Livermore Mayor Condemns Killing Of George Floyd

LIVERMORE, CA — Livermore Mayor John Marchand condemned the killing of George Floyd in a letter to the community Monday.

Floyd, a black man, died after white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd's neck, pinning him down after arresting him following a call reporting suspected forgery at a store. Floyd said he could not breathe and had no pulse when he was taken into an ambulance, and all four officers at the scene were arrested.

Marchand's letter came in the hours after protesters gathered in downtown Livermore on Sunday and in the days after widespread protests, civil unrest, arson, violence and vandalism throughout the Bay Area and across the country.

"Our nation is outraged over the unjust killing of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin," Marchand wrote. "I am outraged. What Chauvin did was reprehensible and it was compounded by his partners blatantly disregarding their oath 'to serve and protect.'"

Marchand said public safety was a top priority, and he welcomed peaceful protest and dialogue. Racism, violence and bigotry is impermissible, he said.

"In Livermore we stand up for justice," he wrote. "All of us must lead by example ... injustice cannot, does not, and will not happen in Livermore."