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Arizona politician condemned for using Floyd's last words

Posted at 9:30 AM, Jun 25, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-25 12:30:51-04

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — A city council member in suburban Phoenix is drawing criticism from the governor and others after invoking George Floyd’s dying words of “I can’t breathe” during a protest over an order to wear masks to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Scottsdale Councilman Guy Phillips uttered the remark at a protest Wednesday but later insisted the comment was about mandatory masks and not police misconduct. Gov. Doug Ducey, a fellow Republican, said “despicable doesn’t go far enough” in describing the comment.

Phillips told The Arizona Republic in a text that the comment had no connection to Floyd. Phillips argued the mask mandate is not warranted.