During his briefing on Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered an emotional response to the killing of George Floyd, and continuing protests in Minneapolis and around the country. Floyd was killed on May 25 by a police officer who has now been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Newsom choked back tears as he shared his children’s reactions to posts on social media about Floyd's death. In anticipation of possible protests over the weekend, the governor urged Californians to express themselves “thoughtfully and gently, but forcefully.”
Turning to the pandemic, the governor repeatedly stressed that although state officials have issued guidance on how California should reopen, the pace of reopening will be determined by officials at the local level.
“We put out the how, counties decide when,” said Newsom.
Newsom also said that 1.8 million people in California have been tested for the coronavirus so far, adding that the state has gone from performing around 2,000 tests a day, to over 50,000.