The leader of the Catholic Church Worldwide, Pope Francis called the death of George Floyd at the hands of US police officers “tragic” and said he is praying for him and “all those others who have lost their lives as a result of the sin of racism.”
He also called for an end to racism, stressing it should not be allowed in any society.
“We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form. At the same time, we have to recognize that violence is self-destructive and self-defeating. Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost. Let us pray for reconciliation and peace,” the pope tweeted on Wednesday.
Pope Francis also called for intercession “for reconciliation and peace across nations.”
Marches against police brutality in solidarity with the unfolding situation in the US have taken place in other European countries, including the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
