Marvin Bartley: Livingston player 'wouldn't be comfortable' in USA
- Published
Marvin Bartley (left) helped Livingston to a top-six finish in 2019-20
Livingston midfielder Marvin Bartley says he "wouldn't be comfortable" in the United States.
Widespread protests have taken place across 75 US cities since George Floyd, an unarmed black man, died after being pinned down by a white police officer.
Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who kneeled on Floyd's neck, has been charged with his murder. He and three others have been sacked.
"It's been extremely hard to watch," Bartley told BBC Scotland.
"There's obviously a lot of video flying about but I haven't managed to watch any all the way through.
"Being a black man myself and seeing people in America treated a certain way because of the colour of their skin is deeply distressing.
"To leave your house and not know if you're going to come home, not because you're breaking the law but because you are black, it's something that I never thought would be going on in this day and age."
Bartley was asked on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast whether he would feel safe going to America.
"No, not at all," he replied. "I wouldn't go there on holiday, I wouldn't go there for a work opportunity, I just wouldn't do it because I don't feel that I would be safe there.
"I'd be constantly worried. Is something going to happen to me? I wouldn't be comfortable at all."
Scottish athletes and teams joined in a blackout on social media on Tuesday in response to Floyd's death.
"If that's educated one person, it's sparked up one conversation then it's done its job," Bartley said of the global social media response. "It's everyone against racism."