A general view of George Floyd’s memorial site during the first morning after all four officers involved were criminally charged in Floyd’s death following over a week of nationwide protests, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 4, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Nicholas Pfosi.

Amid the ongoing nationwide unrest following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week, the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations issued a statement on Wednesday denouncing “all forms of racism and violence” toward African-Americans.

Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives John Lewis (GA-05), Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Lee Zeldin (NY-01) and Will Hurd (TX-23) said, “The death of George Floyd is nothing less than a modern-day lynching. At a time when COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting communities of color, the protests surrounding the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery are stark reminders of how deeply embedded racial injustice is in the United States.”

“The first steps towards justice were taken with former police officer Derek Chauvin charged with murder and manslaughter,” they noted. “But our country cannot achieve the values of ‘justice for all’ until we address the structural inequality and ongoing racism that has long plagued this country.”

“We firmly believe that change starts here at home, spurred by peaceful and productive action,” they went on to say. “We need an American public that is educated on the legacy of slavery, racism, lynching and all forms of injustice in this country.”

The statement concluded, “The United States is a nation founded on the ideals of equality and liberty. The Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations demands that our justice system treat all people the same.”