The former city councilman, who spoke in a black church in Brooklyn, reinforced the idea that he is about to embark on the White House race.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg apologized Sunday, November 17 for the policy of arbitrary arrests and searches ("Stop-and-frisk"He had been a strong advocate for the fight against crime.
" I am sorry "said the billionaire, who spoke in a church mostly black of the borough from Brooklyn, further reinforcing the idea that he is about to embark on the White House race.
This statement marks a dramatic 180-degree shift by Bloomberg, who has consistently defended this highly controversial police method, with many associations denouncing facies checks and unnecessary brutality.
"Far too many innocent people have been arrested"
"Over time, I came to understand something that I have long struggled to admit: I was wrong on one important point"he said.
"Our central goal was to save lives. But the facts are there: far too many innocent people have been arrested and a vast majority of them were blacks or Latinos. "
"It could have included, I'm sorry to say, some of you here today, or your children, your grandchildren, your neighbors, your loved ones"he continued.
The 77-year-old former mayor has taken several steps in recent days toward a nomination for the Democratic nomination, notably registering as a candidate in the states of Alabama and Arkansas.
Founder of the financial news agency bearing his name, the New York City Councilor from 2002 to 2013, Michael Bloomberg is one of the ten largest fortunes in the world, with more than 50 billion dollars, according to the magazine Forbes.
