Protesters from around the world took to the streets on Friday, despite coronavirus warnings, in a wave of outrage at the death of African-American George Floyd in the United States and racism against minorities in their own nations.
Floyd’s death after a white policeman stuck his knee in the neck while in custody convulsed the United States.
The largest protests on Friday appear to have taken place in Germany, where more than 10,000 people gathered in Frankfurt and Hamburg, according to Reuters journalists.
Many raised their hands in the air and held up banners with slogans such as: “Your pain is my pain, your fight is my fight”.
A poster of the Frankfurt rally asked: “How many were not filmed?” in reference to the fact that Floyd’s case was filmed in Minneapolis.
While authorities in many regions have warned of the risk of COVID-19 infections during large rallies, many protesters wore anti-coronavirus masks, some in black or with a clenched fist image.
In Trafalgar Square, London, dozens of people knelt in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Signs read: “White people must do more” and “Justice for Belly Mujinga” in reference to a railroad worker who died of COVID-19 after being spit out by a man who said he was infected.
“Uncomfortable conversations”
“There are a lot of uncomfortable conversations that people have avoided because it is unpleasant, it is not fun, and it can create tension, whether in your family or with your friends or in your workplace “said Ada Offor, 21, a law firm worker. , in Trafalgar Square.
“But these are conversations that have to take place if we want to prevent such things from happening again in the future, if we want to create a reform, if we finally want to create a kind of society where black bodies are treated in a way equal”.
Protesters in Australia marched to the Parliament in Canberra, showing images from social media, despite attempts by the authorities to stop the rallies because of the coronavirus.
Australians also drew attention to the mistreatment of indigenous nationals.
Austrian protesters have gathered near the US Embassy, holding up banners with slogans such as “There is no race, only one species”, while in Norway police have left Thousands of people demonstrate after authorities said only 50 would be allowed.
Ignoring the rules of social distance of one meter but wearing masks, several thousand people gathered in front of the Norwegian parliament and hundreds in front of the American embassy.
Elsewhere, rallies were scheduled for Friday in the Netherlands, Liberia, Italy, Canada and Greece.
More were planned for the weekend, although Paris police banned a demonstration outside the US embassy on Saturday, citing the risk of social unrest and coronavirus.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
