The US Must Listen To Protesters Grievances, Bachelet Warns

The only way the United States can succeed in its attempt to put its sad history of violence and racism behind is by paying attention to the voices that have been rising in the protests over George Floyd's death, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet stated on Wednesday.

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“The voices calling for an end to the killings of unarmed African Americans need to be heard. The voices calling for an end to police violence need to be heard. And the voices calling for an end to the endemic and structural racism that blights US society need to be heard,” Bachelet said in the statement.

In response to the killing of an African-American man, George Floyd, while in police custody on May 25, over 300 U.S cities have witnessed the most intense days of demonstrations in the nation's recent history.

Even when most of the demonstrations have been peaceful, some officers have been accused of worsening the situation, due to aggressive tactics and allegedly brutality. Attorney General William Barr, for example, was pointed to personally ordered police assault on peaceful DC protesters.

Bachelet's concern words came after Donald Trump labeled the protesters as terrorists, diverting attention with his Twitter comments to violence and destruction of property, to the detriment of peaceful protests and demonstrations of collective pain and powerlessness over Floyd's death.

“At all times, but especially during a crisis, a country needs its leaders to condemn racism unequivocally; for them to reflect on what has driven people to boiling point; to listen and learn, and to take actions that truly tackle inequalities,” she said.