Mitt Romney joined a Black Lives Matter protest in Washington, DC, becoming the first known GOP senator to do so

• Sen Mitt Romney marched with a Christian group as part of a larger Black Lives Matter protest in Washington, DC, on Sunday.
• He's the first Republican senator known to join a protest against police brutality.
• Before joining the protest Romney criticized the officers involved in the death of George Floyd, who died on Memorial day after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — US Sen. Mitt Romney marched Sunday in a protest against police mistreatment of minorities in the nation's capital, making him the first Republican senator known to do so.

Romney, who represents Utah, posted a tweet showing him wearing a mask as he walked with Black Lives Matter protesters in Washington. Above the photo he wrote: Black Lives Matter.

Romney, who was walking with a Christian group, told NBC News that he needed to be there.

"We need a voice against racism, we need many voices against racism and against brutality," he said. "We need to stand up and say, 'Black lives matter.'"

On Saturday, Romney tweeted a photo of his father, George, who was the governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, marching with civil rights protesters in the 1960s in a Detroit suburb.

Above the photo, Mitt Romney wrote: "This is my father, George Romney, participating in a Civil Rights march in the Detroit suburbs during the late 1960s — 'Force alone will not eliminate riots,' he said. 'We must eliminate the problems from which they stem.'"

Romney also wrote two other tweets on May 30 and May 28 criticizing the Minneapolis officers involved in the death of George Floyd.

The May 30 tweet said: "The George Floyd murder is abhorrent. Peaceful protests underscore the urgency of addressing injustices. But violence drowns the message of the protestors and mocks the principles of justice."

The May 28 tweet said: "No Americans should fear enmity and harm from those sworn to protect us. The death of George Floyd must not be in vain: Our shock and outrage must grow into collective determination to extinguish forever such racist abuse."

Floyd died on May 25, after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes. Floyd's death sparked nationwide protests over police brutality, and all four officers involved Floyd's death have been fired and charged by prosecutors.

Derek Chauvin, the officer seen kneeling on Floyd's neck, is facing second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter charges. The three other officers are facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting manslaughter.

Romney has been one of the more independent members of the US Senate's GOP caucus. He was the sole Republican who voted to remove President Donald Trump from office following the impeachment trial.

Trump responded to Romney's participation in the protest by retweeting a video of the march and saying: "Tremendous sincerity, what a guy. Hard to believe, with this kind of political talent, his numbers would "tank" so badly in Utah!"

• Read more:
• Minneapolis City Council majority pledges to dismantle the city's police department in the wake of George Floyd's death
• Black Lives Matter co-founder explains what 'defund the police' actually means
• Trump's military response to anti-racism and police brutality protests actually helped to 'turn out more people': DC Mayor Bowser
• Massive, peaceful protests swelled across the country as activists sparked efforts for meaningful police reforms