The leader of the United Nations is calling for American protesters participating in demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd to do so peacefully and that authorities respond with restraint.
The fallout over the killing of Mr. Floyd continued on Monday, with leaders around the country taking various steps to respond amid national protests, some of which have led to fatalities, injuries and property damage. Curfews have been placed in several cities across the country that have experienced violent protests.
“Grievances must be heard, but they must be expressed in peaceful ways and authorities must show restraint in responding to demonstrators,” the spokesperson for United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres Stephane Dujarric told reporters Monday.
“In the U.S. - as in any other country in the world - diversity is a richness and not a threat, but the success of diverse societies in any country requires a massive investment in social cohesion,” he continued, according to a Reuters report.
The protests came after Mr. Floyd, a black man, died in police custody on Memorial Day after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes.
The former officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged on Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The other three officers at the scene have also been fired and could face charges.
Mr. Dujarric explained that the U.N. has repeatedly advocated that “police forces around the world need to have adequate human rights training, and there also needs to be an investment in social and psychological support for police so they can do their job properly.”
The demonstrations have spread overseas as major metropolitan cities including Berlin, London and Dublin have seen protests calling for justice in the death of Mr. Floyd.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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