Black Lives Matter: Anti-racism protesters march in UK cities for fourth weekend
Written by News on 21/06/2020
Thousands of protesters have taken part in a fourth weekend of demonstrations across the UK in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Several hundred people turned out in London’s Hyde Park, while scuffles broke out in Glasgow as police tried to corral protesters into George Square on World Refugee Day.
Police in the Scottish city were earlier given temporary powers to search any person or vehicle in the city after the Scottish government urged people to not protest due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In London the protests seemed largely good-natured and peaceful, after more than 100 police officers were assaulted during the demonstrations over the past three weekends since the killing of George Floyd in the US after a police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 minutes.
Almost 230 protesters have been arrested in the capital and images of 35 people wanted over violent clashes during recent protests have been released by the Met.
Sky News’ Beckie Williams, in Hyde Park, said: “Last weekend the protests in London turned violent, and the weekend before.
“But on the whole they have been largely peaceful and that’s certainly what the police are urging here today. There is a strong police presence, not just here in Hyde Park but outside the park as well.”
One woman called Paulette told Sky News: “We’re not here for violence but just to be heard. I’m here for equality and justice.
“This has gone on too long and we want to see improvement, especially for young black boys and girls, whether they’re in full time education, applying for these big companies and for the opportunities to be available to them like their white counterparts.”
Other protesters walked from the nearby US embassy to Parliament Square and then met those who marched from Hyde Park.
Sky’s foreign affairs editor Deborah Haynes spoke to one demonstrator called Melanie, who said: “We’re all here to fight for equality. To get the word out that we’re here and we want change.
“So many people have died – I’m not saying people are innocent but no one deserves to die in a horrible way like George Floyd did.
“I’ve been racially abused by police so it touched a nerve with me and I feel like I needed to come and fight for equality.
“I want people to think, why are they doing this… to read up and educate themselves.”
Sky News’ Tom Parmenter, in the centre of Manchester, said the rally there was peaceful.
A woman called Debbie told him: “This is about a continuous thing that’s gone over history.
“One of my daughters has talked about being on the bus and being avoided. I’m speaking out on behalf of my family.”
(c) Sky News 2020: Black Lives Matter: Anti-racism protesters march in UK cities for fourth weekend
