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"I am completely overcome with rage"| Lewis Hamilton on racial injustice


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Lewis Hamilton has confessed to being "completely overcome with rage at the sight of such blatant disregard for the lives of other people".

The six-time Formula One Champion tweeted a statement on Tuesday as protests continued across the world at the homicide of George Floyd by a police officer in Minnesota.

It wasn't Hamilton's first comment on the subject having criticised other senior F1 figures for not speaking out over the weekend.

That prompted a number of top drivers to express their own outrage on social media.

On Tuesday, Hamilton posted on Twitter  "This past week has been so dark. I have failed to keep hold of my emotions. I have felt so much anger, sadness, and disbelief in what my eyes have seen.

"I am completely overcome with rage at the sight of such blatant disregard for the lives of other people.

"The injustice we are seeing our brothers and sisters face all over the world time and time again is disgusting and MUST stop."

"Unfortunately, it's not surprising"

Hamilton said that while "So many people seem surprised, but to us, unfortunately, it is not surprising.

"Those of us who black, brown or in between, see it every day and should not have to feel as though we were born guilty, don't belong or fear for our lives based on the colour of our skin."

Hamilton criticised the delay in arresting Derek Chauvin, the officer responsible for the death of George Floyd.

"It is only when there are riots and screams for justice that the powers that be cave in and do something, but by then it is far too late and not enough has been done.

"It took hundreds of thousands of people's complaints and buildings to burn before officials reacted and decided to arrest Derek Chauvin for murder - and that is sad," he said.

"Unfortunately, America is not the only place where racism lives and we continue to fail as humans when we cannot stand up for what is right.

"Please do not sit in silence, no matter the colour of your skin. Black Lives Matter."

Lewis Hamilton has been active on social media over the last few days supporting the Black Lives Matter campaign having called out prominent figures in Formula One for their silence at the weekend.

Lewis Hamilton

Not long after Hamilton's tweet on Tuesday, the official F1 social media accounts posted their first statement on the anti-racism protests.

Hamilton re-posted the statement and thanked them on his Instagram story.


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