BLM to reveal spending plan for £1.17m fund

BLACK Lives Matter UK is to announce how it will spend the more than £1 million it has been given in donations.

In excess of 35,000 people have made cash gifts totalling £1.17 million to the group after a Gofundme crowd-funding campaign was set up in June.

BLM UK has said the Gofundme website is holding on to the money while the group works out how it will be distributed.

The anti-racism organisation, which organised a series of high-profile marches in major cities throughout the country, is due to reveal tomorrow how the cash will be used.

It has faced criticism because of its almost revolutionary agenda, which includes dismantling capitalism and abolishing the police.

Last month, it published a statement on its fundraising page to say it was working with “organisational and legal experts to create the most appropriate and ethical structure for holding and distributing much of these generous funds”.

It has said it plans to resource organisations that centre on “the voice of people who are doing the work, while also ensuring we get the money out sooner rather than later”.

The organisation, which plans to launch a new website to coincide with the funding programme, added that it is “in awe and deeply moved” by the generosity of its supporters.

The decision to explain how the money would be used was also timed to coincide with the anniversary of the shooting by police of Mark Duggan, which triggered a spate of riots in London and other major cities.

The statement concludes: “All funds are still held by Gofundme. We won’t be withdrawing them until we have gone through the process outlined ... and explained how the funds will be distributed.”

It has been reported that the Metropolitan Police spent £1.5 million policing the BLM UK protests and counter protests over a single weekend in June.

While the BLM protest was largely peaceful, it did descend into a series of skirmishes with officers outside Downing Street.

The second day of demonstrations attracted far-right counter protests, which culminated with them pelting police with bottles and fireworks.

One of those far-right activists was photographed urinating on the memorial to PC Keith Palmer, the officer killed in the Westminster terror attack of 2017. Andrew Banks, 28, was jailed by Westminster magistrates for 14 days after pleading guilty to outraging public decency.

Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, had condemned the mob-like behaviour at protests as “thuggery”.