On CNN Thursday, Martin Luther King III excoriated Attorney General William Barr for his speech comparing COVID-19 lockdowns to slavery.

"This is beyond unconscionable," said King. "To even compare it to the most cruel institution in history, in modern history, slavery, for over 200 years, is unconscionable. It is very sad that that's where we are in this nation."

"But also, when you think about the fact that this administration basically does not acknowledge systematic racism, that everyone realizes, most people who see visually that it exists, this administrator, the president, has stood up in Charlottesville for those who really promote hatred," said King. "This administration decided to disable protesters, nonviolent protesters in front of the White House. And so when you think about all these things, most importantly, refuses to acknowledge and hold policemen accountable for behavior that becomes fatal for so many in the African-American community, not to mention the virus that seems to affect Blacks and Browns in a disproportionate level, and a lack of management."