In the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, veteran rapper and actor Ice Cube asked how much more “crime” must police officers commit against black Americans “before we strike back?”
“How long will we go for Blue on Black Crime before we strike back???” Ice Cube, whose real name is O’Shea Jackson, wrote on Twitter Tuesday in response to rapper Talib Kweli sharing a video of a Minneapolis police officer with his knee on the neck of Floyd.
Hours after the video went viral, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced the firings of four Minneapolis Police Department officers.
“This is the right call,” Frey wrote on Twitter.
“Being black in America should not be a death sentence,” he said. “For 5 minutes we watched as a white officer pressed his knee to the neck of a black man, for 5 minutes. When you hear someone calling for help, you are supposed to help, this officer failed in the most basic human sense.”
Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told reporters he would cooperate fully as the investigation proceeds and the department will have its own internal investigation.
He added that based on additional information he received, he called in federal authorities to conduct a probe because he’s concerned about possible civil rights violations.
Frey said during the press conference that he understands that people are angry and have the right to protest, but urged caution and continued social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Floyd’s arrest happened near a Cup Foods at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and 38th Street on Monday. Police were called to investigate a report of someone trying to pay with a counterfeit bill at the grocery store and found a man matching the suspect’s description on the hood of his car, according to police and scanner audio posted online.
Police spokesman John Elder said officers took Floyd into custody after he “physically resisted,” adding that their body cameras were turned on and the way he was held was not a department-authorized chokehold.
The UPI contributed to this report.