Tehran, 08 June_More rallies have been held in several world cities against racism and police brutality in a show of solidarity with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests in the US, which broke out in late May in the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd in Minnesota police custody.
In parallel with the protests in US cities, people took to the streets for a second weekend in major cities in Europe and other continents to condemn systematic racism and police violence, demanding justice for Floyd.a
The 46-year-old unarmed black man died, struggling to breathe, while a Minneapolis police officer kept him handcuffed and pinned to the ground with a knee to his neck, on May 25.
Footage of the brutal police killing — captured by a bystander — went viral on social media quickly, triggering angry protests first in the US and then globally.
As in earlier protests, sit-ins were held in front of Washington’s diplomatic missions in many cities around the world. Protesters carried signs that read ‘Black Lives Matter,’ or took a knee in memory of Floyd. At some gatherings, participants stood in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the duration Floyd struggled to breathe.
Italy
On Sunday, protesters gathered in large numbers in Rome’s famous Piazza del Popolo (People’s Square) as they held their fists in the air.
The demonstrators chanted “No Justice! No Peace!” “Black lives matter” and “I can’t breathe.”
They were seen taking a knee and observing moments of silent protest to commemorate Floyd’s death.
The participants also listened to speeches and held up handmade placards saying “Black Lives Matter” and “It’s a White Problem.”
Spain
The streets of the Spanish cities of Barcelona and Madrid were also filled with protesters on Sunday.
Some 3,000 Spaniards gathered outside the US Embassy in Madrid, carrying signs reading, “Black Lives Matter,” “Human rights for all” and “Silence is pro-racist.
The protesters were repeating Floyd’s last words “I can’t breathe” and chanting “No peace without justice.”
Some protesters were holding placards against Trump.
“Here in Europe, in Spain, where we live, we work, we sleep and pay taxes, we also suffer racism,” said Thimbo Samb, a spokesman for the group that organized the events in Spain.
Protesters in the Spanish capital also knelt on the ground raising their fists, a gesture initiated by American football player Colin Kaepernick in 2016.
They then marched on the iconic Puerta del Sol, in the heart of Madrid.
Britain
In London, thousands of protesters, who defied official warnings not to gather, congregated outside the US Embassy on Sunday.
Scuffles broke out between UK police and protesters, who were seen throwing projectiles at officers close to Downing Street in central London.
Some demonstrators were also seen kneeling in front of the officers, while others were chanting “The UK is not innocent.”
A number of demonstrators held signs for US President Donald Trump, reading: “Black lives trump your ego, Mr. President.”
In the British town of Bristol, protesters toppled a statue of Edward Colston, a 17th-century slave trader.
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