State and federal lawmakers serving Butler County, as well as other political leaders, are taking to social media and through their offices to share thoughts in the wake of George Floyd's death and the spread of protests nationwide, some close to home.

Floyd, who was black, died May 25 while being detained by Minneapolis police after a white officer pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes. The death was caught on video, sparking violence in cities across the nation.

Standing in a street surrounded by storefronts in Philadelphia — one of the cities hardest hit by riots — Gov. Tom Wolf addressed Pennsylvanians during a livefeed broadcast Monday evening.

“We need to recognize that we have a lot of work to do to address the ills that the protests are about,” Wolf said. “At the same time, we cannot live with the basic necessities being taken out of circulation, so we need to de-escalate the violence.”

Wolf toured the city and spoke with city officials during his visit, surveying the damage done through violence at recent protests in the name of Floyd.

“Racism is wrong,” Wolf said. “First of all, they're right. This country and we need to rededicate ourselves to the elimination of racism.”

Wolf said while he did not condone the violence that devastated neighborhoods in Philadelphia and other parts of the country, he acknowledged the emotions behind them.

Rep. Kelly weighs in

U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, was among several lawmakers and leaders who took to social media over the weekend in response to the increasingly violent protests — including a Saturday protest in Pittsburgh that saw multiple vehicles burned and businesses vandalized.

“The death of George Floyd is a tragedy. Our nation is right to mourn,” Kelly said Sunday in a Facebook post. “I ask all Western PA to unite in love of neighbor & to treat all people as we would like to be treated.”

The longtime lawmaker called riots erupting across the nation “self-defeating,” arguing they create more problems than they solve.

State Rep. Marci Mustello, R-11th, also joined the national conversation Sunday.

“Racism is real. Implicit bias is real. People have the right to have their voices heard,” Mustello said in a Facebook post. “However, burning down communities and needless destruction is not. Violence that endangers lives is not.”

Mustello said she empathizes with those who face “systemic injustice,” and understands that communities are in pain and seeking answers.

“I will protect your right to protest, but I will not allow our community or commonwealth to decay into chaos,” Mustello said in her post. “Change won't happen overnight, but I'm confident we can overcome whatever challenges we face together.”

Violent protests in Philadelphia

Wolf's visit to Philadelphia came on the heels of a weekend's worth of violence — capped off by a fire late Sunday in the city's Kensington neighborhood that caused parts of several stores and apartment buildings to collapse.

Nearly two dozen police officers were injured over two nights, including one who was hit by a fleeing vehicle and is hospitalized with broken ribs and a broken arm, according to The Associated Press.

The city normally gets about 3,000 calls for police service, Mayor Jim Kenney said, but got about 18,000 on Sunday.

On Saturday, the governor urged peaceful protests as cities across the state erupted into riots. He urged people to speak out, arguing that injustice and violence occurs far too often against people of color.

Speaker of the House Mike Turzai, R-28th, also issued a statement Sunday, one day after violence erupted in Pittsburgh. He called the killing of Floyd “depraved and senseless,” saying that Americans want justice.

In a Facebook post Saturday, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said: “Pennsylvanians and people across our nation are angry, sad, tired and desperate for change. As leaders, we must recognize this pain.

“As a Commonwealth and country, we must raise our voices and call for justice in a system that has, for too long, turned a blind eye to the injustice. We can and we must reform these systems and hold those accountable who abuse them.

Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy Patton Mills and Vice Chairman Sharif Street, in a statement released Monday, said: “The murder of George Floyd was unconscionable, and the latest painful incident in an exhausting, centuries-long string of racist violence in our nation. We share the outrage and anguish that was expressed by so many.