Black Lives Matter
2020 has been a crazy year. From Kobe Bryant dying to coronavirus to the death of Ahmaud Arbery, Breanna Taylor, George Floyd and so many other black people that have been victims of police brutality and now everyone is TIRED.
Enough is enough but this time it is different, not only are black people tired but all races. Riots began in Minneapolis after the horrific death of George Floyd who suffocated to death after a white police officer knelt on this neck for 9 minutes whilst being recorded and there were 3 other guards watched him without doing anything.
Other cities in America began to riot and protest, New York, Georgia, LA and many more. Some of the protests are peaceful and police officers per usual are showing privilege, shooting protesters with bb guns, tazing and beating them with batons.
The UK may not be as transparent with their racism compared to the US but trust me its there. Sheku Bayoh, Rashad Charles, Shukri Abdi , Belly mujinga and Mark Dunnagan are just a handful of people that the justice system has failed, also the reason for the 2011 riots when he was shot and killed by police. Police in the UK tend to racially profile black people and giving the most ridiculous reasons for stopping, detaining and arresting. Don’t get me wrong not all police officers are bad, the good cops are over shadowed by officers who have a power trip when wearing their uniform, however when black people are 4% of the population and the media pictures us as “thugs” and “criminals” there is a thin line between targeting with valid reason of suspicion and racially profiling.
UK protests are going on in London, Bristol, Canterbury many other cities. I am very happy to see how serious people are taking this and happy that black and white are standing together. Here are some of the pictures of the London protests shot by @darkoblacklist
Protests are also going on in France, Italy, Canada, Brazil and Syria and many more countries. This is a global issue!
I'm glad to say that we are a step in the right direction. There is a long way to go but it is a process especially when people in power are in denial of this issue. I don’t even know why the fuck there are slave trader statues in the UK but protesters pull that shit down and threw it in the water. Other statues have been taken down, in Canary Wharf and outside the London museum. Belly’s and Shukri case's have been reopened. NY governor is pushing to pass “Amy Cooper “ bill making it a hate crime to call the police with false accusation based on race. NY has also passed an anti chock hold act, making it a felony to injure or kill using a chock hold. Many organisations are speaking out and acknowledging the injustice black people are facing. I'm not going congratulate or give them props as they should be doing this on a daily basis it shouldn’t have to take global outrage but at least they are speaking up. People of different skin tones are not only acknowledging but also speaking up of the injustice of black people and for once the black community have come one.
Black people have endured so much pain over the past +400 years. Being seen the "bottom of the barrel" race, ripped from our homes and tribes in Africa to be enslaved for over 400 years in the western world and being colonised by the whites just because we are shades darker. Till today it blows my mind that so many Black Britons, African Americans and other black people who have migrated to European counties do not know their roots.
They can keep trying to kill us and treat us like less than we are but we are still here, still fighting and still not accepting this crap. Black and proud. A wise girl said, “ I will die fighting so my kids will walk these streets free”. I’m no black activist, I wasn’t even taught this in school. I learnt about WW2 and Hitler. The UK have covred up a lot of their history because they have blood on their hands. Remember WW2 was just over 80 years ago. What was happeneing before? I had to ask questions, read and educate myself to understand the depth of this. Keep protesting and put pressure for there to be change also educate yourselves.
Feel free to sign these petitions. If you have any you would like me to post. Feel free to send it via email.
Teach Britain's colonial past as part of the UK's compulsory curriculum: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/324092
Introduce Mandatory Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/300105
Give non-British citizens who are NHS workers automatic citizenship: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/305129
Improve Maternal Mortality Rates and Health Care for Black Women in the U.K.: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/301079
Making the UK education curriculum more inclusive of BAME history: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/323961
Other Ways You Can Help: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co
Justice for Shukri Abdi: https://www.change.org/p/manchester-police-justice-for-shukri-abdi
Justice for Lakeith Smith and A’Donte Washington!: https://www.change.org/p/united-states-supreme-court-justice-for-lakeith-smith?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_22709065_en-US%3Av1&recruited_by_id=8fb0a9b0-abc8-11ea-9190-b33dd101541c&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAEmDWgEAAAAAXt7hWGSxhfxlZDQ5MGFiNQ%3D%3D
Demand a retrial for Angel Bumpass wrongfully convicted 13 year old with a life sentence: https://www.change.org/p/bill-lee-demand-a-retrial-for-angel-bumpass-wrongfully-convicted-13-year-old-with-a-life-sentence
Justice For Tony McDade: https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-tony-mcdade
This is only the beginning. This is a movement not a moment!
Black Lives Matter Too.