– A picture gallery of actions across the country can be found here. These pictures and those at twitter.com/antiracismday can be used with credit to Stand Up To Racism
– List of local actions can be found here
– Further actions planned for weekend with socially distanced protests on Saturday and online rally Sunday 6pm
At 6pm today, tens of thousands joined Stand up to Racism’s call for people to “take the knee” on their doorsteps to say Black Lives Matter and demand justice for George Floyd.
Over 25 thousand tweets used the hashtag #taketheknee, with many posting pictures of their households and workplaces with home made signs. Those taking part included The Fire Brigade service, with many watches joining together to take the knee outside their fire station. SIngers Paloma Faith and Bronnie also tweeted to show their support for the action.
The day of action also saw local Stand Up To Racism groups hold strictly socially distanced protests to express solidarity with the movement for justice for George Floyd, and to raise the call for an independent public inquiry into the disproportionate BAME deaths due to Covid-19.
The action to take the knee is inspired by American quarterback Colin Kaepernick bending to one knee during the National Anthem in 2016 to draw attention to racial injustice and police brutality, and expresses solidarity with the movement in Minneapolis, across the US and around the world, with thousands protesting their anger at institutionalised racism and police brutality here in Britain.
Campaigners hope that the thousands joining in with today’s protest are inspired to join urgent campaigns to address institutional racism, including in Britain the disproportionate impactof Covid-19, and the fact that BAME communities are 54 per cent more likely to be fined under coronavirus rules. Police brutality is also a pressing concern in the UK as the recent tasering by police of Desmond Ziggy Mombeyarara in Greater Manchester shows.
An independent public inquiry into the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities is a central demand of many, and Diane Abbott MP has submitted an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons to that effect. Concerns have also been raised about the premature easing of the lockdown leading to a second wave of coronavirus infections, which could further disproportionately impact on BAME communities.
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.”
Sabby Dhalu, Stand up to Racism Co-Convenor said:
“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 US. 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.”
Notes to editors:
1) Pictures and footage can be followed via Stand Up To Racism’s social media threads and website (Twitter.com/AntiRacismDay / www.standuptoracism.org.uk / https://m.facebook.com/StandUTR/ ). These can be used in any coverage with a credit to Stand Up To Racism
2) Stand Up To Racism is calling a second day of action including socially distanced protests on Saturday 6 June, and is holding a major online rally on Sunday 7 June, 6pm – see details here.
3) Stand Up To Racism is a national, broad based campaign set up to combat the rise of racism, the far right and fascism, and is supported by major trade unions, faith and community groups.
For further details and quotes: info@standuptoracism.org.uk