Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement on the death of George Floyd:
"This week our nation witnessed the death of George Floyd at the hands of an officer who was entrusted to protect all people regardless of their skin color. The gross injustice inflicted on Mr. Floyd is another example of the systemic racism and violence visited upon communities of color. Mr. Floyd’s death must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Anything less is intolerable. African Americans should not have to worry about their safety simply because they are black, and yet the deaths of Mr. Floyd and too many Americans before him show they have reason to fear and demand change. Meanwhile COVID-19 is disproportionately infecting African Americans in Maine and nationwide. These racial disparities are not only an injustice, they represent an oppressive problem in our country.
"This mural which was once in Portland reflects a hope that systemic racism can be undone if we demand it. As former President Obama once said, “no one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion.” We must call out racism when we see it and work together to stamp it out of our cultural fabric. Mr. Floyd and his family deserve justice."
