Protests worldwide embrace Black Lives Matter movement

 

A demonstrator wearing a mask holds a placard during a Black Lives Matter protest, following the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in Minneapolis, at Shibuya shopping and amusement district in Tokyo, Japan, June 6, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of people took to the streets in European and Asian cities on Saturday, demonstrating in support of U.S. protests against police brutality.

 

The rolling, global protests reflect rising anger over police treatment of ethnic minorities, sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis after a white officer detaining him knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes with fellow officers beside him.

 

After a largely peaceful protest in London, a few demonstrators near British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's residence threw bottles at police, and mounted officers charged push protesters back.

 

Earlier, more than a thousand protesters had marched past the U.S. Embassy, blocking traffic and holding placards.

 

Many thousands had also crowded into the square outside parliament, holding placards reading "Black Lives Matter", ignoring government advice to avoid large gatherings due to the risk from the coronavirus.

 

"I have come down in support of black people who have been ill-treated for many, many, many, many years. It is time for a change," said 39-year-old primary school teacher Aisha Pemberton.

 

Police in the German city of Hamburg used pepper spray on protesters and said they were ready to deploy water cannons. One officer was injured, they added.

 

Several hundred "hooded and aggressive people" had put officers under pressure in the city centre, police said, tweeting: "Attacks on police officers are unacceptable!"

 

In Paris the authorities banned demonstrations planned outside the U.S. Embassy and on the lawns near the Eiffel Tower.

 

However, several hundred protesters, some holding "Black Lives Matters" signs, gathered on Place de la Concorde, close to the Embassy. Police had installed a long barrier across the square to prevent access to the embassy, which is also close to the Elysee presidential palace.

 

In Berlin, demonstrators filled the central Alexanderplatz square, while there was also a protest in Warsaw.

 

PLACARDS AND FLAGS

 

In Brisbane, one of several Australian cities where rallies were held, police estimated 10,000 people joined a peaceful protest, wearing masks and holding "Black Lives Matter" placards. Many wrapped themselves in indigenous flags, calling for an end to police mistreatment of indigenous Australians.

 

Banners and slogans have focused not just on George Floyd but on a string of other controversies in different countries as well as mistreatment of minorities in general.

 

In Sydney, a last-minute court decision overruling a ban imposed because of the coronavirus allowed several thousand people to march, with a heavy police presence.

 

In Tokyo, marchers protested against what they said was police mistreatment of a Kurdish man who says he was stopped while driving and shoved to the ground. Organisers said they were also marching in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

"I want to show that there's racism in Japan now," said 17-year-old high school student Wakaba, who declined to give her family name.

 

In Seoul, dozens of South Korean activists and foreign residents gathered, some wearing black masks with "Can't breathe" in Korean, echoing George Floyd's final words as he lay on the ground.

 

In Bangkok, activists avoided coronavirus restrictions by going online, asking for video and photos of people wearing black, raising their fists and holding signs, and explaining why they supported the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

Protesters were expected to gather in Washington for a huge demonstration on Saturday as demonstrations across the United States entered a 12th day.

 

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux around the world; Writing by William Mallard and Hugh Lawson; Editing by Frances Kerry and Kevin Liffey)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-07

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

15 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

In Bangkok, activists avoided coronavirus restrictions by going online, asking for video and photos of people wearing black, raising their fists and holding signs, and explaining why they supported the Black Lives Matter movement.

Not sure they are making enough effort just wearing black and raising a fist online. It would be better for the Thais to go to lower Sukhumvit, there are always some black gentlemen hanging around there. The Thais could kneel in front of them. Great photo op too!

If they matter so much ,why do far more of them constantly kill each other?

It is not just black people who are mistreated and killed by over zealous policemen.

 

The blacks do seem to get more of the rough stuff...

 

It will require a cultural change from the top down to change the bad behavior.

 

If not now, when?

Black Lives Matter only when a white man is involved.  It's an agenda they push.  Proof is the Black retired cop that was killed by a black protester for a <deleted> tv.  Not a word from BLM.  It's political <deleted>.

 

Just when the World was getting the Corona virus under control, this comes along and will cause the virus to spread further .

   Many people congregating and spreading a deadly disease and shouting about "lives matter" , stop spreading the virus if lives matter so much  

It's good to see this blossom into an international movement. 

 

If nothing else many more Americans are finally understanding the meaning of systemic racism. 

 

This was never about one obviously flawed murder victim in Minneapolis. 

 

That event was simply a trigger of something that was always there. 

51 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

It is not just black people who are mistreated and killed by over zealous policemen.

 

The blacks do seem to get more of the rough stuff...

 

It will require a cultural change from the top down to change the bad behavior.

 

If not now, when?

Yes, it's bad enough that blacks get discriminated against by society.  But when they get it from law enforcement as well, it's hard to endure day after day.  I mean, why bother trying to be law-abiding and productive members of society when the police will treat you like criminals regardless.  As a basis for comparison, white parents never have to teach their kids how to act in public so that the police won't beat the cr-p out of you or worse.  And "Just do what the police says" doesn't usually work if you're black. 

Baiting post and reply removed

I wear black quite often, I can assure you it has nothing to do with BLM, lol

The same blokes now saying ‘all lives matter’ were the same ones willing to sacrifice legions with underlying medical conditions a just few weeks back...

It’s hopefull to see people of all races marching together the clip of Floyd’s 6 year old daughter riding on her uncles shoulders looking out at the marchers exclaming daddy changed the world will stay with me for a long time let’s hope this is the trigger that brings meaningful change 

1 hour ago, Puchaiyank said:

It is not just black people who are mistreated and killed by over zealous policemen.

 

The blacks do seem to get more of the rough stuff...

 

It will require a cultural change from the top down to change the bad behavior.

 

If not now, when?

It is not just police whose hands they die at.  An overwhelming majority die at the hands of there own brothers....so lets dial back the rhetoric.  Cultural change also within there own community.  However, its is not just a black issue, it is all races, colors, and creeds, all ethnic groups.  It is global

4 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

It is not just police whose hands they die at.  An overwhelming majority die at the hands of there own brothers....so lets dial back the rhetoric.  Cultural change also within there own community.  However, its is not just a black issue, it is all races, colors, and creeds, all ethnic groups.  It is global

Not everything needs to be about everything. 

 

The original sin of the American culture is slavery of black people which was never addressed after it ended. Instead we got lynchings, Jim Crow laws, systemic racism, and wildly unequal treatment of black people in the injustice system. 

 

Yes there are wider issues.

 

Yes its great that for the first time in history there is massive diversity in support for finally addressing this issue. 

 

But give black people a break. It's not fair to try to water this down now. They've waited hundreds of years. The original national sin finally needs to be faced directly. 

Maybe the brothers are spreading more than love amongst themselves.

It's a little unfortunate the guy they're beatifying had a violent criminal history, don't you think. To be fair, I looked at the Wikipedia entry and it does paint a pretty chequered picture, a sort of flawed good/bad character. Not sure how much of that is down to, well, I would say whitewashing but in the circumstances, perhaps blackwashing is more appropriate, influenced by recent events

2 hours ago, DACDAC said:

Black Lives Matter only when a white man is involved.  It's an agenda they push.  Proof is the Black retired cop that was killed by a black protester for a <deleted> tv.  Not a word from BLM.  It's political <deleted>.

 

Yes ,the whole world should see the radical chaotic blm  lies  ! Crickets when it’s black on black

“ A BLACK woman whose store was trashed and looted during George Floyd protests slammed rioters and called the Black Lives Matter movement a lie. “

https://www.the-sun.com/news/926466/george-floyd-protests-looters-black-lives-matter-lie/

35 minutes ago, nausea said:

It's a little unfortunate the guy they're beatifying had a violent criminal history, don't you think. To be fair, I looked at the Wikipedia entry and it does paint a pretty chequered picture, a sort of flawed good/bad character. Not sure how much of that is down to, well, I would say whitewashing but in the circumstances, perhaps blackwashing is more appropriate, influenced by recent events

It's irrelevant. 

No matter how bad any person is they don't deserve to be be murdered except for self defense. 

Again it's not really about him. 

It's about systemic racism and black people having to wait hundreds of years for it to be addressed. 

If not now then probably never. 

That would please the white nationalists. 

I'm gratified to see a closer examination of police practices and hopefully some legislation will arise curbing the worst of these practices and strong citizen oversight will become widespread. That said, while the horrible George Floyd murder I think is the straw that broke the camel's back, I don't think that's where the passion for these protests is coming from. I think it's really about living a life constantly on the margins in America.

 

Being poor in America is oppressive. Any unexpected problem, even a minor one can send your life spiraling down. Broken taillight? Don't have $30 to fix it, and you're in the system and can't register your car. Can't afford insurance? You're in the system with a huge fine and if you can't pay that, maybe a bench warrant. Poverty becomes criminalized. Can't pay child support? You're in the system and the totality of your wages may be garnished. Don't ever get sick. Don't see a doctor as that may lead to bankruptcy.

 

Say you're getting $500 worth of benefits and you report (it's mandatory) that you picked up 2 days work somewhere. Well, you lose your benefits. The bureauocracy is a nightmare you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy.

 

Black folks were put out of work at double the rate of whites during the CV-19 outbreak. You can be sure bills, rent, etc. were piling up for many. George Floyds death set off the perfect storm to release all that pent up anguish. Next week people who hadn't may be a little more respectful of black live mattering but it's back to normal on the economic oppression brought on by significant economic inequality in America.

 

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-only-way-to-truly-solve-the-race-problem-in-america-is-to-narrow-the-wealth-gap-black-economists-say-2020-06-06?siteid=yhoof2&yptr=yahoo

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriksherman/2017/09/11/median-wealth-of-black-and-latino-families-could-hit-zero-before-the-centurys-end/#1a0fd9cc50f6

 

 

48 minutes ago, nausea said:

It's a little unfortunate the guy they're beatifying had a violent criminal history, don't you think. To be fair, I looked at the Wikipedia entry and it does paint a pretty chequered picture, a sort of flawed good/bad character. Not sure how much of that is down to, well, I would say whitewashing but in the circumstances, perhaps blackwashing is more appropriate, influenced by recent events

Irrelevant.

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

It is not just police whose hands they die at.  An overwhelming majority die at the hands of there own brothers....so lets dial back the rhetoric.  Cultural change also within there own community.  However, its is not just a black issue, it is all races, colors, and creeds, all ethnic groups.  It is global

And  has been since one tribe  met another  for hundreds of thousands of years.

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It's irrelevant. 

No matter how bad any person is they don't deserve to be be murdered except for self defense. 

Again it's not really about him. 

It's about systemic racism and black people having to wait hundreds of years for it to be addressed. 

If not now then probably never. 

That would please the white nationalists. 

What needs to be done ?

3 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

It is not just black people who are mistreated and killed by over zealous policemen.

 

The blacks do seem to get more of the rough stuff...

 

It will require a cultural change from the top down to change the bad behavior.

 

If not now, when?

From the top down, there is your problem, you have a racist president.

1 minute ago, FritsSikkink said:

From the top down, there is your problem, you have a racist president.

Because under Obama everything was   great was it?

5 minutes ago, bodga said:

It  kills  more Blacks  than Whites  too even the virus  is racist now

 

Later, when better statistics are available, I think it will show it kills more people who are improverished than those who are not. Black people are overrepresented in the impoverished population. Lack of healthcare resources and poordiet are a symptom of being poor, not just Black.

2 minutes ago, bodga said:

Because under Obama everything was   great was it?

The USA has much more racist problems since Trump is openly calling racist people, good people.

All the low lives are coming out of the woodwork.

Apparently in the US, one of the major problems seems to be the Police Unions. The reason why the murderer Chauvin was allowed to continue to work, after 12 (up to 17, depending on the source) citations for violence and previous murders, was the union. They put up such a fight. The captain wanted him fired. So did the city council, apparently, some time ago. Yet, he prevailed due to thew power of his morally and ethically corrupt union. 

 

These demonstrations around the world are a wonderful thing. Alot of white people just do not get it. Most of my white friends do not get it. As a white person it is very difficult to have any perspective on this. I have always had alot of black and hispanic friends, and I see what they deal with.

 

I particularly recommend this study done by Ben and Jerry's. Yes, those ice cream guys. It is very well done, and has alot of good information. Very good reading for some of the white people who do not have a clue.

 

Since the election of Donald Trump, hate crimesOpens a new window have been on the rise. White supremacistsOpens a new window have been emboldened. Anti-immigrantOpens a new window rhetoric has intensified. We condemn these awful examples of prejudice and bias and hate, but systemic racism is something different. It’s less about violence or burning crossesOpens a new window than it is about everyday decisions made by people who may not even think of themselves as racist. As sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva has saidOpens a new window, "The main problem nowadays is not the folks with the hoods, but the folks dressed in suits."

 

https://www.benjerry.com/home/whats-new/2016/systemic-racism-is-real

Meanwhile , closer to home :

 

NETIZENS SEE HYPOCRISY IN CELEBS’ CALL OF ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER’

 

BANGKOK — Celebrities who join the growing online support for anti-racism protests in the U.S. came under fire Thursday for their perceived silence over injustice at home. 

From urging the use of live ammunition on their rival protesters to their consistent reticence in military killings of civilians, netizens said the “woke” celebs are guilty of hypocrisy because they never practiced the same advocacy for justice and human rights in their own country. 

“<deleted>, when it comes to injustice in your own country, you’re completely silent. When it comes to injustice in a foreign country, you’re all pretentiously posting,” political commentator John Winyu wrote in a tweet reshared more than 61,000 times since Wednesday. 

 

Full article :

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/culture/net/2020/06/04/netizens-see-hypocrisy-in-celebs-call-of-black-lives-matter/

 

 

 

 

16 minutes ago, bodga said:

Why not protest about much worse atrocities, female genital mutilation for example?

Why not stick to the subject in hand?

 

If you want to start a protest movement about female genital mutilation, look up on these links and help them out.

 

About 1,630,000 results (0.39 seconds) 

 

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/2/compilation-women-leading-the-movement-to-end-female-genital-mutilation

 

https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/92/1/14-020114/en/#:~:text=The fight to end FGM,and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

 

https://www.pinkprotest.org/endfgm

 

 

11 minutes ago, Denim said:

Meanwhile , closer to home :

 

NETIZENS SEE HYPOCRISY IN CELEBS’ CALL OF ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER’

 

BANGKOK — Celebrities who join the growing online support for anti-racism protests in the U.S. came under fire Thursday for their perceived silence over injustice at home. 

From urging the use of live ammunition on their rival protesters to their consistent reticence in military killings of civilians, netizens said the “woke” celebs are guilty of hypocrisy because they never practiced the same advocacy for justice and human rights in their own country. 

“<deleted>, when it comes to injustice in your own country, you’re completely silent. When it comes to injustice in a foreign country, you’re all pretentiously posting,” political commentator John Winyu wrote in a tweet reshared more than 61,000 times since Wednesday. 

 

Full article :

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/culture/net/2020/06/04/netizens-see-hypocrisy-in-celebs-call-of-black-lives-matter/

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, that's all going to be quietly backpedaled when the BLM stance on Israeli genocide comes to their attention.