THE UNIVERSITY of Reading has spoken out about the US killing of George Floyd by a police officer, which has sparked outrage across the world.

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George's killing was filmed and went viral last week, as footage shows the officer kneeling on George's neck despite him crying out that he couldn't breathe.

He had been reported to police for allegedly paying for something with a counterfeit bill.

Yesterday (June 3), the university posted a statement on their Facebook page supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.

It read: "The murder of George Floyd reminds us that the experience of black, Asian, and minority ethnic people in our own communities is blighted by a deep-rooted, pervasive racism that cannot be allowed to thrive in 2020.

"We condemn racist violence. #BlackLivesMatter.

"We sympathise with those for whom racism is a daily and lifelong obstacle.

"We identify the size of the problem. And then we do something about it.

"One of our students wrote to us: "You have to power to carry out real change. You must send a message to your black students and to the world that you recognise what is happening, that you care, and that you vow to take action. Push boundaries and change things for the better."

"We couldn't agree more. Today our VC Professor Robert Van de Noort has asked the Deputy VC Professor Parveen Yaqoob and the Dean for Diversity and Inclusion Dr Allán Laville to immediately begin work on a report to cover what we have done and what we should be doing to better support our Black and BAME community.

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"This report will have full assessments of our progress and recommendations on where to improve. But most importantly, we want this to be a space for our BAME community to contribute their stories, and share their experiences.

"With your permission, we want to use our platforms and reach to raise up your voices. If you feel you can contribute, please share your experiences with us and we will give you an audience.

"Read our full statement: and once again: Black lives matter."