Black Lives Matter is an international social movement, which has been fighting racism and anti-black violence, especially in the form of police brutality, since 2013. The movement’s name is the result of several unjust killings of black people by police, and began in the United States as a response to the murder of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin.
Activists participating in BLM hold large protests, not only in the United States, but worldwide. They protest against the bad treatment of black people, especially by (mostly white) police officers, bosses etc.
There are dozens of cases of black people killed in cold blood by police officers in the United States: Eric Garner, Michel Brown, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor (a 26 year- old medical worker, shot eight times before dying). George Floyd was one of the cases in 2020. The whole world witnessed him being killed, being held down on the ground by a policeman pushing his knee onto his neck, while other policemen just stood around watching. Floyd pleaded for his life many times, saying he couldn’t breathe, during nine whole minutes, but he was held immobilised until he died. The video of his killing was uploaded online and quickly went viral, leading to protests all around the world.
Racism is everywhere, not only in the U.S. Even after slavery was abolished in the 19th century, black people continued to be discriminated against, unequally treated, and sometimes targeted and mistreated by the authorities themselves.
God gave all human beings equal dignity and worth. Let’s say no to racism and acknowledge the fact that police violence, brutality and injustice against black people do exist.
We are all equal. No one is born a racist. Racism is taught. Discrimination is an unpleasant fact.
There are laws and court decisions that police forces are obliged to comply with when on duty. They are not allowed to take the law into their own hands, leaving citizens traumatised forever.
Let us love one another, not hate each other, because hatred forms a scar that never heals. Not only police, but the whole of society should say no to racism, so that younger generations can live in peace and love.
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