Black Lives Matter

In an interview with Hits Radio Network on Friday morning, Nicola Sturgeon was asked to give her opinion on the current situation in the United States. Asked whether she believed, Trump was racist, Sturgeon responded that "sometimes it's hard not to conclude that," but added that she couldn't see inside his head. Though she deems it important to put pressure on Donald Trump and America, she urges to also "not forget that we have our own houses to put in order as well". Sturgeon is serving as the fifth First Minister of Scotland in and adds that "a parliament that is still in its 21 years of existence had too few people elected to it from our ethnic minority communities, it’s never had an ethnic minority woman elected to it."

On Thursday, the American Civil Liberty Union and Black Lives Matter D.C. filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, stating that both First Amendment and Civil rights were violated during Monday's clearing of Lafayette Square. Protestors were forcefully removed, using tear gas and rubber bullets, to make way for Donald Trump to reach St. John's Church for a controversial photo-op.

Lead plaintiff and Core Organizer of Black Lives Matter D.C. said: "What happened to our members Monday evening, here in the nation's capital, was an affront to all our rights." Ben Wizner, director of ACLU's Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project added: "The First Amendment right to protest is under attack, and we will not let this go unanswered. This is the first of many lawsuits the ACLU intends to file across the country in response to police brutality against protesters."

In a virtual commencement speech to the students at her former L.A. Catholic high school Immaculate Heart, the Duchess of Sussex asked the young students to use their voices to "lead with love, lead with compassion". Meghan called George Floyd's death "absolutely devastating" and shared her own experience of the 1992 race riots.

"George Floyd's life mattered, and Breonna Taylor's life mattered, and Philando Castile's life mattered, and Tamir Rice's life mattered and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know", so Meghan.

Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General, is said to increase Derek Chauvin's charge from third-degree murder to second-degree murder in an update later today.

On Sunday, Governor Tim Walz appointed Ellison to take over the case from Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.

Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General, is said to charge the three more former policemen, who were present at the killing of George Floyd, with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. The three officers are Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane.

After Tim Myers and Amelia Brace, journalists of the Australian Channel 7, were beaten by police outside the White House while covering the ongoing protests the Australian embassy has contacted the US State Department to shed light on the situation.

One of the journalists has stated that "It was an absolutely terrifying experience but we came through it together" when they were beaten with a truncheon, hit with a riot shield and punched in the face by the police.

Channel 7 is yet to make a formal police complaint.

Craig Gore a TV writer for an upcoming spinoff series of "Law & Order" has been fired from his job by executive Dick Wolf, after he published threatening statements on social media. Under one of his own posts Craig Gore had previously commented "Sunset is being looted two blocks from me. You think I wont light motherf----ers up who are trying to f--- w/ my property I worked all my life for? Think again...".

Former President George W. Bush issued a statement on bushcenter.org regarding the death of George Floyd. Though not mentioning the action of the current administration, Bush wrote: "Laura and I are anguished by the brutal suffocation of George Floyd and disturbed by the injustice and fear that suffocate our country. [...] It remains a shocking failure that many African Americans, especially young African American men, are harassed and threatened in their own country."

The statement further reads: "Many doubt the justice of our country, and with good reason. Black people see the repeated violation of their rights without an urgent and adequate response from American institutions. We know that lasting justice will only come by peaceful means. Looting is not liberation, and destruction is not progress. But we also know that lasting peace in our communities requires truly equal justice."

The European Union's top foreign policy official, Josep Borrell, said the bloc is "shocked and appalled" by the killing of George Floyd, describing his death as an "abuse of power."

"Like the people of the United States, we are shocked and appalled by the death of George Floyd ... all societies must remain vigilant against the excessive use of force," Borrell told reports.

Borrell also said: "All lives matter, black lives also matter."

A peaceful vigil was held at the site of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. Hundreds of protestors met just hours after George Floyd's brother had visited the site. People gathered in a circle of signs and flowers, many held hands. One of the signs read: "I shouldn’t have to fear for my black children’s future", another: "Stop killing my black brothers and sisters."

Over the weekend thousands of people were arrested all over the US during the protests following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd by the hands of a police officer. According to CBS News, there were over 7,200 arrests made in 43 cities, with charges such as rioting, looting, burglary, arson and violating curfew.

As the protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer enter its seventh day, at least 40 US cities have imposed overnight curfews. Among those cities are Minneapolis, New York City, Los Angeles and a statewide curfew in Arizona. Washington, DC and at least 23 other cities have activated the National Guard.

Thousands of people across New Zealand have joined Americans to protest the killing of George Floyd. In Auckland and Christchurch, protestors have gathered for the Black Lives Matter March for Solidarity while a vigil is being held in Wellington. Among the organisers is 20-year old student Joanna Li, who told the NZ Herald: "It's needed, if you think it's not needed, you're not paying attention."