| Register HERE Open Online Forum: We Demand Change – The Police, institutional Racism, and the fight for justice Thursday 2 July, 6pm Stand Up To Racism will be hosting a series of open forums (online) to bring together activists from the Black Lives Matter anti racist movement to discuss demands the movement can raise in the fight to demand change. The first in this series takes place this Thursday, 2 July, at 6pm. Join and share the Facebook event HERE The Black Lives Matter movement erupted onto the streets following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police offer – who stood on his neck for more than eight minutes while George cried out “I can’t breath”. His death was yet another example of the brutal racism at the heart of the US state. The UK is not innocent either. Here too there is a long list of deaths of black people in police custody, and no justice for the families of those who have died. Events in recent weeks show police using special powers given to them under the COVID-19 crisis targeting black communities – compounding the racist reality of stop and search. Black people have been the subject of police violence and the increasing use of the taser. Just days after George Floyd’s death, in Lewisham south east London, Kamyimsola Olatunjoye, a 28 year old woman, was shouting “I can’t breathe” multiple times as five officers attempted to restrain and handcuff her. In Wembley police failed to search for two women, Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, who were murdered. The bodies were eventually found by family members who went out to search themselves. Disgustingly two officers took and shared pictures of their bodies. In Tottenham, 13 year old Huugo Boateng was taking part in a charity bike ride with his father when he says he was grabbed from his bike by a plainclothes police officer, threatened with a stun gun and pushed into a thorn Bush, while his father was told to get on his knees and put his hands behind his head. These are just some of the recent examples of institutional racism. We demand change. This online open forum will bring together activists from across the Black Lives Matter movement to discuss how we can ensure the movement wins real change. How do we win justice for the families of those who died in police custody. Can we win the ending of stop and search and the use of tasers? We want to hear from those across the movement – what ideas are there for what demands the movement can raise and how to take the fight forwards? No justice No peace! Join us, 6pm, Thursday 2 July. Don’t forget – every Wednesday, 6pm, join the #TakeTheKnee action wherever you are! |