George Floyd's brother calls for an end to violence: "That's not going to bring my brother back"

George Floyd's younger brother Terrence was overcome with emotions Monday when he visited the site of his brother's death. His knees buckled as he took in the massive painting honoring his brother's memory and the outline of a body on the ground depicting the spot where George was killed by a police officer, reports ABC News. Terrence knelt in prayer at the memorial where many had left flowers and through tears urged the crowd around him to put an end to the violence that's marred demonstrations across the country. The younger Floyd pleaded with protesters to direct their anger to bring change instead of destruction.

According to NBC News, offering the crowd his family's hopes for peaceful protests, Terrence also advocated for the arrest of the three other police officers who were at the scene of his brother's death. He arrived at the intersection around 1 p.m. on Monday, reportedly marking the first time a family member had visited the spot. He is said to have been so overcome with emotion during the visit that two unidentified men who stood on either side of him had to keep him from falling at times.

Terrence and many who'd gathered at the spot wore masks bearing his brother's image and the words, "WE CAN'T BREATHE." Addressing the crowd, he said, "First of all, first of all. If I'm not over here wilin' out, if I'm not over here blowing up stuff, if I'm not over here messing up my community — then what are y'all doing? Nothing, because that's not going to bring my brother back at all." He told the crowd that his family is peaceful, reports Forbes, arguing that violence wouldn't accomplish the change demonstrators are seeking. "The same thing has been happening. Y'all protest, y'all destroy stuff and they don't move. You know why they don't move? Because it's not their stuff, it's our stuff. They want us to destroy our stuff. They not gonna move!" he said.

"Let's do this another way," he proposed. "Let's stop thinking our voice don't matter. Vote. Educate yourself and know who you're voting for. That's how we're gonna hit them. I know my brother would not want violence. Let's do this peacefully, please." In an interview with ABC News' Alex Perez on Sunday night, Terrence said that while he understands why people are angry, he worries that the destructive protests would overshadow his brother's memory. "[S]ometimes I get angry, I want to bust some heads, too," he 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."

In another interview the following morning, he said that while George "would want us to seek justice" demonstrators needed channel the anger 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." Terrence urged protestors who'd restored to violence and vandalism to relax. "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 said.

"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," he added. "Do something positive. Stop making excuses."