PORTLAND, Maine (AP) The Portland City Council has voted to create a committee that addresses systemic racism in public safety.

The Portland City Council made the move after four hours of debate on Monday night. The Portland Press Herald reports the new committee is set to be appointed in the next few weeks.

The call for the new committee stemmed from local and national protests about the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. Floyd died after a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for almost eight minutes. Floyd’s death sparked protest around the country, including in Portland.