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Russian OSCE envoy tells US racism problem persists

The envoy cited data of MappingPoliceViolence.org, which shows that when the black population accounts for around 13% of the whole US population, they are targets in 24% instances of all gunfire by law enforcement officers

VIENNA, June 4. /TASS/. Human rights organizations continue to underpin the issue of the US police’s biased treatment of racial minorities, Russia’s permanent representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich told an online meeting of this international organization.

"Human rights activists underlined that the US police violence and impunity of its officers is burdened by the biased attitudes to racial and ethnic minorities," he noted.

The envoy cited data of MappingPoliceViolence.org, which shows that when the black population accounts for around 13% of the whole US population, they are targets in 24% instances of all gunfire by law enforcement officers. "It is calculated that African Americans are three times more likely to be killed by the police. The impunity is further proven by the fact that police officers only face criminal charges in 1-2% of the cases," he added.

"The current crisis has again laid bare these and other shortcomings of US society. However, the establishment preferred either to politically correctly keep mum about them or shift [the blame] for their own failures on others, particularly ‘foreign detractors’. All these renders Washington’s claims for moral leadership and mentorship in human rights sphere null and void. [They] should concentrate on their own problems," Lukashevich pointed out.

Widespread unrest has engulfed many US states over the death of an African American Minneapolis man named George Floyd, who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck and choked him to death during his arrest. On May 26, all officers involved in the deadly arrest were fired. On May 29, the policeman in question, Derek Chauvin, was arrested on third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges. However, on June 3, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison upped the charge against Chauvin to second-degree murder. The three other officers involved in the fatal incident were arrested as well and are now facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

To counter the riots, local law enforcement is often supported by the National Guard. So far, 40 cities, including New York, have enacted a curfew.