George Floyd murder: Accused police officer's wife files for divorce

As Minneapolis burns over the police killing of African-American George Floyd, the wife of a former officer arrested in connection with the case has filed for a divorce after 10 years of marriage.

Derek Chauvin was slapped and charged with the murder of Floyd after he was seen suffocating him by kneeling on his neck while he was handcuffed and begged for breathe till he died.

“This evening, I spoke with Kellie Chauvin and her family. She is devastated by Mr Floyd’s death and her utmost sympathy lies with his family, with his loved ones and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy. She has filed for dissolution of her marriage to Derek Chauvin,” a statement released by Kellie Chauvin’s lawyer read.

Floyd’s death and footage of the officer pressing a knee into his neck for several minutes have unleashed protests and violent clashes with law enforcement exposing simmering frustration and the fact that there’s much work still ahead, several advocates and leaders told The Associated Press.

4 Minneapolis police officers have been fired in the aftermath of George Floyd's death.

Floyd was unarmed & handcuffed. He died after an officer knelt on his neck for up to 10 minutes until he laid motionless on the ground.?#BlackLivesMatter#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd
#Racism pic.twitter.com/7I6CdkWDtT

— Mazi Chiemerie Esiowu (@ChiemerieEsiowu) May 28, 2020

Earlier in the day, Georgia’s governor declared a state of emergency to activate the state National Guard as violence flared in Atlanta and in dozens of cities nationwide following Floyd’s killing in Minnesota.

Another 500 Guard soldiers were mobilized in Minneapolis and surrounding cities, where Floyd died.

The Guard was also on standby in the District of Columbia, where a crowd grew outside the White House and chanted curses at President Donald Trump inside.

Related news: Protests, some violent, erupt in wake of George Floyd’s death

As the police killing resulted in shock and disappointment in Africa to grow, some US embassies on the continent have taken the unusual step of issuing critical statements, saying no one is above the law.

The statements came as the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, condemned the murder of Floyd and said Friday the continental body rejects the continuing discriminatory practices against black citizens of the USA.

Africa has not seen the kind of protests over Floyds killing that have erupted across the United States, but many Africans have expressed disgust and dismay, openly wondering when the US will ever get it right.

“WTF? When the looting starts the shooting starts?” tweeted political cartoonist Patrick Gathara in Kenya, which has its own troubles with police brutality.

He, like many, was aghast at the tweet by President Donald Trump, flagged by Twitter as violating rules against glorifying violence, that the president later said had been misconstrued.

Mindful of Americas image on a continent where China’s influence has grown and where many have felt a distinct lack of interest from the Trump administration in Africa, some US diplomats have tried to control the damage.

The ambassador to Congo, Mike Hammer, highlighted a tweet from a local media entrepreneur who addressed him saying, “Dear ambassador, your country is shameful. Proud America, which went through everything from segregation to the election of Barack Obama, still hasn’t conquered the demons of racism. How many black people must be killed by white police officers before authorities react seriously?”

Related news: George Floyd’s alleged murder brings to fore again America’s racial inequality

The ambassadors response, in French: “I am profoundly troubled by the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The Justice Department is conducting a full criminal investigation as a top priority. Security forces around the world should be held accountable. No one is above the law.”

Similar statements were tweeted by the US embassies in Kenya and Uganda, while the embassies in Tanzania and Kenya tweeted a joint statement from the Department of Justice office in Minnesota on the investigation.

African officials also were publicly outspoken last month over racism in China, when Africans complained of being evicted and mistreated in the city of Guangzhou amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time, the US was quick to join in, with the embassy in Beijing issuing a critical security alert titled “Discrimination against African-Americans in Guangzhou” and noting actions against people thought to be African or have African contacts.

Now the Africa-facing version of the state-run China Daily newspaper is tweeting footage from Minneapolis with the hashtags #GeorgeFloydWasMurdered and #BlackLivesMatter.

(With inputs from agencies)