Adele says ‘racism is everywhere’ in rare social media post after George Floyd’s protests

Adele has made a rare social media post to say that "racism is everywhere" after the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who passed away after being detained and arrested.

Police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes during the incident, and he was subsequently fired and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Watch this news report about Chauvin's arrest: 

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The 'Someone Like You' singer captioned a picture of Floyd on Instagram: "George Floyd’s murder has sent shockwaves around the world, there are countless others that haven't."

"Protests and marches are happening all over the globe simultaneously and only gaining momentum. So be righteously angered but be focused! Keep listening, keep asking and keep learning!

It's important we don’t get disheartened, hijacked or manipulated right now. This is about systematic racism, this is about police violence and it's about inequality. And this isn't only about America! Racism is alive and well everywhere. I wholeheartedly stand in solidarity with the fight for freedom, liberation and justice."

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Adele is the latest celebrity to speak out about Floyd's death, with rapper Ashley Walters breaking down on social media as he recalled being 'stabbed by white men' at the age of 15.

Floyd's family has since released a statement calling Chauvin's arrest a "welcome but overdue step on the road to justice” and added that members “expected a first-degree murder charge" - which they still demand.

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"The pain that the black community feels over this murder and what it reflects about the treatment of black people in America is raw and spilling out on to streets across [the country]," the statement added.

The statement concluded by saying:

"Today, George Floyd's family is having to explain to his children why their father was executed by police on video. It's essential that the City closely examines and changes its policing policies and training procedures to correct for the lack of proper field supervision; the use of appropriate, non-lethal restraint techniques; the ability to recognize medical signs associated with the restriction of airflow, and the legal duty to seek emergency medical care and stop a civil rights violation."

Under Minnesota law, a first-degree murder charge would require prosecutors to prove Chauvin’s actions were willful and premeditated.

In footage of the arrest, George Floyd can be heard pleading for help - repeatedly telling officers that he couldn't breathe. He then became unresponsive during the arrest and was later pronounced dead.