Joe Biden: I Think George Floyd Will Change the World
Following
a private meeting with Mr Floyd's family in Houston, Texas, to offer his
sympathies, Mr Biden told CBS news his death was "one of the great
inflection points in American history".
The
killing of African American George Floyd at the hands of a white officer has
fuelled global protests.
A
private funeral service will be held in Houston later on Tuesday.
Mr Biden
has sharply criticised President Donald Trump, who is standing for re-election
as the Republican candidate on 3 November, accusing
him at the weekend of making "despicable" speculative remarks about
Mr Floyd.
The Democratic politician was himself recently accused of taking
black American votes for granted when he said African Americans "ain't black" if
they even considered voting for Mr Trump.
"They're an
incredible family, his little daughter was there, the one who said 'daddy's
going to change the world', and I think her daddy is going to change the
world," Mr Biden told CBS anchor Norah O'Donnell.
"I
think what happened here is one of the great inflection points in American
history, for real, in terms of civil liberties, civil rights and just treating
people with dignity."
Floyd
family spokesman Benjamin Crump, who tweeted a photo of the meeting, said Mr Floyd's
relatives welcomed Mr Biden's comments.
"That
compassion meant the world to this grieving family," he added.
Aides
to the former vice-president said he would also record a video message for
Tuesday's service.
Mourners in Houston,
Texas, where Mr Floyd lived before moving to Minneapolis, formed long lines to
view his body, publicly on display for six hours at The Fountain of Praise
church.
Memorial
services have already been held in Minneapolis and North Carolina, where Mr
Floyd was born.
Every candidate
casts their forthcoming election as a pivotal moment in history. Sometimes it
is; most of the time it isn't. Joe Biden has been saying from the start that
November will be the opportunity for Americans to define what kind of nation
they want to be.
Many
have shrugged that off as standard rhetoric from a veteran politician. Now,
however, Biden's case may be building.
Polls
suggest American views on race and law enforcement have shifted dramatically in
just a few weeks and that the issue, usually a lower priority, is now at the
top of voters' minds.
Six
years ago, only 33% of Americans said police were more likely to use excessive
force against blacks. Now that number is 57% - including 49% of white
respondents.
Biden,
given that black voters were the backbone of his Democratic primary support,
could be well positioned to capitalise. While he has a penchant for verbal
stumbles, his empathy is one of his strengths - on display during his visit to
George Floyd's family.
Elections
can hinge on unpredictable events and movements, with successful candidates
spotting the wave and riding it to victory.
While
five months is an eternity in American politics, Biden may have found his
moment.
Derek Chauvin, the
Minneapolis ex-policeman accused of killing Mr Floyd, made his first court
appearance on Monday, where his bail was set at $1.25m (£1m).
Mr
Chauvin - who kept his knee on Mr Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes - faces
charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other arresting
officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Prosecutors
cited the "severity of the charges" and public outrage as the reason
for upping his bail from $1m.
His
next court appearance is set for 29 June.
Anti-racism protests
started by Mr Floyd's death are now entering their third week in the US. Huge
rallies have been held in several cities, including Washington DC, New York,
Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
With
the rallying cries "Black Lives matter" and "No Justice, No
Peace", the demonstrations are among the largest US protests against
racism since the 1960s. Saturday's gatherings included a protest in the Texas
town of Vidor, once infamous as a stronghold of the Ku Klux Klan white
supremacist group.
Protesters
in European cities including London and Rome also gathered to show their
support for Black Lives Matter over the weekend, while anti-racism
protests in Australia were attended by tens of thousands.
In the city of Bristol in the UK, protesters tore down a statue of
Edward Colston, a prominent 17th Century slave trader.
The Democrats, who
control the House of Representatives, have proposed sweeping legislation to
reform American police.
The
Justice in Policing Act would make it easier to prosecute police for
misconduct, banning chokeholds and further addressing racism.
President
Trump dismissed the bill, saying the Democrats had "gone CRAZY", and
his Republican Party controls the Senate.
Donald
Trump casts himself as the candidate of law and order who urged officials to
"dominate" George Floyd protesters while counting on an economic
rebound to stay in office.
He
is expected to resume campaign rallies in the next two weeks after a
three-month pause because of the coronavirus pandemic.
FROM .bbc.com/news/world-us-canada
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