Joe Biden will travel to Houston, Texas today to meet privately with the family of George Floyd. 

The Democratic presidential nominee’s journey comes ahead of the funeral taking place on Tuesday.

While the former vice president will not attend the funeral itself, he is preparing a video message for the service.

A spokesman for Biden told CBS News: "Vice President Biden will travel to Houston Monday to express his condolences in-person to the Floyd family. He is also recording a video message for the funeral service.” 

Floyd’s death has triggered a massive reaction in cities across the world with largely peaceful demonstrations,  but there have been outbreaks of violence and looting.

Biden has met with community members and delivered speeches in his home state Delaware calling for an end to systematic racism in the US. 

In a speech in Philadelphia last week he said: “I'll seek to heal the racial wounds that have long plagued our country, not use them for political gain. I'll do my job and I'll take responsibility — I won't blame others.”

Shortly after Floyd’s death he spoke on the phone with the family.

He told CNN: “I tried to give them some solace in terms of how the memory, the memory and meaning of George's life, would live with them.”