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| UK anti-racism protesters defy calls to avoid mass gatherings | UK anti-racism protesters defy calls to avoid mass gatherings |
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| Thousands around country join Black Lives Matter protests sparked by death of George Floyd | Thousands around country join Black Lives Matter protests sparked by death of George Floyd |
| Thousands of anti-racism protesters have gathered across the UK, defying calls from ministers and police chiefs to avoid mass gatherings. | Thousands of anti-racism protesters have gathered across the UK, defying calls from ministers and police chiefs to avoid mass gatherings. |
| Crowds of mostly young people heard speeches in Parliament Square on Saturday declaring the end of institutional racism, and observed a minute’s silence on one knee to commemorate Belly Mujinga, Mark Duggan, Derek Bennett and other black people who were killed by police or died in controversial circumstances. | Crowds of mostly young people heard speeches in Parliament Square on Saturday declaring the end of institutional racism, and observed a minute’s silence on one knee to commemorate Belly Mujinga, Mark Duggan, Derek Bennett and other black people who were killed by police or died in controversial circumstances. |
| “Institutional racism is rooted in housing, healthcare, the education system, the media, in fashion and beauty,” Imarn Ayton, 29, told the crowd through a megaphone. “It is rooted in recruitment and employment, in politics, in policing, in immigration, and the criminal justice system. | “Institutional racism is rooted in housing, healthcare, the education system, the media, in fashion and beauty,” Imarn Ayton, 29, told the crowd through a megaphone. “It is rooted in recruitment and employment, in politics, in policing, in immigration, and the criminal justice system. |
| “It is seen but you cannot see it. It is everywhere but it is nowhere … Today is the day where we say goodbye to institutional racism.” | “It is seen but you cannot see it. It is everywhere but it is nowhere … Today is the day where we say goodbye to institutional racism.” |
| Afterwards, led by a group of drummers, some demonstrators marched on the Home Office to demand justice for the Windrush generation, while a larger group remained in Westminster, with drizzly weather seeming to cause the protest to be smaller than on Wednesday – when an estimated 15,000 people protested. | Afterwards, led by a group of drummers, some demonstrators marched on the Home Office to demand justice for the Windrush generation, while a larger group remained in Westminster, with drizzly weather seeming to cause the protest to be smaller than on Wednesday – when an estimated 15,000 people protested. |
| Holding banners saying “There is a virus greater than Covid-19 and it’s called racism” and “defund the police”, protesters called for early age education about colonialism in schools and for an end to the disproportionate use of stop and search. | Holding banners saying “There is a virus greater than Covid-19 and it’s called racism” and “defund the police”, protesters called for early age education about colonialism in schools and for an end to the disproportionate use of stop and search. |
| “Police mentality needs to change, they need to be educated that this is not okay, stop and search is a prime example of how racist the UK is,” said a 24-year-old demonstrator who preferred to remain anonymous. | “Police mentality needs to change, they need to be educated that this is not okay, stop and search is a prime example of how racist the UK is,” said a 24-year-old demonstrator who preferred to remain anonymous. |
| “They target black people, they target minorities, they know what they’re doing … And we need to teach children how the UK was funded by racism and [just like] America.” | “They target black people, they target minorities, they know what they’re doing … And we need to teach children how the UK was funded by racism and [just like] America.” |
| Alex Kouam, 29, from west London, was leading chants calling for racial justice as a group of protesters passed by Buckingham Palace. | Alex Kouam, 29, from west London, was leading chants calling for racial justice as a group of protesters passed by Buckingham Palace. |
| “Evidently the UK is not innocent,” he said. “The Lammy report highlighted a number of discrepancies in the criminal justice system relating to black and minority ethnic people. But of course the government hasn’t acted upon it. This is a clear indication of institutional racism in the UK.” | “Evidently the UK is not innocent,” he said. “The Lammy report highlighted a number of discrepancies in the criminal justice system relating to black and minority ethnic people. But of course the government hasn’t acted upon it. This is a clear indication of institutional racism in the UK.” |
| There was a police presence in London, as elsewhere, following several clashes this week between officers and a handful of protesters. Several police had taken to the knee as an act of solidarity on Wednesday but the Metropolitan police commissioner, Cressida Dick, warned officers not to do so again. | |
| Thousands of others attended protests in Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow, Cardiff, Leicester, Manchester and many other towns and cities in the UK to demand an end to systemic racism and in solidarity with George Floyd, the African American man who died under the knee of a white police officer in Minneapolis almost a fortnight ago. | |
| Chanting, clapping in unison and holding homemade placards bearing the initials “BLM”, a dense crowd filled Piccadilly Square in Manchester to listen to speakers. At 1.45pm the crowd fell silent and knelt down in a show of respect for George Floyd. | |
| The world heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua joined the protest in his hometown of Watford. | |
| Several hundred marchers gathered in Newcastle while thousands more watched an online protest organised in the north-east. Dr Christina Mobley, a history lecturer who came to Newcastle University from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, attended with her five-year-old daughter. | |
| The historian, who is leading the project to decolonise the university curriculum, said: “I absolutely felt the need to be here today. The organisers have done an amazing job. It is really powerful to see such a young, motivated crowd coming out and organising themselves, handing out masks and working with the police.” | The historian, who is leading the project to decolonise the university curriculum, said: “I absolutely felt the need to be here today. The organisers have done an amazing job. It is really powerful to see such a young, motivated crowd coming out and organising themselves, handing out masks and working with the police.” |
| Many wore face coverings and gloves as they ignored warnings from senior government ministers and police chiefs not to attend large gatherings over fears of coronavirus transmission. | Many wore face coverings and gloves as they ignored warnings from senior government ministers and police chiefs not to attend large gatherings over fears of coronavirus transmission. |
| On Saturday, the home secretary, Priti Patel, said that although she understood the right to protest the UK was in the midst of a pandemic. | |
| “I’d say to those that want to protest: please don’t,” she said, echoing the health secretary, Matt Hancock. “The regulations are very clear in terms of gatherings and mass gatherings in particular. We must put public health first at this particular time.” |