“The death of George Floyd has shocked people around the world and I understand that people want to express their solidarity with his family, friends and those campaigning against racism.
“Intolerance of others based on their ethnic background has absolutely no place in a civilised society. I am pleased that here in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly we have a proud tradition of community policing, a robust response to hate crime and a police force that actively assists people who want to protest peacefully and publicly to make their feelings known to us all.
“I note that those who have been in touch with the force about organising demonstrations say that they will observe the coronavirus regulations. If people take part I would appeal to them to heed advice from organisers, police and health experts so that their actions do not impact negatively on our communities by putting others’ safety at risk.”