Facebook, Snapchat join chorus of companies condemning George Floyd death, racism

Facebook Inc and Snap Inc became the latest U.S. companies condemning racial inequality in the United States as violent protests flared up across major cities over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis last week.

The two tech companies stood with Intel Corp, Netflix Inc, International Business Machines Corp and Nike Inc in taking a public stance against Floyd's death - calling out discrimination against African-Americans.

"We stand with the Black community - and all those working towards justice in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and far too many others whose names will not be forgotten," Facebook's Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said late Sunday.

He said Facebook will commit $10 million to organizations working on racial justice.

Floyd's death caused yet another round of outrage across the U.S. on the treatment of African-Americans by police officers, polarizing the country politically and racially as states begin to ease lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an internal company memo criticizing racism, Snapchat Chief Executive Officer Evan Spiegel appealed for comprehensive tax reforms in the country, with corporations paying a higher tax rate.

"We cannot end systemic racism without simultaneously creating opportunity for all people, regardless of their background," he said.

"In short, people like me will pay a lot more in taxes – and I believe it will be worth it to create a society that benefits all of us," he said.

On Friday, Nike flipped its iconic slogan to raise awareness about racism.

"For Once, Don't Do It. Don't pretend there's not a problem in America. Don't turn your back on racism," the company said in a video that has over six million views on Twitter and was shared by celebrities and rival Adidas AG.