Notable figures and celebrities have hailed the conviction of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd.
Writing on Twitter, former US President Barack Obama said the jury’s verdict was correct but only one step in the fight for justice.
In an adjoining statement, he said people need to understand that “Black Americans are being treated differently every day” and that millions live in fear that their next encounter with law enforcement could be their last.
Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tweeted that Floyd’s family and community deserved for his killer to be held accountable.
“Today, they got that accountability,” she wrote. “Always and forever, Black lives matter.”
Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey said she was “relieved – and emotional” at news of Chauvin’s guilty verdict.
“I cried tears of joy as each verdict was read,” the media mogul said online. She was one of many celebrities weighing in on the historic verdict convicted on three counts in last year’s death of George Floyd.
“Captain America” star Chris Evans tweeted simply: “Justice. Sending love to George Floyd’s family and friends.”
Kerry Washington said it was a moment to pause and reflect — but not to stop political activism.
“We have a lot of work to do. There is more fight ahead of us,” she tweeted.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stressed the fact that millions “had to organize and march just for George Floyd to be seen” was not justice, and called for policy change
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