New Zealand's Ardern says she is 'horrified' by George Floyd's death

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday that she was horrified by George Floyd's death, and welcomed peaceful solidarity protests in New Zealand. Thousands of New Zealanders marched peacefully on Monday amid protests in the U.S. and around the globe decrying how Floyd, a black American, died in police custody last week.

Ardern has been described by some liberal supporters as "anti-Trump," promoting issues such as social justice, multilateralism, and equality. She was praised globally for her compassionate handling of the country's worst mass shooting on March 15, 2019, when a suspected white supremacist killed 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch. Ardern said her country's response to that attack demonstrated that New Zealanders call out racism and hatred.