Ellen DeGeneres wants to see justice served in the death of George Floyd.
In a new video shared to social media on Monday, DeGeneres struggled to hold back tears as she shared her reaction to the global fight against racism and police brutality exactly one week after Floyd was killed while being arrested outside a corner store in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“I have been posting my thoughts and my stance on this but I haven’t spoken directly because I don’t know what to say,” the talk show host said. “I am so sad and I am so angry. I know I’m not going to say the right thing. I know that there are going to be a lot of people who are going to be in disagreement with what I say, but I have a platform and I have a voice.”
DeGeneres, who previously expressed her support for the Black Lives Matter movement over the weekend, continued, “I have always stood for equality. I have always wanted to be the voice for people who felt like they didn’t have a voice because I know what that feels like. Maybe you don’t agree with how it’s coming out, but you have to understand it. Then we can heal it.”
DeGeneres said that despite feeling at a loss for words over the situation, she hopes to see real change take effect following this latest police killing.
“People have gotten away with murder and that’s what’s happening. We’ve got to see fairness and justice for all, because right now this is not a fair world,” she remarked.
DeGeneres’ message concluded with a call to action: “We have a long way to go to even get close to being fair. If you don’t understand this, then you’ve never felt like you weren’t heard or you weren’t equal. But if you’ve ever felt that, magnify it and see what’s happening. Let’s send a whole bunch of love out there and try to find some piece and some communication in this.”
Officer Derek Chauvin, who has been identified as the man who knelt on Floyd’s neck, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday, May 29. He was among four Minneapolis officers fired last week for their involvement in George’s detainment.
According to an autopsy report released by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, Floyd died from “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression.”
The manner of death was deemed to be homicide.