Transcript of Press Conference After Unrest in Charleston Following the Murder of George Floyd

Thank you Mayor and thank you Chief.

I think one thing we can all agree on in the scene from last night and what has transpired throughout our country is that people are mad as hell.

People are mad as hell about what’s going on and what’s been going on.

And the fact is, if you can watch on camera a young man saying that he can’t breathe while someone has their knee on his neck, and you don’t feel angry, you may not have a beating heart inside of you.

And if you see the injustice that prevails throughout our country and you see that occurring within our own backyard, as we have seen here in Charleston with the death of Walter Scott and with what happened at Mother Emanuel. And you see that racism just simmering beneath the surface and often times boiling up over it.

You see all that going on – and that’s just what we see. That’s just what’s recorded. And that’s just what’s reported. Not to mention what we don’t see. What’s not caught on iPhone or what’s not reported.

If you know all that and don’t feel that anger, then you don’t understand the situation. But just as important as that anger is what is done with that anger and what’s done with that emotion. And last night, that anger was severely misplaced. It was taken out on business owners, on employees that had nothing to do with what happened in Minneapolis or the underlying tone.

I walked down King Street today, helping out local businesses sweep up glass. I talked to business owners who had their family working with them at their business.

I talked to folks who stood on King Street fighting off violent protesters, and it does a serious disservice to everything that is trying to be accomplished and trying to bridge that racial divide when you shatter windows, when you light cars on fire.

It’s not becoming of who we are as a country, and sure as hell isn’t becoming of who we are as a community.

I pray to God tonight that the fire departments and the police department swill bring us protection and I pray to God that each and every citizen looks deep within their heart to realize what’s wrong and realize the path to recovery. And recognize that it’s not through fire and it’s not through shattering windows. But it’s through conversations, it’s through legislation, it’s through working together as a community and trying to heal the scars of our country and our city – not simply pick at the scabs and make it bleed further.

And I pray that tonight and in the nights that follow we will continue living up to our name as the Holy City. Thank you.