Black Lives Matter protests across the U.S. and the world: Live updates

Vice President Mike Pence declined to utter the words “Black Life Matter” during an interview with an ABC representative in Pennsylvania, instead saying “all lives matter”.

“Sorry to put pressure on you, sir,” ABC6 reporter Brian Taff told Pence. “But I’ll notice that you didn’t say those words,“ Black lives matter, ”and there’s an important distinction.People say, of course, all lives are important, but saying the words is a confirmation that Black life also has importance in this country when there seems to be a segment of our society that disagrees. So why don’t you say those words? “

“Well, I don’t accept the fact that there is a segment of American society that disagrees in the value and importance of every human life,” Pence replied. “And that’s one of the reasons why as we progress important law enforcement reforms, as we look for ways to strengthen and improve our inner cities, we’re not going to stop there.”

Pence referred to the pre-pandemic unemployment rate and the development of economic “opportunity zones”, adding that the administration is “absolutely determined to improve” the lives of African Americans.

“Yet, one last time, you won’t say the words and we understand your explanation,” Taff replied.

Pence also asked about a video that President Trump posted on Twitter on Thursday the social network was branded as “manipulated media”.

“When you look at most of the national media,” Pence replied, “they seem to focus more every day on what divides us in this country. And I think the president saw an opportunity with a good sense of humor to challenge the media narrative once again. ”

Earlier today, spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said during a White House briefing that Trump quoted the video as “a satirical point that was pretty funny.”