Maltese law students are calling for the people to acknowledge racial undertones in society following the tragic death of African-American George Floyd at the hands of a police officer. 

Floyd, 46, died last Monday after being pinned down by a police officer in Minneapolis. Shocking video footage of his arrest shows Floyd pleading that he is in pain and can’t breathe. He was pronounced dead shortly after.

Demonstrators across the United States have taken to the streets in protest and the news has struck a chord with international press and media with one student organisation, European Law Students Association of Malta, speaking up against racial discrimination in society.

“ELSA Malta is shocked and saddened at the tragic death of George Floyd. Apart from its standing as a Student Organisation, ELSA is also a Human Rights Organisation and thus, it is our duty, as members, to highlight gross breaches of such rights,” it said in a Facebook post.

“Incidents like these, shouldn’t even be a one-time occurrence, let alone an ever-increasing statistic. Thus, merely raising awareness on such matters once by merely sharing a post, is not enough. The world needs to work towards an attitudinal and societal reset.”

Malta too has its own racial agenda to tackle. Over a year ago, 42-year-old Lassana Cisse was allegedly killed in cold blood by two Armed Forces of Malta officers. 

It was Malta’s first racially-motivated murder.

“No human being should be subject to such degrading treatment, especially when considering the unjustified violence used when it was clear that Floyd at no point resisted arrest. The discriminatory nature of such acts is completely condemnable and no one’s race must ever serve as their death warrant,” ELSA continued.

“ELSA Malta calls upon all students, and citizens alike to acknowledge the clear racist undertones that still dominate our world today.”

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