequities. We see it every day in the body cams that we get from police officers we hear it from our clients. We see stories about it in court all of the time," said Palm Beach County Public Defender Carey Haughwout.
In a very emotional symbol of unity, the public defenders knelt for eight minutes and 46 seconds, which is the length of time that Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck during his death.
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"I just think it shows that this is a movement that will not end until there is concrete systemic change in how we administer criminal justice," added Haughwout.
Monday's demonstration in West Palm Beach was one of several nationwide protests among public defenders in cities like Miami, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and more.