Mourners pay their respects during viewing of George Floyd’s open casket in Houston

Hundreds of mourners lined up outside a church in George Floyd’s native Houston, Texas for a final public viewing on Monday as his death two weeks ago at the hands of police continued to spark protests across the United States.

As the doors opened at The Fountain of Praise church on Monday in Houston, where Floyd spent most of his life, the 46-year-old was lying in an open casket, dressed in a brown suit and blue tie. 

Officials are expecting thousands of mourners during the six-hour viewing in what will be the final stop in a series of memorials for Floyd. 

Mourners, many wearing masks and T-shirts with the words ‘I Can’t Breathe,’ stood 6 feet apart as they paused briefly to view the casket. Some made the sign of the cross as they passed by. On the stage behind the casket were two identical murals of Floyd wearing a black cap that read ‘Houston’ and angel wings drawn behind him. 

The viewing is open to the public but visitors are required to wear a mask and gloves to comply with coronavirus-related guidelines, as well as have their temperature checked prior to entering the church.  

‘With this happening to him, it’s going to make a difference in the world,’ said Pam Robinson, who grew up with Floyd in Houston and handed out bottled water to mourners waiting outside in the searing Texas heat. 

One man in the line, which had no shade, collapsed as temperatures spiked above 90 degrees and was taken by stretcher to a cooling station set up in front of the church.   

Floyd’s private funeral will be Tuesday followed by burial at the Houston Memorial Gardens cemetery in suburban Pearland where he will be laid to rest next to his mother, Larcenia Floyd. 

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was among the first to view the casket on Monday and planned to meet privately with the family later. He wore a striped gold and crimson tie, the colors of Floyd’s Houston high school.

‘George Floyd is going to change the arc of the future of the United States. George Floyd has not died in vain. His life will be a living legacy about the way that America and Texas responds to this tragedy,’ Abbott said. 

Former Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Houston to meet with Floyd’s family and provide a video message to be played at Floyd’s funeral service. He posed for a photo alongside Floyd’s uncle Roger Floyd, Rev Al Sharpton, Floyd’s family attorney Ben Crump and Congressman Cedric Richmond.

Floyd was raised in Houston’s Third Ward and was a well-known former high school football player who rapped with local legend DJ Screw. 

He moved to Minneapolis several years ago to seek work and a fresh start after being released from prison. 

His face now appears on a mural in his old neighborhood and his name was chanted by tens of thousands last week at a protest and march in downtown Houston.  

The mourners came from near and far on Monday: Comill Adams said she drove more than seven hours from Oklahoma City with her family, including two children ages 8 and 10. They wore matching black T-shirts with ‘I Can’t Breathe’ on the back – shirts she made up specifically or the memorial.

‘We had been watching the protests on TV. We´ve been at home feeling outraged. At times it brought us to tears,’ Adams said. ‘The fact this one is causing change, we had to come be a part of.’ 

The Houston memorial will take place as Derek Chauvin, the white Minneapolis police officer charged with killing Floyd, will face court for the first time.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder in Floyd’s May 25 death after he was filmed kneeling on the 46-year-old’s neck for nearly nine minutes as he gasped for air and repeatedly groaned: ‘Please, I can’t breathe.’ 

He was initially charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter before he was newly charged with second-degree murder last week. 

Three other Minneapolis police officers – Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao – were charged last week with aiding and abetting murder in Floyd’s death.        

It comes two weeks after Floyd’s death sparked widespread protests and civil unrest across the United States over police brutality. 

Two other memorials have taken place in Minneapolis and Raeford, North Carolina, near where Floyd was born. 

Hollywood celebrities, musicians and politicians were among those to attend Floyd’s memorial service in Minneapolis last Thursday. 

Civil rights leader Rev Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy, declaring it was time for black people to demand: ‘Get your knee off our necks!’  

‘George Floyd’s story has been the story of black folks. Because ever since 401 years ago, the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed to be is because you kept your knee on our neck,’ Sharpton said. 

‘What happened to Floyd happens every day in this country, in education, in health services, and in every area of American life. It’s time for us to stand up in George’s name and say, ‘Get your knee off our necks!’   

Those gathered at the Minneapolis tribute stood in silence for 8 minutes, 46 seconds – the amount of time Floyd was held on the ground before he died.  

Sharpton vowed a movement to ‘change the whole system of justice’ and said it was time to hold police accountable. 

‘Time is out for not holding you accountable. Time is out for you making excuses. Time is out for you trying to stall. Time is out for empty words and empty promises. Time is out for you filibustering and trying to stall the arm of justice” he said.  

Floyd’s body traveled to Raeford, North Carolina, where he was born 46 years ago, for a two-hour public viewing and private service for the family on Saturday.