Givionne “Gee” Jordan was arrested during a peaceful demonstration against the killing of George Floyd Sunday afternoon in downtown Charleston. A video of that arrest has gone viral, prompting criticism of police. Gee joined us to talk about his experience. This is the full interview.
Images and videos from protests against racism and police brutality have been filling our news feeds and social media pages for days now.
It can be overwhelming to scroll through it all — and much more overwhelming, and sometimes dangerous, for the protesters who are actually on the streets — but sometimes one moment cuts through it.
That was the case for video that was captured during a protest in Charleston's Marion Square on Sunday, which has caught the attention of millions of viewers.
It shows 23-year-old Givionne “Gee” Jordan kneeling before a line of police officers as other protesters stood or knelt around him. In that overwhelming moment, he wanted to pause and project a sense of peace and unity.
“I am not your enemy,” he said to police. “All of you are my family.”
Moments later, he was arrested.
We spoke with Jordan about his experience that day, why he came to stand with protesters in Marion Square and the difference he wanted to make with his words. Listen to the full interview below.