Cuomo Calls For National Ban on Excessive Force From Police

In the wake of George Floyd's death Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling for a national ban on the use of excessive force from police officers and a national ban on chokeholds.

"I share the outrage of the injustice and I stand with the protesters. It’s not just George Floyd. There are 50 or more cases just like it. It is rooted in hundreds of years of racism and injustice. Let’s use this energy constructively and demand real, positive change."

Cuomo wants to use this "energy constructively to demand real positive change." He's also calling for independent investigations in cases of police abuse.

"There is no self-policing," Cuomo said. "Give people (the idea) the investigation is real."

Cuomo says the disciplinary records of a police officer are important when it comes to investigations of police officers accused of abuse.

He's urging people to stop protesting violently. He says the violence takes away from the credibility of what they are protesting.

"They're going to try to paint this whole protest movement they're all criminals, they're all looters. Why? Because they don't want to talk about Mr. Floyd's death," Cuomo said.

Cuomo said he and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will discuss a curfew and the National Guard is on "standby."

Cuomo supports the nonviolent George Floyd demonstrations, but fears it could lead to the spread of COVID-19.

"I've said from day one I share the outrage and I stand with the protesters," Cuomo said on Monday during his COVID-19 briefing. " (It) could potentially be infecting hundreds and hundreds of people after everything we have done."

Cuomo said it could take weeks before its known of the protests spread the virus.

"We don't even know the consequence of the COVID virus for those mass gatherings," he said Monday during his COVID-19 briefing. "We won't even know for weeks. How many superspreaders were in that crowd? How many young people went home and spread a virus?"