Black Lives Matter activists are continuing to march on British cities this afternoon following ugly clashes with police in London yesterday.
Demonstrations in Bristol, Birmingham and Portsmouth are riding momentum from the mammoth gathering in the capital to keep alive the outcry over the killing of African-American George Floyd.
A 15,000 strong crowd rallied peacefully in Hyde Park, but later headed to Westminster where mobs started targeting constables in frenzied attacks outside Downing Street.
Today’s protests across the nation have so far appeared to avoid scuffles, with campaigners in Bristol instead displaying a powerful homage by lying on College Green face down – as if playing dead.
The placard-waving procession later swept through the streets while chanting. Unlike yesterday’s London protest, barely any police were pictured.
In Portsmouth, masses of people flocked to the Guildhall in the centre of the city for speeches by campaigners.
And protesters swamped Centenary Square in Birmingham, where Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings drummed up crowds with a rallying cry on his social media.
Activists have been spurred on by the parents of murdered soldier Lee Rigby, who hit out at social media posts which invoked their son’s death ‘in a divisive way to fuel arguments against the Black Lives Matter protests’.
In a personal message Lee’s mother, Lyn Rigby, said the family have been ‘hurt’ by the posts, which they said were ‘in complete opposition to what Lee stood for’. They said he served his country to protect the ‘rights and freedoms’ of all.
Black Lives Matter activists are gearing up for another afternoon of protest in the UK following ugly clashes with police in London yesterday (Bristol pictured)
Today’s protests in cities across the nation have so far appeared to avoid scuffles, with campaigners in Bristol lying in face down – playing dead – in a powerful image
People hold signs during a Black Lives Matter protest in Centenary Square in Birmingham this afternoon
Protesters laying down during a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Bristol in memory of George Floyd who was killed on May 25
People gather at a Black Lives Matter protest at the Guildhall in Portsmouth following rallies in London yesterday
Hundreds of people flock to the Guidhall in Portsmouth, failing to maintain social distance, to voice anger over the killing of George Floyd
Many demonstrators covered their face with masks, while officers and local authorities pleaded with people to observe social distancing after crowds crammed tightly together in London caused alarm
In recent days, global anti-racism protests have eclipsed the coverage of the coronavirus, but the pandemic still continued to cast a shadow over today’s rallies.
Many demonstrators covered their face with masks, while officers and local authorities pleaded with people to observe social distancing after crowds crammed tightly together in London caused alarm.
In Birmingham, West Midlands Police said ‘we recognise there will be lots of emotions by many people who feel moved by what they saw and want to express their frustrations’.
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Ward said: ‘Our aim is to allow and facilitate peaceful protest, and therefore we are not going to stop people coming out on to the streets if they’ve got legitimate concerns they want to share.
‘You can still protest while maintaining social distancing.’
Birmingham City Council has also urged demonstrators to keep two metres apart ahead of a Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstration in the city centre.
But this was ignored by protesters who were seen standing shoulder to shoulder during the rally in Centenary Square this afternoon.
Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings drummed up crowds by telling his 109,000 Twitter followers: ‘Don’t be afraid to speak your truth. Stand for what’s right.’
After a largely peaceful demonstration in Hyde Park in London on Wednesday, during which Star Wars actor John Boyega gave an impassioned speech, tensions later escalated outside Downing Street.
One officer was pushed to the ground in view of the Houses of Parliament, while another clip showed officers being forced down Whitehall by a group advancing towards them.
Other footage showed objects including signs and a traffic cone being thrown at officers, while plastic and glass bottles were also seen being launched in their direction.
The Metropolitan Police said 13 people were arrested during the protests, which ran into the early hours of Thursday morning.
One, Soofuu Yakr, 26, has been charged with assaulting Nine News Australia TV reporter Sophie Walsh and possessing cannabis and a screwdriver. He was due before magistrates on Thursday.
Ms Walsh was heard screaming on camera during her report and later tweeted she was ‘shaken but OK’; later, her colleague was filmed abandoning his live broadcast, fleeing as tensions flared up.
Scotland Yard said two men were arrested at Downing Street on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and violent disorder.
An activist addresses the crowd on the steps of the Guildhall for the Black Lives Matter protest
Campaigners wave placards and chant in Portsmouth as similar gatherings take place around the world
Three woman join the demonstration and hold placards saying ‘The UK isn’t innocent’
Today’s protests in cities across the nation have so far appeared to avoid scuffles, with campaigners in Bristol instead displaying a powerful homage by lying on College Green face down – as if playing dead
Protesters during a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Bristol in memory of George Floyd
The protest in Bristol saw hordes of activists lying motionless on College Green in the centre of the city
Birmingham City Council has urged demonstrators to keep two metres apart ahead of a Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstration in the city centre, but this was not observed in Centenary Square (pictured)
At one point, police escorted a man to the side of the road who was bleeding from the head, with blood over his clothes and camera.
Mr Floyd died after a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck in Minneapolis on May 25, sparking days of protest in the US.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was ‘appalled and sickened’ to see what happened to Mr Floyd, while chief constables from across the UK issued a joint statement saying they ‘stand alongside all those across the globe who are appalled and horrified’.
An online-only rally is due to take place this Sunday, campaign group Stand Up to Racism said, with speakers to discuss ‘how we turn the new wave of anger over racism and injustice into an effective movement for change’.
An online fundraiser for the UK chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement had reached more than £270,000 on Thursday morning, with the funds going to ‘support black life against institutional racism’.
Despite rumours circulating on social media that The Cenotaph had been vandalised during the protests, police said they were ‘not aware of any damage’.
In the US, protests began in Minneapolis where Mr Floyd died, and quickly spread across the country.
Demonstrations have taken place in areas including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, South Carolina and Houston.
Some have included clashes between police and protesters, with officers recorded firing tear gas and rubber bullets on crowds.
US President Donald Trump has pressed state governors to take a more forceful approach against protesters.
Britons across the country kneel on their doorsteps in support of George Floyd after tens of thousands took to the streets in growing racism protests
By Bhvishya Patel for MailOnline
Hundreds of Britons stepped outside their doorsteps last night to ‘take the knee’ and demand justice for the American police killing of George Floyd that is provoking increasing global anger.
Families, children and emergency services across the country showed their support for the Black Lives Matter movement by standing outside their homes and places of work at 6pm yesterday in solidarity with protesters in the U.S.
The campaign, which was created by Stand up to Racism, comes as demonstrations continue to increase around the world after George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died after police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on his neck in Minneapolis on May 25 for nine minutes.
As the clock struck 6pm last night, families across the nation emerged from their homes to kneel on their streets and show their support for the campaign sweeping across the world.
Families in Oxford stepped outside their homes yesterday evening to ‘take the knee’ and show their support of the campaign created by Stand Up To Racism
Broadcaster and former Fame Academy vocal coach Carrie Grant shared a picture of her family kneeling on the ground outside their home
Meanwhile in London, a group of people were seen kneeling on the ground with a Black Lives Matter poster in support of the movement
Elsewhere two people knelt outside their home with a sign that read ‘Black Lives Matter’ in solidarity with the campaign
Following the death of George Floyd, three other officers who were also present at the scene, Thomas Lane, J Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao – were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
A message on Stand Up to Racism’s Facebook page earlier this week urged Britons to ‘#taketheknee’ and read: ‘On Wednesday 3 June at 6pm Stand Up To Racism calls on people to ‘take the knee’ on their doorsteps or wherever they are. This is part of a day of action in solidarity with the movement and to highlight the disproportionate BAME deaths in the Covid-19 crisis in the UK.’
The campaign was inspired by the American football star Colin Kaepernick who took to his knee during the National Anthem in 2016 in an effort to draw attention to racial injustice and police brutality in the country.
In 2016, Mr Kaepernick began making the gesture at the beginning of every game in an effort to cast a light on discrimination towards African Americans in the nation.
He told NFL Media at the time: ‘I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.’
Prior to the event, singer Paloma Faith took to social media to share her support of the gesture and urge others to ‘take the knee’ in a tweet which read: ‘Hi everyone, I’ve been quiet on here the last week or so. I’ve been focussing on Instagram but want to share to this community as well. Enough is enough. Black Lives Matter. #TakeTheKnee for George tonight at 6pm.’
While Wolverhampton Councillor Beverly Momenabadi wrote: ‘Today, I decided to #TakeTheKnee and continue to stand in solidarity with the black community. I’ve been quietly reflecting on the hurt, pain and oppression that black people have been suffering for so long. Both in the US and here in the UK.
In Hackney, London, Marisol Grandon, 41, and her son Oran Keith (pictured together left), 12, knelt outside their home in support of the movement and in Leicester Shea Pember (right) also showed her support of the campaign
At Bristol City Hall, a group of people gathered in solidarity with George Floyd and to share their support of the Black Lives Matter movement
A man kneels outside his home with his hand raised in a fist to demand justice for George Floyd and share his support of the Black Lives Matter campaign
A woman steps outside her doorstep to join hundreds across the UK in their calls for justice with a sign reading: ‘I can’t breathe. Justice for George Floyd.’
In Scotland, one mother shared a picture of her son and herself knelt outside their home to demand justice for George Floyd and ‘Say No To Racism’
In Bethnal Green, London, Reverend Alan Green stood outside the Church of St John to join hundreds of Britons across the UK to ‘take the knee’ at 6pm
As hundreds across the UK took part in the Stand Up To Racism campaign, a family was seen emerging from their home in Newcastle last night with a Black Lives Matter banner
Two people kneel outside with Stand Up To Racism signs to demand justice for the American police killing of George Floyd that is provoking increasing global anger
A group of people shared their support of the ‘TakeTheKnee’ campaign, organised by Stand Up To Racism, at the Grenfell wall of truth last night
In Sussex, two people took the knee at the clock struck 6pm to share their support of the Black Lives Matter campaign
Elsewhere Steven Gilbert stepped outside his home to ‘Take The Knee’ and offer his support for the Black Lives Matter movement
A group of people gathered outside Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre to to show their support for those protesting in the U.S.
Wolverhampton Councillor Beverly Momenabadi, who also knelt outside her home last night, later took to twitter to write: ‘Today, I decided to #TakeTheKnee and continue to stand in solidarity with the black community.’
Ria Hebden (left), co-presenter of Sunday Morning Live on BBC One, stepped outside her door to show her solidarity with those protesting the systemic racism in the U.S. and in the UK while Nadine Batchelor-Hunt (right) , 26, from Manchester also shared her support for the Black Lives Matter movement
In other parts of the country one woman knelt outside her front door to demand justice for the police killing of George Floyd
A group of firefighters in London take the knee during a Black Lives Matter protest in Brixton, south London, yesterday
At Finchley Fire Station the fire brigade service took the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and to demand justice for George Floyd
Fire brigade workers step outside their fire station to show their support of the campaign organised by Stand Up to Racism
In Scotland, Ayrshire Police knelt outside their police station and joined in with the movement taking place across the UK
The London Fire Brigade also tweeted a picture of themselves taking the knee and showing their support during last night’s campaign
PC who took knee reveals he did so to show officers ‘are not racist’
One of the Met Police officers (pictured) who took a knee
A London police officer who took the knee outside Downing Street today as thousands gathered in the capital’s streets to protest the death of American George Floyd has revealed he did so to show his colleagues ‘are not racist
One of the Met Police officers who took a knee during the Black Lives Matter protest revealed: ‘I did it because at the end of the day we’re all one.’
The officer, who is based in north London, showed his support for the campaign for justice for Mr Floyd and followed the lead set by officers in the US where the 46-year-old died.
The officer said: ‘I know I’m not racist and I know that my colleagues are not racist, so why not?
‘I came into the job to help people and it was a nice gesture. A few of us decided to do it.’
‘But we don’t want words. We don’t want condolences. We don’t want any more deaths. We want justice. We want equality for all. And we will continue to challenge the institutions, the Governments and the abhorrent policies which continue to oppress people.’
In other parts of the country, fire brigades and emergency services stepped outside their places of work to kneel on the ground in their uniform.
Weyman Bennett, co convenor Stand Up To Racism said: ‘Power concedes nothing without a struggle, we must overcome those refuse to challenge racism.
‘The 60,000 dead and disproportionate deaths of Black and BAME communities demand answers we want public inquiry. We can do this together and break a racist system so no one loses their life and everybody gets justice and peace.’
Meanwhile Sabby Dhalu, Stand up to Racism Co-Convenor, added: ‘We’re delighted tens of thousands of people joined today’s #TakeTheKnee initiative. But we cannot stop here.
‘Across the globe the anti-racist majority is making its voice heard in solidarity with George Floyd and protestors in the U.S. Many are also outraged at the disproportionate Covid-19 deaths suffered by BAME communities.
‘It’s a scandal that the government removed from the Public Health England (PHE) Covid-19 report the section on institutional racism.
‘We’re building a movement that demands justice and demands change, from the police to the NHS. We’re calling for a root and branch public inquiry that examines all factors, including institutional racism, that led to BAME communities dying disproportionately.’
Organisers of the campaign also hope that the movement will draw attention to the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on BAME communities.
The scenes come after Australian news correspondent Ben Avery and his cameraman Cade Thompson were mobbed by frenzied youths during a Black Lives Matter protested in Parliament Square, London.
The largely peaceful rally, inspired by the killing of George Floyd, had gathered in Hyde Park before marching on Westminster, where some of the crowd turned violent, leading to 13 arrests.
Clashes with police continued into the night yesterday, including outside Downing Street where supposed protesters tore down barriers.