Senate Democrats Issue Statement on the Murder of George Floyd
Contact Name: Sara Persechino
Phone: (603) 271-3479
Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us
CONCORD - Today, the New Hampshire Senate Democratic Caucus issued the following statement in reaction to the protests taking place across the nation following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis:
“Last week our nation watched as the life was forced out of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a police officer. We listened to him as he pleaded for his life, calling out “I can’t breathe.” We heard the same call six years ago in New York from Eric Garner. We mourned as a nation when Breonna Taylor, a front line EMT in Louisville, was gunned down in her own home in March.
Today, we join together to say their lives mattered. In unison, we cry out that Black Lives Matter.
As individuals, we are heartbroken for the families and loved ones of those Americans who have lost their lives due to police brutality and systemic racism. We are angry that as a nation we repeat our mistakes over and over again, leaving so many people in fear for their lives.
As senators, we stand with the protesters who took to the streets in Manchester, Hampton, Keene, Dover, and Conway to raise our collective voice. We support the right to peaceful protest and call for open and honest conversations that lead to lasting change.
As a caucus, we are obligated to use our position to speak out, take action, and demand better. We know that New Hampshire is not immune to systemic racism. Last week, we watched the live video feed from Jean Ronald Saint Preux as his car window was smashed and he was forcibly pulled from his vehicle by two New Hampshire state troopers, one of whom was not wearing a mask and gloves despite ongoing concerns about the transmission of COVID-19. We urge the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Division of State Police to respond appropriately and deliberately.
Above all, today, we say to Granite Staters of color that we see you, we hear you, and we stand with you.
Together, we grieve over the murder of George Floyd. Together, we support the right to peaceful protest and call for open and honest conversations that enact lasting change. As your elected officials, we are committed to being a part of the solution that ensures equal justice for all as we advocate for policies that move our state forward. In New Hampshire and across the nation, Black Lives Matter. Enough is enough.”
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