George Floyd’s brother speaks to UN council
Philonise Floyd, left, brother of George Floyd speaks (via video message) at the Human Rights Council of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday, June 17, 2020 during an urgent debate on current racially inspired human rights violations, systematic racism, police brutality against people of African descent and violence against peaceful protests.[Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP]
The brother of George Floyd has made a heartfelt plea the U.N.’s top human rights body to launch intense international scrutiny of systemic racism and the killing of unarmed blacks by police.
Philonese Floyd’s message by video to the Human Rights Council came as it contemplates an unprecedented bid sought by the Africa Group to create a Commission of Inquiry — the council’s most powerful tool of scrutiny — to examine and report on racism and violence against protesters by police in the United States.
“I am my brother’s keeper. You in the United Nations are your brothers and sisters’ keepers in America — and you have the power to help us get justice for my brother George Floyd,” Floyd said. “I am asking you to help him. I am asking you to help me. I am asking you to help us: Black people in America.”
Ahead of the discussion, Andrew Bremberg, the U.S. ambassador in Geneva, noted President Donald Trump has condemned the actions of Minneapolis police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man. Trump signed an executive order on police reform on Tuesday.
“The United States recognizes and is committed to addressing its shortcomings, including racial discrimination, and injustices that stem from such discrimination, that persist in our society,” Bremberg said in a statement. “Every democracy faces challenges — the difference is how we deal with them.”
Bremberg says the executive order was “an example of how transparent and responsive our government leaders are in holding violators accountable for their actions and reforming our own system.”