North Korea’s foreign ministry has said that recent events in Ferguson, Missouri are evidence of widespread racial discrimination and human rights abuses conducted by American authorities, in a statement on Tuesday.

In a statement released on state news agency the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a spokesman for the foreign ministry condemned the United States over the shooting of 18 year old Michael Brown and the actions of the police during the public protests that followed.

“Some days ago, a black teenager was shot to death by a white policeman in Ferguson City, Missouri State, the U.S. and police ruthlessly cracked down