Ex-President of the United States, Barack Obama, has condemned the circumstances surrounding the death of George Floyd, a black American, in Minneapolis on Monday.

Floyd was pinned down on the neck by a white policeman named Derek Chauvin, who ignored his plea for leniency until he died

In a statement he released on his Twitter page, Obama said, “This shouldn’t be ‘normal’ in 2020 America. It can’t be normal. If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives to its highest ideals, we can and must do better. 

“It falls mainly on the officials of Minnesota to ensure that the circumstances surrounding George Floyd’s death is investigated thoroughly and that justice is ultimately done.

“But it falls on all of us, regardless of our race or station – including the majority of men and women in law enforcement who take pride in doing their tough job the right way, every day – to work together to create a “new normal” in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts.

“It’s natural to wish for life “to just get back to normal” as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us. 

“But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully and maddeningly “normal” – whether it’s while dealing with the healthcare system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park.”

Chauvin has since been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.