Former President Barack Obama spoke earlier today (June 3) in a virtual town hall about the tragic death of George Floyd, protests in cities across the country, and the outbreak of police violence For those who were unable to watch the live broadcast, a replay of the event is available on demand

The event, titled "Rethinking Policing in the Midst of Ongoing Police Violence," began streaming at 5 pm ET on Obamaorg It is the latest in a series of town halls sponsored by My Brother's Keeper Alliance, a program established by the Obama Foundation

The former president gave opening remarks and then joined a panel with former Attorney General Eric Holder, Minneapolis City Councilman Phillips Cunningham, and other leaders and activists The conversation focused on how to reform law enforcement and improve trust between police and the communities they are supposed to protect

On Monday, President Obama mentioned Floyd's death and the protests that resulted from it in a Medium post He wrote that the protests "represent genuine and legitimate frustration" and could be a "real turning point" in police and criminal justice reform He also urged readers to vote He said, "We must mobilize to raise awareness, organize to elect candidates who will work for reform, and vote" [If we can turn our righteous anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action in the future, this moment will be a true turning point in our country's long journey to realize our highest ideals"

During President Donald Trump's tenure in the White House, the former president has generally refrained from giving speeches However, he has publicly criticized the current president recently, including when he endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president in April and when he headlined two national virtual graduation ceremonies a few weeks ago

On Tuesday, Biden gave his first public speech since the campaign was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic He condemned Trump's response to the demonstrations, noting that the president tear-gassed protesters outside the White House for a photo op in front of a church Biden called for unity and promised "leadership that can recognize the pain and deep sorrow of communities that have had their knees to their necks for so long"