Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-35) at the start of today’s New Jersey Assembly Session remembered George Floyd as he recognized protests around the world because of the Minnesota black man’s “heinous death” at the hands of Minneapolis police officers

The Paterson lawmaker referred to 401 years of injustice that have come to a head like no other “maybe because of the pandemic.”

“I can’t breathe,” said Wimberly, citing the names of Black Americans killed in policy custody.

“I can’t breathe.”

“A sound we hear all around the country,” said the father of four black sons. “We have been put behind the eight ball.”

At the close of his speech, Wimberly told his colleagues on this afternoon’s conference call that he would stand with a raised fist in solidarity with the persecuted and the fallen.

Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19) moments later acknowledged the historic era of now.

“We are called to come together,” Coughlin said. “As we move forward in the days and weeks to come, I urge people to stand together. Adversity brings out the best in people.”