(Washington, D.C., June 8, 2020)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:  
 
Outraged by the brutal killing of George Floyd at the hands of police, the B’nai B’rith Board of Directors has voted in favor of a resolution that condemns police violence directed at Black Americans and addresses racial tension and human and civil rights in the United States.

In the resolution we make clear our support for peaceful protests, and note B’nai B’rith “cherishes the right to assembly, one of the cornerstones of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and respects the legal right of protesters to honor the memory of Mr. Floyd and to call out the injustices by Minneapolis police.”
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The resolution also notes the “necessity of having committed police personnel to protect communities and other individual, human and civil rights.”

In the resolution we call “on the United States Congress to pass legislation aimed at reviewing and reforming aspects of police work that involve standards and procedures for the apprehension of and use of force against a suspect”

And we resolve that B’nai B’rith “will use its extensive contacts in the civil rights community and the intercommunal and interreligious fields to strengthen relations between Jews, Blacks, and other minorities and increase mutual understanding about issues of shared concern.”
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Click here to read the full resolution. 
 
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org