Hasan Salem condemned US police violence against protesters and called on international organizations to intervene in the protests. RNA – Hasan Salem, a representative of the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haqq, a part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, in the Iraqi parliament, issued a statement in which he strongly condemned the police violence against protesters in Minneapolis, Minnesota following the police murder of George Floyd, a 46-year old African-American man, by Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, on May 25, 2020.
Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, with 2 minutes and 53 seconds of that occurring after Floyd was unresponsive. This violent act prevented him from breathing and eventually led to his death.
After Floyd’s death, demonstrations and protests in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area were initially peaceful on May 26, but later that day evolved into riots as windows were smashed at a police precinct, two stores were set on fire, and many stores were looted and damaged.
The release of the images has sparked outrage and protests in New York City, Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. and other cities since yesterday.
Salem said American police used extreme and deadly violence against peaceful protesters in Minnesota and that the human rights of the protestors were being violated by the United States, which claims to be a champion of human rights.
Addressing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Salem said, “Oh Pompeo, where are your human rights? Does your democracy allow the killing of peaceful protesters?”
The Iraqi representative then called on the United Nations and human rights organizations to take immediate action to stop “the US police’s crimes” against protesters demanding their rights and the elimination of racism against African-Americans.
Rasa News Agency
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