The guilty verdict against the former Minneapolis police officer whose knee to the neck of George Floyd resulted in the Black man’s death last May has been welcomed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all three charges against him on Tuesday: accidental second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
The verdict, according to Trudeau, is good news.
However, he believes the trial highlights how much more work needs to be done to address institutional racism.
Floyd, 46, struggled to breathe and cried out for his mother as Chauvin pressed him to the ground with his knee to his throat for more than nine minutes.
Floyd’s death triggered worldwide demonstrations, including in Canada, where the treatment of racialized Canadians was highlighted.
In an interview with Edmonton-based online talk show host Ryan Jespersen shortly after Chauvin was found guilty, Trudeau said, “It’s good news that the verdict came out as people thought it would. But it still underlines that there’s an awful lot of work to do,” he added.
“Microaggressions, overt bias, and the problems that occur within our communities and in our everyday lives must all be addressed.”
Trudeau argues that the outrage over Floyd’s death has built “massive impetus” to change cultures and make them “fairer and more inclusive for all.”
