"It's OK to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive or make a change another way because we've been down this road already," says Terrence Floyd.
George Floyd's brother on Sunday night pleaded with would-be protesters to keep their message and movement peaceful after a weekend of violence and destruction across numerous major U.S. cities.
Floyd died exactly one week ago after a white police officer used his knee to choke the black man during an arrest in Minneapolis. The officer has since been fired and charged with murder. Protests against police brutality broke out immediately after video of the incident went viral. A number of demonstrations turned to destruction and looting. Peaceful protest groups and authorities said in some cases separate factions only seeking trouble, and using the movement for guise, were responsible.
Terrence Floyd, in an interview with ABC News' Alex Perez, said that he understands people are angry, but he has major concern the memory of George Floyd will be overshadowed by the destruction which has resulted in the National Guard being deployed and mandatory curfews in major cities, such as Los Angeles.
"[S]ometimes I get angry, I want to bust some heads, too," Terrence Floyd said. "I wanna ... just go crazy. But I’m here. My brother wasn’t about that. My brother was about peace. You’ll hear a lot of people say he was a gentle giant."
The Floyd sibling implored the halt of any further destruction.
"Don’t tear up your town, all of this is not necessary because if his own family and blood is not doing it, then why are you?" he told ABC News. "If his own family and blood are trying to deal with it and be positive about it, and go another route to seek justice, then why are you out here tearing up your community? Because when you’re finished and turn around and want to go buy something, you done tore it up. So now you messed up your own living arrangements. So just relax. Justice will be served."
In a Monday morning interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, Terrence Floyd said his brother "would want us to seek justice" but protest anger must be focused "another way."
"It's OK to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive or make a change another way because we've been down this road already," he said. "The anger, damaging your hometown is not the way he'd want."
