AMAGAinfluencer has sparked outrage after taking a portable oxygen tank to the George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis. King Flyz, a conservative rapper with 81,000 followers on Instagram, posted videos of the incident while wearing a red Make America Great Again hat. In the clips, shared earlier this month, he placed the tank beside the statue at George Floyd Square, describing the move as satirical.
The action has drawn sharp criticism from civil rights groups and supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement. It has also fuelled online debates about the appropriateness of using the memorial for political statements, particularly at a site that continues to draw visitors from across the country.
The Minnesota chapter of Black Lives Matter condemned the stunt, calling it'inappropriate and disrespectful to George's legacy'.
The statement reflected broader frustration among those who see the memorial as a sacred site honouring Floyd, whose death in 2020 triggered worldwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice.
Many online commentators echoed this view, arguing that the gesture mocked the circumstances of Floyd's arrest, during which he repeatedly said he could not breathe. The videos spread rapidly, with users sharing clips from the influencer's Instagram account and expressing their disapproval.
The memorial, located at the intersection where Floyd was killed by former police officer Derek Chauvin, has been a gathering place for activists and a symbol of the movement. It features a statue and other tributes that have been maintained despite occasional vandalism and controversy.
In the originalInstagram post, King Flyz captioned the video 'I decided to give George Floyd an oxygen tank' followed by hashtags such as #fyp #ice #maga #donaldtrump #trump.
He has not responded publicly to the backlash, though some of his supporters have defended the post as legitimate satire highlighting what they see as inconsistencies in public narratives surrounding the case.King Flyz, based in Houston, is known for his music and outspoken conservative views.
His platform often features content critical of progressive causes, and this latest post fits with his style of provocative online engagement. The influencer's move has been compared to other acts of political performance art, though it has clearly struck a nerve with those who view it as disrespectful.
While the post has been widely criticised, it has also received praise from some quarters within the MAGA community.Certain comments, 'Still unbelievable that a criminal, who contributed nothing else to society, has a statue.' see it as a bold challenge to what they describe as excessive reverence for the memorial.
Source: International Business Times UK
