#TakeTheKnee wherever you are on Wednesday 3 June at 6pm.
Today, 3 June at 6pm Stand Up To Racism calls on people to “take the knee” on their doorsteps or wherever they are or hold up a sign. This is part of a day of action in solidarity with the #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #BlackLivesMatter movement and to highlight the disproportionate BAME deaths in the Covid19 crisis in the UK.
- Post your photos and videos using the above hashtags to show the millions that stand against racism. This is an action anyone can take part in.
BAME communities are disproportionately impacted by the rapid economic contraction, as well as police brutality which is not unique to the US as the recent tasering by police of Desmond Ziggy Mombeyarara in Greater Manchester shows. BAME communities are also 54 per cent more likely to be fined under coronavirus rules.
The UK has one of the worst death tolls in the world. Around 34 per cent of those that died were from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities (BAME). According to the Financial Times (FT) cautious estimate, 64,500 people have died, much higher than the government’s figure. That means around 21,000 people from BAME communities have died in the last 10 weeks.
For more info, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/SouthLondonSUTR/?fref=ts
There will also be strictly socially distanced protests around Wandsworth and Central London.
Today 3rd June
- Tooting resident Leontia is organising an event at
Tooting Broadway to coincide with the Justice For Black Lives Peaceful Protest this Wednesday in Hyde Park. “I’m asking that people show up and be ready at
1pm at Tooting Broadway station to kneel for one minute and then continue on their day,” says Leontia. “Can people also please observe proper social distancing, wear masks and bring hand sanitiser as well.”
For more info, visit:
https://twitter.com/leontiahogan
- Wandsworth Stand Up To Racism is staging the protest at
Doddington Square, Doddington Estate, behind Tesco on Batterseea Park Road, near Queenstown Road from
5.30pm
They are asking everyone to social distance and there is the space to do this.
- 1pm in Hyde Park
Saturday 6 June at 1pm in Parliament Square, Westminster
Sunday 7 June at the US Embassy site in Nine Elms, Battersea, at 2pm.
Protest organisers have asked participants to observe social distancing, but police have already arrested 23 protesters at previous events, for offences including breaching lockdown.
The central London locations of the protests will inevitably mean crowding on local bus and tube services, which also carries a risk in terms of spreading coronavirus.
There are ways to show support without attending public events, including a number of online petitions to sign
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#petitions and donating to the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund-
https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd The
www.blacklivesmatter.com site has further information.
But if you feel compelled to join the protests, organisers are circulating the following advice:
-Remain peaceful
-Take protective masks, gloves, wet-wipes and anti-bacterial gel
-Observe two-metre social distancing guidelines
-Pack food and water
-Take identification and emergency contact information
-In case of arrest, carry essential medicines (e.g. inhalers) on your person
- Follow the #BLMLDN hashtag for further useful information, including your rights in case of arrest and advice on limiting the harmful effects of tear gas (such as not wearing contact lenses)
The UK Black Lives Matter Twitter account has disassociated from the #LDNBLM organisation over concerns of ‘calling a mass march in the middle of a pandemic’ that is disproportionately affecting the BAME community.