On their knees and up in arms: thousands join anti-racism rally

Demonstrators march to No10 as protests are staged around the world in memory of George Floyd

THOUSANDS of largely peaceful demonstrators marched in London and around the world yesterday against the death of Afro-american father of two George Floyd at the hands of US police.

The day threatened to be marred when police were attacked in Whitehall, after hours of angry and passionate but non-violent demonstrations.

Scotland Yard said two people were arrested on suspicion of attacking an emergency worker after police officers were punched and objects thrown when a minority of protesters laid siege to Downing Street.

Thousands around the world had earlier “taken the knee” in memory of Mr Floyd and the hundreds of other unarmed black people killed every year by police in the US.

Copying the gesture devised in 2016 by Colin Kaepernick, the American football star, protesters in London’s Hyde Park dropped to one knee and bowed their heads to demonstrate against anti-black violence.

A small number of activists wearing hoods and face masks later scuffled with police outside the gates to No10 and bottles and placards were thrown at officers, some of whom had earlier shown their support by themselves taking the knee.

Last night, protesters pulled down a line of temporary barriers outside Downing Street and threw them at the gates of Downing Street, with more objects thrown in the direction of police.

A number of police vans descended on the area. One journalist from Nine News Australia had to abandon reporting after being confronted and chased by protesters live on air.

At one stage a group of protesters daubed the outside of the Cabinet Office with “BLM”, standing for Black Lives Matter, in black paint.

Sporadic fighting continued into the evening, while at the same time a peaceful protest continued in Parliament Square, with chants of “I can’t breathe” and “black lives matter” echoing across the famous green.

The demonstration had begun in Hyde Park, where the Star Wars actor John Boyega told the crowd: “I need you to understand how painful this s--t is. I need you to understand how painful it is to be reminded every day that your race means nothing and that isn’t the case anymore, that was never the case anymore. We are a physical representation of our support for George Floyd. We are a physical representation of our support for Sandra Bland. We are a physical representation of our support for Trayvon Martin. We are a physical representation of our support for Stephen Lawrence.”

Boyega, who later joined the protesters outside Parliament, added: “I’m speaking to you from my heart. It is very, very important that we keep control of this moment. That we make this as peaceful and as organised as possible.”

‘I need you to understand how painful it is to be reminded every day that your race means nothing’

Several thousand people had gathered in the park from midday – many trying in vain to maintain social distancing and wearing masks and gloves – to express their anger at the death of Mr Floyd at the hands of a white policeman who knelt on his neck.

It came as Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, told Parliament the death of Mr Floyd was “appalling” and “inexcusable” and that he understood why people were demonstrating.

The chant of “I can’t breathe” rang out around Hyde Park and in cities as far afield as Paris, Sydney, The Hague and Tel Aviv, echoing the father of two’s last words as he died on a Minneapolis sidewalk nine days ago.

Pointing to his black T-shirt emblazoned with those chilling words, Kaled Smith, a 17-year-old student from Essex sitting next to his parents in Hyde Park, told The Daily Telegraph: “I came here today because it is important to be part of my community and fight for what is right. Black lives matter everywhere.

“While we are protesting about the death of George Floyd in America, we are still trying to get a message cross to everyone – black lives matter.”