Thousands rally in Europe against racism, police abuse
Protesters carry signs reading ‘Black Lives Matter,’ ‘Human rights for all’ and ‘Silence is pro-racist,’ chant ‘Police murderers!’ and ‘No justice, no peace!’
Thousands of people took to the streets of European cities on Sunday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has drawn large protests against racism and police brutality around the world.
The rally came a day after largely peaceful anti-racism protests took place in cities from Australia to Europe to the US in response to the May 25 death of American George Floyd.
A rally in Rome’s sprawling People’s Square was noisy but peaceful, with the majority of protesters wearing masks to protect against coronavirus. Participants listened to speeches and held up handmade placards saying “Black Lives Matter” and “It’s a White Problem.”
In Madrid, a few thousand protesters gathered around the US Embassy.
Many carried homemade signs reading “Black Lives Matter,” “Human rights for all” and “Silence is pro-racist.”
Protesters chanted “Police murderers!” and “No justice, no peace!” Police were present but the atmosphere remained peaceful.
“We are not only doing this for our brother
George Floyd,” said Thimbo Samb, a spokesman for the group that organised the events in Spain mainly through social media.
“Here in Europe, in Spain, where we live, we work, we sleep and pay taxes, we also suffer racism.”
Thousands more filled a central square in Barcelona. There were other protests called in smaller cities.
In London, thousands of people congregated around the US Embassy for the second day running.
In Berlin, police said 93 people were detained in connection with a demonstration in the German capital on Saturday - most of them after the main rally of 15,000 had ended.
Police said several officers and one photo journalist were injured in Berlin when bottles and rocks were thrown from a crowd that had gathered despite police orders to clear the city’s Alexander Square.
In France’s southern port city of Marseille, police fired tear gas and pepper spray in skirmishes with protesters who hurled bottles and rocks after what had been an emotional yet peaceful demonstration.
The Marseille protest was one of several
Saturday that attracted 23,000 people across France, where Floyd’s death has shone a spotlight on similar French police abuses and given voice to complaints from minorities that they are frequent targets of harassment and worse from French police.
Among those at Sunday’s rally in Rome was 26-year-old Ghanaian Abdul Nassir, who is studying for a master’s in business management at one of the Italian capital’s public universities.
“It’s quite unfortunate, you know, in this current 21st century that people of color are being treated as if they are lepers,” Nassir told The Associated Press. He said he occasionally has felt racist attitudes, most notably when riding the subway.
“Maybe you’re finding a place to stand, and people just keep moving (away) and you’ll be, like, ‘What?’” Nassir said: “We’re strong people but sometimes everyone has a limit.”
Rome’s first major rally against racism had many organizers, including a 25-year-old Roman student, Denise Berhane, a group called Black Italians, a women’s group, the environmental group Fridays for Future Rome, a US expatriates’ organisation and the Sardines, a grassroots Italian protest group that encourages civic involvement.
Asked by broadcaster SKYTG24 whether Italy has a racism problem, Berhane replied: “There are some problems in the country if all these people turned out.”
The gathering was useful, she said, to help people develop awareness of the problem.
At one point, the protesters, most of them young and some with children or siblings, took the knee and raised a fist in solidarity with those fighting racism and police brutality.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said violence was “simply not acceptable” and urged those protesting to do so lawfully while also maintaining social distancing of remaining 2m apart. But most demonstrators didn’t heed that call, packing themselves tightly in front of the US Embassy.
Britain’s most senior police chief said 14 officers were injured on Saturday during clashes with protesters in central London that followed a largely peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration attended by tens of thousands.