While speaking at the Congressional Black Caucus' news conference on Chauvin's conviction, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took a brief moment to look up at the sky and thank Floyd - for his death.
"Thank you George Floyd for sacrificing your life for justice," she said on Tuesday, as lawmakers around her nodded in agreement.
"Because of you and because of thousands, millions of people around the world who came out for justice - your name will always be synonymous with justice," she added.
An absolutely bizarre statement from Nancy Pelosi about a man murdered by law enforcement pic.twitter.com/LEmFYHpWtW
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) April 20, 2021
While those immediately around Pelosi appeared moved by her remarks, netizens gave the House Speaker a major side-eye.
George Floyd didn’t sacrifice his life. He was executed by a cop. https://t.co/2FATvcrR1u
— derecka (@dereckapurnell) April 20, 2021
Who’s all surprised? pic.twitter.com/Vnj3GLq3Hq
— Jordan Saunders (@JSaundyy_23) April 20, 2021
thank god they killed you so people see that the system is broken so we can still not fix it, thank you george
— Terry 🗿 (@fcknTERRY) April 20, 2021
In an effort to connect with Black people, the woman donned a dashiki.
— Adrienne Lawrence (@AdrienneLaw) April 20, 2021
Does her shenanigans today really shock us?
Nancy Pelosi could have come out and said "Wakanda Forever" and it would have been less embarrassing than her actual press statement
— Direct Action Jackson (@writhing_south) April 20, 2021
Nancy Pelosi’s statement is one of the most tone deaf, privileged, offensive, absurd things I’ve ever seen a politician say. Good lord she is awful in every way.
— P.B. Gomez (@MestizoLeftist) April 20, 2021
Some even called for Pelosi to walk back her statement and re-issue an address to the public and Floyd's family.
Waiting for an apology for calling George Floyd’s murder a “sacrifice” in the name of justice.
— Joe Montibello (@firstweet) April 20, 2021
Just apologize for this and move on.
The murder of Black Americans *is not ever* a sacrifice.
Nancy, you better "restate" what you meant. This was no sacrifice.
— Rebo (@Rebo2610) April 20, 2021
The House Speaker eventually took to social media and made loose references to her initial comments, which caused her to trend almost immediately.
"George Floyd should be alive today. His family’s calls for justice for his murder were heard around the world. He did not die in vain," she tweeted. "We must make sure other families don't suffer the same racism, violence & pain, and we must enact the George Floyd #JudgeInPolicing Act."
