German Chancellor Angela Merkel weighed in on the protests roiling the United States and highlighted how “very polarized” the country has become.
Merkel condemned the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after he was violently constrained by police while begging for his life, during an interview with German broadcaster ZDF.
“This murder of George Floyd is very terrible. Racism is something terrible. Society in the United States is very polarized,” the four-term leader said.
Merkel, who has been critical about President Trump in the past, was asked about Trump’s role during the mass protests and riots that have swept the U.S. The chancellor said that while she tries “to bring people together, to seek reconciliation,” Trump’s “political style is a very controversial one.”
Floyd, 46, died last week after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while arresting him. His death has sparked a wave of protests against police brutality and systemic racism across not only the U.S. but around the world. All four officers involved in Floyd’s arrest are facing charges, with Chauvin being held on second-degree murder charges.
Trump has taken a heavy-handed response to the demonstrations and has called on governors to “dominate” the protesters. He also generated controversy when largely peaceful protesters were cleared from near the White House prior to him walking to a nearby church that had been vandalized. His leadership was called into question by former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, a move that was praised by Democratic and some Republican lawmakers.
