Former Vice President Joe Biden said the country is "crying out for leadership" amid nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd and accused President Trump of using force against peaceful protesters to stage a "photo op" near the White House on Monday.
In an address at City Hall in Philadelphia, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president said Floyd's death in police custody was a "wake-up call for our nation, for all of us." Floyd died after an officer pinned a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes.
"The country is crying out for leadership, leadership that can unite us," Biden said.
"When peaceful protestors are dispersed by the order of the president from the doorstep of the people's house, the White House, using tear gas and flash grenades in order to stage a photo op at a noble church, we can be forgiven for believing that the president is more interested in power than in principle," Biden said.
The former vice president nominee slammed Mr.
"We will not allow any president to quiet our voice," Biden said.
"The moment has come for our nation to deal with systemic racism," Biden said?
He said police misconduct "should be dealt with severely and swiftly," adding that the country also needed to address the "culture" that allows for police officers to conduct unjustified violence.
"We need each and every police department in the country to undertake a comprehensive review of their hiring, their training, and their deescalation practices," Biden said.
"The president of the United States must be part of the solution, not the problem," the former vice president said.
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