United Nations Urges US To Take “Serious” Action To Stop Police Murders of Unarmed Black Americans
Credit: unhumanrights.orgtwitter.com / Protests rage across America after the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his neck
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
UNITED NATIONS – NEW YORK – The UN Human Rights chief Thursday said authorities in the United States must take “serious action” to stop the growing line of killings of unarmed African Americans by US police officers and members of the public. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet condemned the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd while in police custody in the city of Minneapolis, calling it the latest in “a long line of killings of unarmed African Americans by US police officers and members of the public”. Bachelet stressed that not only must US authorities take action to to stop such killings, but must ensure that justice is done when they do occur.
“I am dismayed to have to add George Floyd’s name to that of Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Michael Brown and many other unarmed African Americans who have died over the years at the hands of the police – as well as people such as Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin who were killed by armed members of the public”.
-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.
Police Officers Who Resort to Excessive Use of force, Should be charged and convicted for the Crimes Committed: Bachelet
UN Photo/Loey Felipe / Six years before George Floyd was killed in police custody in the city of Minneapolis, protestors in New York City demonstrated against the police shooting of Michael Brown.
“Procedures must change, prevention systems must be put in place, and above all police officers who resort to excessive use of force, should be charged and convicted for the crimes committed”, the High Commissioner underscored. The UN human rights chief welcomed the announcement by Federal authorities in Washington, that they would be prioritizing an investigation into the incident, but stressed that “in too many cases in the past, such investigations have led to killings being deemed justified on questionable grounds, or only being addressed by administrative measures.”
The UN rights official encouraged people in Minneapolis and elsewhere to protest peacefully.
“Violence and destruction of property won’t solve the problem of police brutality and enshrined discrimination”, she said. “I urge protestors to express their demands for justice peacefully, and I urge the police to take utmost care not enflame the current situation even more with any further use of excessive force”, concluded the High Commissioner.
