Advice on protest clothing criticised

A CALL for people to wear “non identifiable clothing” at an unofficial Black Lives Matter protest in Huddersfield has caused controversy.

The official Huddersfield Black Lives Matter group has distanced itself from a protest at St George’s Square being promoted on social media, that was planned for next week but is now apparently cancelled.

The poster’s advice to wear “non identifiable clothes” sparked criticism, with some saying it appeared people were out to cause mischief.

The move was defended by one person who said: “Non identifiable clothes because in some protests across the world where people have been identified there have been mysterious deaths and a lot of arrests.”

But critics disagreed. One person commented: “...in this country you don’t have to worry about being disappeared just for attending a rally. To me it smacks of don’t wear identifiable clothing if you’re out to cause trouble.”

Another said: “It appears in my opinion to be a mischief making exercise. Or failing that a really badly thought out attempt at a peaceful protest.”

Others pointed out that a protest needed police permission to go ahead.

A spokesperson for the Huddersfield Black Lives Matter group said: “We would like to make it known that this protest is not in association with us but that we support the right to peaceful protest for the Black Lives Matter movement.

“We ourselves are planning our own peaceful protest with more information coming soon.”

The group has urged people to sign a petition to revise the guidelines for the police’s use of tasers referencing the case of Huddersfield born Adrian McDonald, who died after being shot with a taser by police in Stoke on Trent. Police officers involved in the incident were cleared of any wrongdoing.

YorkshireLive has been unable to trace who is behind Tuesday’s protest plan.

Meanwhile, a Black Lives Matter protest promoted on the Love Music Hate Racism Huddersfield Facebook page does appear to be going ahead at St George’s Square.