Watch hundreds of California surfers paddle out to sea to honor memory of George Floyd
As cities across the world protest for change after the death of George Floyd and other black Americans, surfers on California’s coast are doing something a little different.
A video shows hundreds of surfers at Santa Monica Beach over the weekend paddling out to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Protests have spread across the U.S. following Floyd’s death on Memorial Day, after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, prosecutors said. That officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been fired and charged with second-degree murder.
Surfers are using “paddle outs” to honor the lives of those who have died and show solidarity for the movement, according to Surfer.
In Santa Monica, the event was organized by the World Surf League and Black Girls Surf, according to Storyful.
Alpha & Omega Entertainment production company captured the paddle out on video, showing the crowd gathering in the water.
“Our team joined together to provide live aerial views of the Solidarity in Surf Paddle Out in Santa Monica yesterday afternoon — a beautiful part of a worldwide demonstration in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement,” the production company said on Instagram.
Santa Monica Pier also said on Instagram that it was honored to be supporting and amplifying Black Girls Surf through the paddle out.
“Today, we had the honor and privilege in supporting and amplifying Black Girls Surf in the LA edition of a world-wide paddle out in honor of George Floyd and in solidarity with #blacklivesmatter,” the pier said. “It was a true reminder that when we come together, powerful things can happen.”
Surfers in other parts of the country have also paddled out for solidarity. In Hawaii, at least 300 people showed up with their boards to form a huge circle in the water and call attention to racism, Honolulu Civil Beat reported.
Dozens of surfers in Virginia Beach also paddled out, according to 13News Now.
“I was struggling to find a way to express my support and there are some folks on the West Coast that are doing this paddle out so why not do it on the East Coast,” surf instructor and organizer Adelane Abcede told 13News Now. “Everyone met at the beach and we paddled out and formed a circle, said a few words and had a moment of silence.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2020 at 4:47 PM with the headline "Watch hundreds of California surfers paddle out to sea to honor memory of George Floyd."