Protesters across the world have now expressed their anger about the deaths of so many black people by the hands of those meant to serve and protect. Race relations issues have always been the ‘elephant in many rooms’ but now the world is forced to pay attention. Paris, Sydney, Korea, Europe, Hong Kong—nearly every corner of the planet is enraged with senseless deaths of fathers, brothers, fiancés, sons and daughters.
George Floyd’s death was the catalyst that changed the world. To the African-American community, he reminded us of our brothers, husbands and loved ones in our family. America has gotten away with degrading and belittling black people since as far back in time as we can go. From nursery songs like ‘Monkeys Jumping On the Bed’ to American classics such as Moby Dick—America has not been shy about their underlying hatred towards people of color. Now it’s the same story, just different faces. Social media’s newest Instagram craze, ‘Karen’s Gone Wild’ showcases white women calling the police, storage managers and complaining furiously about black people ‘living while black’.
Today, the topic of race relations rears its ugly head again and this time, people from all cultures are speaking up about the mistreatment of African-Americans. Many held signs across the world that read “Black Lives Matter,” while others kneeled. Marchers also stood in silence for the amount of time Floyd struggled to breathe while police officers detained him.Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated, “Over the past weeks, we’ve seen a large number of Canadians suddenly awaken to the fact that the discrimination that is a lived reality for far too many of our fellow citizens is something that needs to end,” he said. Tens of thousands of people marched through Sydney to protest the death of Indigenous people in police custody after winning a last minute effort to hold the protest. Protesters in Bristol, England threw a statue of Edward Colston into the Bristol Harbor.
The Black Lives Matter movement has unleashed a wave of people from all backgrounds fed up with racism that has been prevalent since the beginning of time. Now that buildings have been burned down, innocent protesters pummeled with rubber pellets and men in Mack trucks attempting to run people over. It’s safe to say America’s got a problem and we aren’t letting up until change happens.
