US pulls Black Lives Matter banner from Seoul embassy
THE US embassy in South Korea has been ordered by Washington to remove a giant Black Lives Matter banner after it came to the attention of Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo.
The US president and his secretary of state were reportedly displeased by the decision to unfurl the banner, which was hung on the facade of the embassy in Seoul by Harry Harris, the US ambassador, on Saturday.
Following a request from the state department in Washington it has now been removed. A rainbow “pride” banner offering support to the LGBTQ community was also taken down. In their place a banner marking 70 years since the end of the Korean War was displayed. On Saturday the embassy sent out a message on Twitter with a photograph of its Black Lives Matter banner. It said: “The US Embassy stands in solidarity with fellow Americans grieving and peacefully protesting to demand positive change. Our Black Lives Matter banner shows our support for the fight against racial injustice and police brutality as we strive to be a more inclusive and just society.”
At the time, Mr Harris said: “USA is a free and diverse nation. From that diversity, we gain our strength.” The embassy made no comment yesterday.
♦ The widow of Rayshard Brooks, a black man who was shot twice in the back by Atlanta police, has called for the officers to be jailed as protesters marched on Georgia’s Capitol.
Tomika Miller, Mr Brooks’ wife, said the policemen should be in prison: “If it was my husband who shot them, he would be in jail. He would be doing a life sentence. They need to be put away.”
One of the two officers has been fired, while the other has been put on administrative leave. Prosecutors will decide by midweek whether to bring charges.