Trevor Noah Says Police “Are Looting Black Bodies” in Impassioned Video

Trevor Noah delivered his own message about protests spreading across the nation after the death of George Floyd, explaining to viewers in an emotional video why police violence sparks such reactions. Noah recorded his message and posted it to the The Daily Show‘s YouTube account May 29, and it has reached 5.7 million views as of today.

During his address, Noah tried to contextualize the protests and implored people to ask why they were uncomfortable seeing stores burn and protestors riot in the streets. “Try to imagine how it must feel for black Americans when they watch themselves being looted every single day,” he said, per Entertainment Weekly. “Police in America are looting black bodies.”

The comedian began his video by recounting recent instances of racial injustice, from Amy Cooper calling the police on Chris Cooper in Central Park to the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and George Floyd’s death on May 25.

“I don’t know what made that video more painful to watch, the fact that that man was having his life taken in front of our eyes, the fact that we were watching someone being murdered by someone whose job is to protect and serve, or the fact that he seemed so calm doing it,” he said.

Noah used his video to address reactions to the protests and looting that had been filmed over the week, taking the chance to explain to people why protestors were taking extreme actions. “When you boil it down, society is a contract we sign as human beings amongst each other,” he explained. “‘Amongst this group of us, we agree in common rules, common ideals, and common practices that are going to define us as a group.’ But if you think of being a black person in America who is living in Minneapolis, or any place where you’re not having a good time, ask yourself this question when you watch those people: What vested interest do they have in maintaining the contract?”

“There are people who are destitute when the virus hit and are already broke. Black American people watch time and time again how the contract they have signed with society is not being honored by the society,” he continued. “When you watch Ahmaud Arbery being shot and you heard those men were released were it not for the video and the outrage, what part of the contract is that? When you see George Floyd on the ground losing his life in a way that no person should ever have to lose their life at the hands of someone who is supposed to enforce the law, what part of the contract is that?

“A lot of people say, ‘Well, what good does this do?’ Yeah, but what good doesn’t it do? How does it help you to not loot Target? Because the only reason you didn’t loot Target before was because you were upholding society’s contract. There is no contract if the law and people in power don’t uphold their end of it.”

Noah reminded viewers that the protests were not only for George Floyd —  they were for all of the people killed because of the color of their skin. “I think a lot of people don’t realize that George Floyd dying is part of the reason the story became so big,” he said. “How many George Floyds are there that don’t die? It’s only the gruesome deaths that stick out. Imagine to yourself, if you grew up in a community where every day someone had their knee on your neck … you tell me what that does to you as a society when you know that this is happening because of the color of your skin.”

Watch Noah’s full speech in the video above.

Where to watch The Daily Show With Trevor Noah