New York Governor Supports George Floyd Protestors

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he supports the people protesting George Floyd's death while in police custody.

“Enough is enough,” Cuomo said Friday regarding the death of Floyd. “It is a continuum of cases and situations that have been going on for decades and decades and decades."

Cuomo said Floyd's death is just another chapter in the book of African-American men dying from the excessive force used by police officers.

“And the title of that book is ‘Continuing Injustice and Inequality in America,’” Cuomo said on Friday from Westchester County during his COVID-19 briefing.

Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest on Memorial day. Video of Floyd's arrest shows an officer with his knee on Floyd's neck as Floyd says he can't "breathe." Four officers involved in the fatal arrest have already been fired.

“That’s why the outrage. That’s why the frustration and the anger,” Cuomo said. “It’s about the same situation happening again and again and again and seeing the same thing and not learning the lesson.”

During his press conference, Cuomo went on to list other black men who were victims of police brutality.

"Rodney King. Abner Louima. Amadou Diallo. Sean Bell. Oscar Grant. Eric Garner. Michael Brown. Laquan McDonald. Freddie Gray. Antwon Rose Jr. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. George Floyd. Say Their Names," he said. “I was there for Rodney King, Amadou Diallo. When does it change?” Cuomo asked. “It’s been 30 years since Rodney King. Where was the progress? Eric Garner. I’m with the protesters.”

A former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder on Friday. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Chauvin was seen on video with his knee on the neck of Floyd. Police responded to a convenience store on after someone called 911 claiming a person believed to be Floyd used a counterfeit bill and appeared drunk.

"The death of George Floyd is not an isolated incident," Cuomo tweeted on Friday. "It is part of a continuum of outrage and inequality. That is the reason for the rage, the frustration, the anger and the fear. The demand is for Justice. Over and over and over again."

Video of the incident viral and sparked three nights of violent protests. Cuomo said on Friday he supports the nonviolent protesters.

"I’m with the protesters. I stand figuratively with the protesters,” Cuomo said. “I stand against the arson, the burglary and the criminality. This country is better than this and it shouldn’t take this long to end basic discrimination and basic injustice.”