Obama: 'This country was founded on protest'

On Wednesday, former U.S. President Barack Obama held a virtual town hall event with young people to discuss policing and the civil unrest that has followed the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The town hall was hosted by his foundation's My Brother's Keeper Alliance, which supports young men of color. Obama said young people help him feel inspired and optimistic about the future. He also pointed out the importance of protests in American history.

"Just remember, this country was founded on protest. It is called the American Revolution. And every step of progress in this country, every expansion of freedom, every expression of our deepest ideals, has been one through efforts that made the status quo uncomfortable", Obama said. Protests have been staged across the US and the wider world after the killing of Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air.