Above photo: Harlem, New York City, Oct. 14, 2025. WW /Brenda Ryan.
In response to President Trump and his MAGA base calling for a “Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk” on Oct. 14, left groups in several cities called counter events honoring George Floyd, the 46-year-old Black man whose murder by asphyxiation by a white police officer was broadcast live on social media on May 25, 2020. Floyd’s birthday is also Oct. 14. The Oct. 14 protests also paid homage to the mass movement that took to the streets to protest Floyd’s murder and the murder of all of those who have died at the hands of racist police and fascist violence.
This past Sept. 18, the Senate unanimously voted to declare Oct. 14 a “day of remembrance” for Kirk, who called George Floyd a “scumbag” and said that his murder should not have drawn such attention.
Oct. 14 was not really about honoring Charlie Kirk. The white supremacists who control the government with the support of the superrich want to prevent a reawakening of the movement catalyzed by Floyd’s murder. This is what’s behind the deployment of troops on the streets in cities and the racist war against immigrant workers.
These reactionary forces are co-opting Kirk’s birthdate to strengthen white supremacy, anti-LGBTQIA2S+ bigotry and war at home and abroad. They want the corporate media to focus on Kirk — instead of genocide in Gaza; war plans against Venezuela; ICE raids and deportations; deploying troops in Portland, Oregon, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles; and preparing to declare martial law on a widespread basis.
They want people to forget about their war on workers and labor unions. They need a distraction from the reality of nearly 200,000 government workers being fired and hundreds of thousands more being robbed of their right to a union. They’d rather not focus on the fact that people are losing access to health care, food assistance and housing and can no longer afford basic necessities.
The Democratic Party politicians and supposedly anti-Trump forces have acquiesced to the Kirk pressure campaign. Courage, militancy and independent struggle are the only ways for the workers to respond to this crisis.
The following summaries describe some George Floyd actions that also included Atlanta and Seattle.
Activists gathered at the Billie Holiday statue in Upton, a neighborhood in Baltimore, to declare Oct. 14 “George Floyd Day,” marking his birthday. Protesters carried signs reading “On George Floyd Day, Say No to Racism.” The action was part of a countrywide movement to honor George Floyd — not Charlie Kirk. The rally opened with a tribute to Assata Shakur. Colby Bryd of the Peoples Power Assembly urged the crowd to keep fighting racist violence. Watch Bryd on YouTube.
Activists from Black Alliance for Peace, Workers World Party, Party for Socialism and Liberation and Power to the People NY assembled in downtown Buffalo, New York, on Oct. 14 alongside community members to protest outside the ICE facility, courthouse and offices for various government agencies complicit in violence against the working class. The core message of the Buffalo organizers stressed solidarity across the entire international working class.
In Cleveland, activists held a food distribution in a local park and had political discussions with passersby.
A moving birthday event for George Floyd was held by a multinational crowd of activists along with family and friends he grew up with in Houston. South African actor and dancer, Lindi Yeni, sang a South African freedom song. Nikki Luellen shared a poem followed by Floyd’s older brother, Travis Caine, saying, “It’s not just a Black problem but affects all people and, as a whole, Black, Mexican, white, we have to fight injustice together and hold those behind the badge accountable.” SisterMama Sonya, a member of the SHAPE Center’s Elders Council of Wisdom, read a poem. Messages were given by Palestinians and other activists.
On George Floyd Day, activists from the Harriet Tubman Center in Los Angeles took the street. The Oct. 14 rally was held at the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Figueroa, in USC’s shadow. It answered right-wing calls to honor the fascist Charlie Kirk. Speakers denounced racist police killings and named the dead. They tied the police war on Black and Brown youth to the White House offensive against the working class using federal troops.
On a rainy Oct. 14, a couple dozen community members gathered at the Hennepin County Government Plaza in Minneapolis to commemorate what would have been George Floyd’s 52nd birthday.
Twin Cities Coalition for Justice organized this event to protest the designation of October 14 as a national day of remembrance for right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk and to oppose the rising tide of white supremacist hate poisoning our country and our communities.
The aunt of George Floyd, Angela Harrelson, opened the program asking that all be united in fighting for justice and said she was grateful for folks who showed up to celebrate her nephew’s birthday. Myrka Zambrano, an organizer with Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, noted that it took almost 32 years for Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday to become a national holiday and 150 years for Juneteenth to be recognized as a national holiday, but only nine days for Congress to recognize Kirk’s birthday as a national day of remembrance.
Dozens of activists gathered at the Harriet Tubman Memorial in Harlem, New York City, on Oct. 14 to honor the memory of George Floyd. Representatives from groups including December 12th Movement; Arm the Dollz; Mutual Aid & Scientific Socialism; Freedom Road Socialist Organization; Struggle La Lucha; Bronx Anti-War Coalition; United Antiwar Coalition; Jazz Against Genocide; Workers World Party; and Coalition Against the Bourgeois Media gave short greetings promoting unity and solidarity with all social struggles at home and abroad.
Omowale Clay from the December 12th Movement and Monica Moorehead, a Workers World managing editor, co-chaired the rally, which culminated with the Assata Shakur chant in salute to the heroic Black revolutionary who died on Sept. 25 in Havana, Cuba.
As the Trump regime continues its gestapo repression on the people not only of this country but of the world, over 50 Philadelphia activists from a dozen organizations including Workers World Party rallied at Philadelphia City Hall then marched to the Federal Prison on 7th and Arch streets to honor George Floyd on his birthday, Oct. 14.
As a counter to Trump’s glorification of bigoted fascist Charlie Kirk, people took to the streets to celebrate the heroic resistance of the oppressed around the globe. Brother Tommy Joshua of the Philly Peace Park ended the demonstration with a spirited call for a united front capable of not only defending but advancing a people’s movement for liberation.
In Portland, Oregon, activists held a vigil and rally on Oct. 14 to make it a national day of remembrance for George Floyd. Rod Such, with Jewish Voice for Peace and Democratic Socialists of America, reminded the rally that the murder of George Floyd sparked over 100 days of protests in Portland. He is active in Portland’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
Mog, a coordinator for the Portland chapter of Resist U.S.-Led War Movement, spoke on the importance of resisting AFRICOM outposts for ongoing U.S. military occupation and control across Africa.
John Waller, a coordinator for the National Network on Cuba, stated, “There are no George Floyds in Cuba.” Unlike the U.S., Cuba has eliminated systemic racism that leads to police brutality.
Contributors for the summary are Sharon Black, Martha Grevatt, Monica Moorehead, Lyn Neeley, Joe Piette, Daphne Pugliese, Gloria Rubac, Scott Scheffer and Loretta VanPelt.
