WATCH: Biden Speaks At George Floyd’s Funeral Urging America To Fight Against Racism

Former Vice President, Joe Biden gave a virtual speech during George Floyd‘s funeral on Tuesday and offered condolences for his family, as well as spoke against racism in the country.

“Ladies and gentlemen — we cannot turn away. We must not turn away,” Biden said in the videotaped speech. “We cannot leave this moment thinking we can once again turn away from racism that stings at our very soul and from systemic abuse that still plagues American life.”

Biden also addressed Floyd’s daughter, six-year-old Gianna.

“I know you have a lot of questions, honey. No child should have to ask questions that too many black children have had to ask for generations: ‘Why? Why is daddy gone?'” Biden said.

Floyd’s funeral took place in Houston church, hundreds of people gathered to commemorate his life and speak on the ongoing civil Black Lives Matter movement, addressing years of racial injustices in the U.S. Apart from Biden, other well-known celebrities, like  rapper Ne-Yo, boxer Floyd Mayweather and actor Channing Tatum, also attended the funeral.

Biden also privately met Floyd’s family on Monday and offered them condolences.

“He listened, heard their pain and shared in their woe,” Benjamin Crump, the family’s lawyer tweeted. “That compassion meant the world to this grieving family.”

“As I have said to you privately, we know. We know you will never feel the same again,” Biden said. “Unlike most, you must grieve in public. It is a burden. A burden that is now your purpose to change the world for the better in the name of George Floyd.”

Since Floyd’s death and the start of the nationwide anti-racism protests, Biden has met with the protestors and voiced his support for them.

President Donald Trump has called for “law and order” and threatened to deploy active military force to suppress the protesting civilians. He criticized local governors for lack of toughness, calling them “weak jerks” over the private phone call and urged them to “dominate the streets.”

The nationwide protests have been going on for the third week now, sparked by Floyd’s death at hands of white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, after he knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

Article by Polina Kuznetsova