World leaders applaud landmark verdict
WASHINGTON: Reactions streamed in from prominent leaders, from America and abroad, while well-known personalities from various walks also expressed their views after a jury dished out a guilty-on-all counts verdict in former US policeman Derek Chauvin’s trial over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last summer.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed news of Chauvin’s conviction, and London mayor Sadiq Khan said Floyd’s death “reverberated around the world”.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau characterised the verdict in Chauvin’s case as “accountability” and cautioned that systemic racism isn’t confined to the United States.
Former US secretary of state Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton hailed the “Black Lives Matter” movement that played a key role in raising awareness of systemic racism in the US and abroad following Floyd’s death last May.
Shortly after the verdict, Clinton said, “George Floyd’s family and community deserved for his killer to be held accountable. Today, they got that accountability. Always and forever, Black lives matter.”
Renowned media personality and Oprah Winfrey, meanwhile, said she saw the jury’s decision as a relief. “Relieved - and emotional in ways I didn’t expect. I cried tears of joy as each verdict was read,” she posted on social media.
American musician and actress Mariah Carey called the verdict a start, tweeting, “A beginning... a small grain of hope for our future.”
Today, a jury did the right thing. But true justice requires much more.
BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA, Former US first couple
I was appalled by the death of George Floyd and welcome this verdict.
BORIS JOHNSON, British Prime Minister