UK protests of the death of George Floyd and racial inequality began in Hyde Park as police in the UK have said that they hope justice will be done in the US
Thousands of demonstrators have gathered in Hyde Park to protest the death of George Floyd at the hand of US police, as Britain’s police say that they are “horrified” by the violence and destruction taking place across the pond.
This comes after protesters all across the US have clashed with police at protests following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who pleaded with a white officer who was kneeling on his neck during an arrest, saying that he could not breathe.
The British-Nigerian actor John Boyega, who played the character ‘Finn’ in Star Wars, was among those at the Hyde Park protest, where he gave an emotional speech referencing two other black Americans who controversially died at the hand of police in the US, as well as the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence that took place in the UK.
He told demonstrators: “We are a physical representation of our support for George Floyd. We are a physical representation of our support for Sandra Bland. We are a physical representation of our support for Trayvon Martin. We are a physical representation of our support for Stephen Lawrence.”
He added:
“I’m speaking to you from my heart. Look, I don’t know if I’m going to have a career after this, but f*** that.
“Today is about innocent people who were halfway through their process, we don’t know what George Floyd could have achieved, we don’t know what Sandra Bland could have achieved, but today we’re going to make sure that won’t be an alien thought to our young ones.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that the death of George Floyd was “inexcusable”, adding: “I think what happened in the United States was appalling, it was inexcusable, we all saw it on our screens and I perfectly understand people’s right to protest what took place.”
Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour party, has urged the prime minister to speak to US President Donald Trump and to “convey to him the UK’s abhorrence about his response to the events”.
“Though obviously I also believe that protest should take place in a lawful and reasonable way,”
This news comes after the Australian embassy in Washington DC has reached out to the US State Department after an Australian reporter from Network Seven, as well as a camera operator, were attacked by police amid the protests outside the White House
Chief constables of police forces from across the United Kingdom released a joint statement earlier saying: “We stand alongside all those across the globe who are appalled and horrified by the way George Floyd lost his life.”
“Justice and accountability should follow.”
They highlighted the “long-established tradition of policing by consent” in the UK and added: “We will tackle bias, racism or discrimination wherever we find it.”
