Colorado Gov. Jared Polis says the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis needs to be followed by action to address why such incidents keep occurring.
"We all know in our heart of hearts, this is not an isolated incident," Gov. Polis said. "The reality is much larger. This is a pattern"
"We see it starkly, we see it visually with the murder of George Floyd. We all know there are countless times this has occurred and it's something that many Americans of color live in fear of for their children and for themselves."
The governor said that fear goes beyond the criminal justice system.
"It's about a pattern of injustice. It's about unfair treatment that Black Americans and communities of color have endured not just limited to our criminal justice system but in many areas of American life that we take for granted."
Gov. Polis said things must change.
"We need to listen to the voices of those that are crying out for reform. We need to take action. And to those who are peacefully protesting, I want you to know that I see you, I hear you and I grieve with you. And more importantly, I want to work with you to make Colorado better and America better and a Colorado for all and America for all."
The governor also updated the COVID-19 situation in the state and said that there has been a downward trend in cases in seven of the last 14 days and said hospitalizations have trended down in 12 of the last 14 days.
Gov. Polis also encouraged all those who have protested over the last few days to get a free COVID-19 test at Pepsi Center seven days after marching.
The full audio and video from the governor:
,quality(10),blur(50))