Barack Obama has issued a statement following the death of George Floyd, telling America this 'shouldn't be normal'.
The former US president posted a lengthy statement on Twitter in which he called for an end to the 'legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment'.
George Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis after he was pinned down by a white police officer.
A horrific clip showing the man gasping for breath and saying he can't breathe while a police officer held him down with his leg was shared online where it was met with disgust.
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Now Obama has shared a statement in which he wrote: "It's natural to wish for life 'to just get back to normal' as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us.
"But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly 'normal' - whether it's while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park.
"This shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America. It can't be 'normal'. If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better."
He went on to say it will 'fall mainly on the officials of Minnesota' to ensure that the death of Mr Floyd is fully investigated and justice served, before adding: "But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or station - including the majority of men and women in law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every day - to work together to create a 'new normal' in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts."
The four Minneapolis police officers involved in the arrest have been fired, but many people are demanding further action and riots and protests have broken out in the US.
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George's heart-broken brother Philonise Floyd has said the officers should be 'given the death penalty'.
Speaking to CNN, Philonise said: "These officers, they need to be arrested right now. They need to be arrested and held accountable about everything because these people want justice right now. These guys need to be arrested, convicted of murder, and given the death penalty.
"People are torn and hurt because they're tired of seeing black men die constantly, over and over again. They took my brother's life. He will never get that back. I will never see him again. My family will never see him again."
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Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: US News
