Biden says George Floyd’s death has more significant impact worldwide than MLK’s assassination [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Obama administration vice president, Joe Biden, said the recent killing of George Floyd had influenced more people in the world than that of Martin Luther King’s assassination in the 60s.
• Biden noted that smartphones and social media played a significant role in spreading information about police discrimination against black Americans and people of color in the U.S.
• The death of Floyd under the hands of Minneapolis arresting officers has sparked protests primarily in the U.S.

On Thursday, former Vice President Joe Biden commented he believes the murder of George Floyd while under arrest by police last month is has created a bigger impact globally than the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968.

During a roundtable dialogue in Philadelphia, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said the availability of smartphones made it possible to capture the reality of police violence against people of color on video and share it instantly over the net.

Because of social media platforms, the news about these incidents can spread faster than ever before, in contrast with what available mediums Americans have in the 1960s.

Biden further noted that the assassination of Dr. King did not have a global impact as compared to George Floyd’s murder, citing how it was similar to the 1960s improvement of the Civil Rights movement when Bull Connor let his dogs shredded the clothes off of senior black women was shown on TV.

The former vice president added that what happened to George Floyd was seen by millions of people all over the world. The incident led to massive protests in the U.S and rallies in other countries, including Europe, Australia, and Africa.

Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American, died while under the custody of police officers in Minneapolis on May 25.  Derek Chauvin, now a former police officer, knelt on the neck of Floyd for almost nine minutes.

His death has led to immense civil unrest in the U.S., with calls for police restructuring and drives concerning institutional discrimination.

Source: The Hill