By BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - Hundreds of surfers paddled through crashing waves in Santa Monica, California, to form a massive circle on the water in honor of George Floyd. The so-called paddle out tradition to celebrate a life and mourn its loss was held at beaches around the world Friday. It was organized by Black Girls Surf to share the pain they are feeling with devotees of a sport that has not always welcomed them. Surfers chanted Floyd’s name nine times to mark the nearly nine minutes his neck was pinned to the ground by the knee of a white Minneapolis officer.

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