Former President Jerry John Rawlings has commented on the death of George Floyd describing it as a shame on America and Americans.

In a tweet, Mr Rawlings said: “America’s moral and political image has seriously declined since the collapse of the bipolar war. Parts of the world have suffered tremendously as a result of America’s love of war and needless confrontations. If some of these atrocities, especially from some white police officers against black citizens, cannot shock the American populace to see evidence of their own decline, what can?

“How can a police officer be the source of such cruel, violent death with his knee chocking down a black man’s neck till he is motionless? And why do these cruelties end up in farcical trials that sees the evil culprits escape justice and capital punishment? This is painful and sad.

“I implore every American citizen to watch the video. Shame on America, shame on Americans.”

If some of these atrocities, especially from some white police officers against black citizens, cannot shock the American populace to see evidence of their own decline, what can? How can a police officer be the source of such cruel, violent death... pic.twitter.com/DqtfbzpAB7

George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis died on Monday, 25 May 2020 after a white police officer who has been identified as Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during his arrest.

The officer has since been arrested and charged with 3rd degree murder and manslaughter.

The death of George Floyd who told the officer he could not breath, while the white officer had his knee on his neck, has sparked a week-long protest in the US.

Protesters in Minneapolis have clashed with police burning houses, police stations, vehicles and looting.

The protest has stretched to New York, Atlanta and Portland where thousands gather without recourse to social distancing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The protestors are demanding that three other police officers who were involved in the incident be arrested too and made to face the law.

This is not the first time an unarmed black man has been killed by a white cop in US.

Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Rayvon Martin among others are all black men killed by white police officers.