Spike Lee says ‘worsening’ race relations are a ‘direct response’ to Obama’s presidency
Oscar winner also said that real camera footage of George Floyd’s ‘horrific’ death was the cause of recent international protests
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Spike Lee has argued that race relations have “worsened” in response to Barack Obama’s presidency.
The Oscar-winning filmmaker, whose new film Da 5 Bloods arrives on Netflix today (12 June), had been asked why Obama’s two terms as US president hadn’t shifted race relations in the country for the better.
“You have to understand,” Lee answered. “Race relations – which have gotten worse – are a direct response to having a black president.”
Lee was answering questions from celebrities and the general public for The Guardian. Asked whether, when making his film Do the Right Thing in 1989, he expected race to still be such an issue in 2020, he said that he did, but not to such an extent.
“What’s made it worse for me is the camera phones,” Lee said. “Before, you just read articles about it. Now, you are seeing these horrific murders. That makes all the difference in the world.”
He continued: “The image of King George Floyd being suffocated for the last eight and a half minutes of his life went global and that is why we’ve had marches globally.
“People round the world saw a human being with this cop’s knee pressed against our brother’s neck, crying out for his deceased mother. You know what? As he was dying, I believe he saw his mother. His mother came to him in his last breaths.
“That image hit people’s hearts all round the world and that’s why people took to the streets in England. Get a globe, spin it and, wherever you stop, there’s a good chance people were marching.”
Floyd’s death in May has sparked weeks of international protest against police brutality and systemic racism.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments