House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is raising eyebrows after she thanked George Floyd for “sacrificing” his life last May.
During an event on Tuesday after the jury revealed it found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on charges of murder and manslaughter, Pelosi said, “Thank you, George Floyd, for sacrificing your life for justice. For being there to call out to your mom, how heartbreaking was that.”
“Because of you and because of thousands, millions of people around the world who came out for justice, your name will always be synonymous with justice,” she added.
Watch the video below:
Speaker Pelosi: "Thank you George Floyd for sacrificing your life for justice … Because of you and because of thousands, millions of people around the world who came out for justice, your name will always be synonymous with justice."pic.twitter.com/JfapSsKdtX
— The Recount (@therecount) April 20, 2021
Pelosi’s comments raised some eyebrows on Twitter:
the exact Pelosi quote is actually somehow worse than this tweet: "So again, thank you George Floyd for sacrificing your life for justice. For being there to call out to your mom, how heartbreaking was that, call out for your mom, 'I can't breathe.'"
— Addy Baird (@addysbaird) April 20, 2021
https://twitter.com/Harry1T6/status/1384626812362412032
Excuse me, what? George Floyd didn't sacrifice his life for anything. His life was forcefully taken from him.
— We the Unwilling (@Amegaxi) April 20, 2021
Nancy Pelosi needs to stop talking rubbish https://t.co/Fo5F6Hd5qG
I appreciate Nancy Pelosi but George Floyd did not sacrifice his life. He went to the corner store. Self-sacrifice in a choice. His choice was to call out for his mama. We sacrificed him. This was us. It was this country, & the white people in it. He wanted to go home. https://t.co/ZkJlaHnkEn
— Emily L. Hauser @emilylhauser.bsky.social 🟣 (@emilylhauser) April 20, 2021
Pelosi’s comments came shortly after the jury in Chauvin’s trial returned a guilty verdict on charges of “second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree “depraved mind” murder, and second-degree manslaughter.”
Floyd died last May after Chauvin knelt on his neck and back for nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds, sparking months of protests against racism and police brutality.
Earlier on Tuesday, President Joe Biden said, “I’m praying the verdict is the right verdict, which I think it’s overwhelming, in my view. I wouldn’t say that unless the jury was sequestered.”