George Floyd’s death was a grave tragedy, and we grieve for his family and for his community. One police officer has been charged with murder and three others with aiding and abetting murder, and they will be tried in a court of law.
The massive demonstrations we have seen over the past two weeks show how deeply this event has affected people in the United States and in other countries around the world. Peaceful protests illustrate the importance of free speech and free assembly, which provide citizens a means to protest injustice, to demand accountability from their leaders, and to effect the necessary political and policy changes.
American history is full of examples where protests and social movements have led to important advances, as was the case with the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. Americans of all backgrounds hope that this will be another such moment, giving our country the opportunity to achieve the “more perfect Union” dreamed of by its founders and bringing us closer to our founding ideal of “liberty and justice for all.”
In closing, I would like to share the following statement signed by several of my fellow ambassadors, including my distinguished predecessor, Ambassador Pamela Spratlen:
