Former Vice President Joe Biden remotely delivered remarks at George Floyd's funeral in Houston on Tuesday after meeting with his family earlier this week, calling for racial justice and saying the U.S. can't "turn away" from racism.
Biden spoke via a pretaped video message at the funeral, which took place at the Fountain of Praise church just over two weeks after Floyd's killing in police custody set off a wave of protests across the country.
"To George's family and friends, Jill and I know the deep hole in your hearts when you bury a piece of your soul deep in this Earth," Biden said. "As I've said to you privately, we know. We know you will never feel the same again."
Floyd's family has had to grieve in public, which Biden called a "burden, a burden that is now your purpose to change the world for the better in the name of George Floyd."
In the wake of Floyd's killing, Biden said the U.S. can't "once again turn away from racism that stings at our very soul," and "now is the time for racial justice."
"Because when there is justice for George Floyd, we will truly be on our way to racial justice in America," Biden said.
The Democratic presidential nominee previously met with Floyd's family in person, after which attorney Benjamin Crump said he "listened, heard their pain, and shared in their woe."
Members of Floyd's family also delivered powerful remarks at the funeral. His niece vowed "justice will be served" and his brother thanked God for "giving me my own personal superman." Brendan Morrow