Michael Jordan 'pained & plain angry' over George Floyd's death

WASHINGTON: Basketball legend Michael Jordan has expressed his grief and outrage over the death of George Floyd in US. Floyd, aged 46, died last week shortly after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe".

"I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry. I see and feel everyone's pain, outrage and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough," Jordan said in a statement in Twitter.

"I don't have the answers, but our collective voices show strength and the inability to be divided by others. We must listen to each other, show compassion and empathy and never turn our backs on senseless brutality. We need to continue peaceful expressions against injustice and demand accountability. Every one of us needs to be part of the solution, and we must work together to ensure justice for all.

"My heart goes out to the family of George Floyd and to the countless others whose lives have been brutally and senselessly taken through acts of racism and injustice," he added.

Earlier, teenage tennis star Coco Gauff had also joined the chorus of people protesting the killing of African-Americans in US. Last week, Gauff posted a TikTok video on her official Twitter handle in which she said she would "always use my platform to help make the world a better place".

"This is why I am using my voice to fight against racism," the caption read in the video posted by her as it cut to images of Floyd and others.

The video also included a picture of Trayvon Martin, a teeanger whose death spurred a nationwide movement in the US and gave rise to a rallying cry "Black Lives Matter".

The words, "Am I next?" appeared on screen in the video, as the 16-year-old Gauff, wearing a black hoodie, faced the camera and raised her hands. "I am using my voice," the caption concluded, "Will you use yours?" IANS