UK BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT

last updated june 8th 5:19 PM GMT
admin online

Text

Current UK Protests as of Monday 8th June
.


Tuesday 9th June
Middlesborough - Teesside University (11am)
Isle of Man - Villa Marina (12pm)
Corringham - Corringham Park (1pm)
Henley-on-Thames - Market Place (2pm)
Tamworth - Castle (4pm)
Abergavenny - Bailey Park (6pm)

Wednesday 10th June
Hull - Queens Gardens (1pm)
Halifax - Town Hall (6pm)
Leeds - location to be announced (6pm)

Thursday 11th June
Newport - Civic Centre (1pm)
Leominster - The Grange (2pm)

Friday 12th June
Taunton - Vivary Park (12pm)
Bridgnorth - Town Hall (2pm)
Kettering - Westfield Park (12.30pm)
Fleetwood - Marine Hall Gardens (1pm)
Newbury - Town Centre (2pm)
Ludlow - Town Square (6.30pm)
St. Albans - Hatfield Road (6.30pm)

Saturday 13th June
Belper - Memorial Gardens (12pm)
Eastbourne - Pier (12pm)
Guernsey - North Beach Car Park (12pm)
Ramsgate - Town Centre (12pm)
Reading - Town Hall (12pm)
Wallingford - Kinecroft Field (12pm)
Aberdeen - Castlegate (1pm)
Brighton - Palace Pier (1pm)
Kingston-upon-Thames - Alexandra Park (1pm)
Tipperary - The Main Guard (1pm)
Kings Lynn - Town Hall (2pm)
London - Hyde Park (2pm)
Southport - Town Hall (2pm)
Cleethorpes - Leisure Centre (3pm)
Scarborough - Town Hall (3pm)
Tipperary - The Square (1pm)

Sunday 14th June
Port Talbot - Princess Margaret Way (11am)
Telford - Town Centre (12.30pm)
Cardiff - Mermaid Quay (1pm)

Monday 15th June
Cornwall - Truro (2pm)

Friday 19th June
Birmingham - Victoria Square (4pm)

Saturday 20th June
Felixstowe - Sea Front Gardens (2pm)
Lydney - Bathurst Park (2pm)

Text

Safety info for my protesting friends

uk protests so far have mainly remained peaceful and hopefully will stay that way, so some of the info below has been inspired by usa protest tips, but it's better to be safe by any means! especially given that some UK protests in the past have ended up violent.

a note for any white people attending: follow the lead of your black community. protect them and stand with them.

remember, we are in the middle of a pandemic, so if you are showing symptoms or live with someone who is vulnerable or elderly, please avoid attending protests, or make sure to self-isolate if possible. if not, wear masks!

what to do:
• research protests before attending. make sure it's a real protest.
• plan ahead. how to contact your friends if you are separated, how to get assistance, what to expect.
• document, film or write down any police brutality, or injuries.
• be calm. react to danger signs sooner rather than later.
• write a next of kin number on your arm in sharpie.
• if pepper spray is used, use cold water, not hot. do not rub your face. wash your skin with hand soap, shampoo or even dish soap, and rinse with water. use a "no tears" baby shampoo to help rinse the pepper spray from the eyes.
• if pepper sprayed directly, you need to get to a water stream immediately. yogurt/milk helps your burning skin after
• if tear gassed, don’t rub your eyes or touch your face. chemicals stay on your skin & clothing. saline wash your face then cold shower when home. throw all your protest clothes in the wash immediately. most importantly, stay calm!

what not to do:
• don't put vaseline, oil-based moisturisers or sunscreen on skin as they can trap chemicals.
• don't wear contact lenses. they can trap chemicals underneath or melt when in contact with pepper spray/tear gas.
• don't wear things that can be easily grabbed. jewellery, loose hair, ties, etc.
• don't post pictures or videos without blurring or blacking out people's faces unless consent has been gained first!
• don't go alone!! stay safe and go with some friends.

what to bring:
• cash. enough to pay for transport, food, and other necessities. avoid bringing credit/debit cards.
• water!! stay hydrated or use it to wash your eyes if need be.
• snacks/food!
• ID or emergency contact info.
• wet wipes/tissues.
• a first aid kit, if possible, in case things go south.
• phone charger or power bank.

what to wear:
• comfortable, protective shoes that you can run in.
• clothing to cover your skin, but specifically any tattoos, piercings, dyed hair. try to wear long sleeved clothing.
• face masks if you have access to one.
• brandless, unidentifiable clothing.
• sunglasses or safety goggles to cover your eyes.

know your rights:
• police have the power to ask you to disperse or return home if you're in a group of more than six given the current Coronavirus Regulations, and should give you a chance to leave voluntarily.
• you have the right to FREE LEGAL ADVICE at the police station if arrested.
• FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND ASSEMBLY: everyone has the rights to carry their opinion to the street.
• if English is not your first language, you have the right to an interpreter.
• if you are or appear under 18, an appropriate adult should be called.
• you have the right to have someone informed of your arrest.
• FREEDOM FROM EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE: when policing non-violent protests, police must avoid using force.
• police are allowed to pat you down if they suspect you have a weapon or you are being arrested.
• PROTECTION OF THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY: law enforcement must facilitate and not restrict peaceful public assembly unless on private property or posing a threat to public/property.
• RIGHT TO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE: if injured, you have a right to medical assistance without delay.
• FREEDOM FROM ARBITRARY ARREST AND DETENTION: you have a right to be told the reason for your arrest.
• you don't need to give personal details when being stopped and questioned, so don't. if you don't, and there's no other reason to suspect you, that alone cannot be used as a reason to arrest you. if they suspect you're carrying illegal drugs, weapons, stolen property, or something that could be used to commit a crime, they are allowed to search you.
• a senior police officer can approve a stop and search without reasonable grounds.
• if you are stopped by an officer not in uniform, they MUST show you their warrant card.
• being searched doesn't mean you're being arrested!!

if arrested:
• keep calm. do not panic or resist. keep your hands visible.
• avoid making sudden movements.
• call a lawyer as soon as possible. use a recommended solicitor with protest experience.
• ask why you are being arrested.
• don't offer information or sign anything without a lawyer present.
• ask if you are free to leave as soon as possible. if allowed, walk away calmly.
• tell the officer you wish to remain silent or say "no comment" to every question, including 'casual chats'. anything you say, small talk or otherwise, can be held against you.
• don't accept a caution without advice.
• when searching, an officer can ask you to take off your jacket or gloves, but if they ask for you to remove more than that, they must be the same sex as you.

(solicitors offering free 24-hour advice:]{white}
• ITN Solicitors: 0203 909 8100
• Commons: 020 3865 5403
• Hodge Jones Allen: 0844 848 0222
• Bindmans: 020 7305 5638

if possible, please social distance at protests and wear masks if one is available to you. if you attend, try and quarantine for 14 days after if possible. but most of all, please stay safe and look after yourselves. and remember, using your voice is so important.

thank you to @comeundone_live on twitter for providing me with some useful info for this page.

information/frequently asked questions

who are you?
my name is erin. i'm from manchester, uk! my twitter is linked on the home page if you would like to contact me about this site.

why did you make this?
i feel so strongly about this movement and wanted to do more than just sign petitions from the uk. i hope i can encourage others to do the same.

do you know who organised the event?
unfortunately i don't know who organised each event but i save the links for where i get the information from, so please feel free to contact me for that!

can i repost this website?
yes! 100%! i made this to get the word out about what people in the UK can be doing to help.

when will you be answering questions/replying?
at the bottom of the home page, i will indicate when i am online! i'll try to update this site every evening.

can i suggest content for the site?
of course! just tweet or dm me on the link on the home page. this site is a work in progress, always.

what is black lives matter?
black lives matter was founded in 2013 after 17-year-old african-american trayvon martin was fatally shot and his murderer was acquitted. it to ‘eradicate white supremacy and build power to intervene in violence inflicted on black communities’. read more about it on the what is black lives matter? link on the home page!

other things you can be doing from the UK!

if you cannot go to a protest in person or do not feel safe doing so, there are other ways that you can help and/or use your voice from the UK!

• donate! there is a gofundme set up by the Floyd family to cover costs like the memorial and funeral, and support for them. there are plenty of other gofundme's set up too. i've linked some down below and more on the donate page. black lives matter uk are crowdfunding to offer free therapy sessions to black indviduals.
• sign petitions! along with the George Floyd petition, there are plenty of others regards other black lives that we have lost. signing petitions takes less than a minute and every signature is another voice used.
• do some research! read books, educate yourself on your history, look at social media, read up on these issues and constantly be asking yourself if you can do more.
• have difficult conversations with the people you love! those who don't use social media, especially. it's so important to educate people and bring people into this conversation. it's not enough to be not racist, be anti-racist.
• be actively involved! post your opinion online, share links, retweet things, signal boost. it doesn't matter if you have 10 or 10 million followers if you are using your voice.
• write to your MP! use the website on the home page to find your local MP, and the email template link if you aren't sure what to say. send them a message and include your address to remind them you're part of their constituency. demand the immediate suspension of uk sales of teargas, riot shield and rubber bullets to the US (check the petition on the petitions page, and the article below). ask them to respond to the delayed release of the report into BAME covid deaths and demand they do more to tackle the death rate. find the report below.
• donate even if you have no money! a black woman named zoe amira posted a video on youtube filled with art from black creators. 100% of the ad revenue will be split between 16 blm organisations. link to the video below.
• check the UK Support and the Twitter UK Support Thread links on the home page for more ideas.

recommended documentaries:
• 13th
• Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement
• When They See Us
• Dear White People
• King In The Wilderness

recommended reading:
• People About Race - Reni Eddo-Lodge
• Me And White Supremacy - Layla F Saad
• White Fragility - Robin Diangelo
• The New Jim Crow - Michelle Alexander
• Between The World and Me - Tanehisi Coates
• Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism and You - Ibram X Kendi & Jason Reynolds
• Invisible No More - Andrea Ritchie

organisations to check out:
• The Loveland Foundation
• Minnesota Freedom Fund
• Black Visions Collective
• ACLU
• Assata's Daughters
• BLOC
• Stop Hate UK
• UK Black Pride
• The Red Card
• Black Thrive
• Southall Black Sisters
• Runnymede Trust
• Stephen Lawrence Trust
• 100 Black Men of London
• Access UK
• Operation Black Vote

petitions to sign!

if you're on this carrd, i'm assuming you're from the uk, so if needed, here are some ZIP codes to use:
• 90015 - Los Angeles, California
• 10001 - New York City, New York
• 75001 - Dallas, Texas

If you have more than one email, you can sign more than once!
Please keep in mind that any donations on change.org don't go to the causes but to change.org themselves! The petitions still make a difference so continue to sign. Changes are happening slowly but this is just scratching the surface. 166 UK MPs have called to stop tear gas and rubber bullet exports to the US (link below).

Text

Templates for emails to send to your MP

template 1:
I am one of your constituents. I am writing to you in regards to the racially motivated police brutality, both here and in America, and the violent reactions to the protesters campaigning against it.

Donald Trump actively encouraged the military and the police to use force against the protesters. He has also publicly classed anti-fascists as a terrorist threat. This is a threat to democracy and we take it very seriously. Protest is a human right.

White supremacy is a growing global threat and must not be taken lightly. The loss of real democracy is also a global threat and you must fight to protect it.

It is essential that our government makes it known that this is not acceptable. You, your fellow MP's and Boris Johnson must make it clear that we, as a country, support the Black Lives Matter movement. There needs to be a public statement made. You work for the citizens of the United Kingdom, and you speak on our behalf. This is not a suggestion, it is a demand.
.

template 2:
Dear (Name of MP),

My name is (Your Name) and I am one of your constituents. I am writing to ask you to support your Black constituents and the Black community globally.

Matt Hancock (2/6/2020) said that “Black Lives Matter” but we can only take this statement as lip service until the following actions take place. We need you to act as our advocate and:

1) Demand the immediate suspension of UK sales of teargas, rubber bullets, and riot shields to the US. This is to prevent the UK condoning the use of excessive and militarised force in policing Black people in the US.
2) Demand explicit condemnation of President Trump’s incitement of violence among US citizens and the police’s use of brutal force and physical violence against protesters.
3) Demand explicit condemnation of the UK police’s use of brutal force and physical violence against protesters.
4) Start an inquiry into why BAME people are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 virus.
5) Demand justice for Belly Mujinga who was working on the front lines during this pandemic. She was assaulted by being spat at and coughed on. I would like you to demand an investigation into why Govia Thameslink did not provide Ms Mujinga with PPE despite their knowledge of her health conditions.

This is only a short list of possible actions you could take to protect and better the lives of the Black community, and sustained advocacy and active allyship is essential. This government’s continued complacency is violence and the endorsement of the oppression of Black people worldwide. History will look back at your actions during this time, just as we look to you now for leadership.

I would appreciate it if we received some form of response or acknowledgement to these concerns. Thank you in advance for your help with this matter and please keep me informed of any progress.

I look forward to hearing your response in due course.

Yours sincerely,

.
template 3:
Dear [Name of your MP],

I am writing to you today as a constituent to request that you please take action on the following three things.

1) Please demand that the UK government immediately halts the sale of tear gas, rubber bullets and riot shields to the US.

As I’m sure you’re aware, UK government records show that it grants export licences worth millions of pounds for the sale of anti-crowd gas, riot equipment, so-called “rubber bullets” and other small arms to the US. There are fears that the British exports are currently being used on American citizens who are protesting.

The government’s own rules say such exports should not go ahead where they are likely to be used for “internal repression”. In light of the horrifying, disproportionate police violence which is widely evidenced across the US, and the use of these ‘rubber bullets’ at close-range on American citizens, I request for you to please demand that our government cease these exports immediately.

2) Please put pressure on our Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, to condemn President Trump’s use of force against his own citizens.

His comment that it would be a ‘distraction’ to cast judgment on Donald Trump’s actions is cowardly and reprehensible. The UK must use its voice on the international stage to condemn Trump’s incitement and mobilisation of violence against his own citizens.

3) As you are no doubt aware, the government has just published its own report into BAME Covid-related deaths. This is not enough.

I would ask that you keep up the pressure on the government to make clear the actions it will put in place to support and safeguard our BAME communities, who have already suffered disproportionately at the hands of this crisis.

I hope that you will agree with me that there is a moral importance and urgency in taking these actions, and I hope that you will see them through.

Yours sincerely,

.
template 4:
Dear [MP’S NAME],

My name is [YOUR NAME]. I’m a(n) [OCCUPATION] who has lived in [YOUR CONSTITUENCY] for [LENGTH OF TIME]. Over the past [X] days, the riots in Minneapolis have not only shown the world the systemic racism that is still pervasive in modern societies, it has also exposed the indifference that people in power have towards it. Many who claim to represent the people of the UK have not made any motion to show their support for black people who still suffer from the institutionalised racism that still exists in the UK. Since you are my MP, I want to ask why you have not yet taken a stance on the murder of George Floyd at the hands of the police. Is there anything preventing you from speaking out against it? Can the people of our constituency expect to hear you speak out on this matter soon? I am expecting a detailed response to these questions.

It is easy for people in the UK to look at what happens in the US and say “it’s not as bad in the UK, so there’s no reason to complain”. But this simply isn’t true. According to the Institute of Race Relations, police are 28x more likely to use Section 60 stop-and-search powers, where officers don’t require suspicion that a person has been involved in a crime, against black people than white people (http://www.irr.org.uk/research/statistics/criminal-justice/). On top of this, BAME people die disproportionately as a result of use of force or restraint by the police (https://www.inquest.org.uk/bame-deaths-in-police-custody). As an MP, it is your duty to serve and help the people in your constituency. And as a member of your constituency, it is my duty to ask what you’re doing to help. So, what exactly have you done to combat racism in the UK on a national and local level? Have you introduced any legislation in parliament that actively aims to either fight racism or lift people of colour out of a disadvantaged position? What measures have you taken to ensure that racism within our community isn’t allowed to thrive? I would also like detailed responses to these questions.

I want you to understand how important the issue of racism is to me. The systematic oppression of nonwhite people needs to be actively fought against if we as a country truly believe that all people are born equal. The inaction of politicians to fight racism is not something that any reasonable person can stand for anymore. If you set out to make a change, it can happen. But it won’t happen if you stand by and let it happen.

Thank you for taking the time to read this email. I hope you take the issues I have raised seriously. I look forward to reading your response.

.
template 5:
Dear (insert name here) MP

My name is (insert name here), I am writing to you today about the UK school system – specifically about the content of the current mandatory curriculum. This email is inspired and to further help the petition to ‘Amend the British School Curriculum to Teach About Racism and British History’ started by Taiyba Ali via Change.org.

The recent event of George Floyd’s murder in the United States has sent a huge shockwave throughout the world. Members of the world’s community want their voices to be heard more than ever and as our local MP it is your duty to represent our concerns in and to the UK government. The United Kingdom’s school curriculum is long overdue to be amended to help fight the racism clearly present in the UK.

It is very clear that there is a high volume of people who are ignorant and uneducated about racism and that needs to change. We want school pupils to be taught about white privilege, white supremacy, the British Empire, slavery in the UK and other countries and the effect all of these topics have had on people of colour for hundreds of years including the present day. Some examples of other topics people want the youth to be taught about is black history and culture, Asian history and culture, Indigenous history and culture just to name a few. The youth in the UK are in desperate need to be educated on the very present injustices and the systematic oppression many people of colour face today in the United Kingdom. Teach the next generations how to spot racism and how to be anti-racist/what they can do to stop it. Instead of trying to hide and cover up Britain’s ugly past, it needs to be brought up and discussed in many environments – especially in educational institutions. As well as looking at racism and its roots, struggles immigrants and refugees face and how to grow together as a society with young people contributing in these discussions.

In the English curriculum for example why not put in books that discuss race such as Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Renni Eddo-Lodge, Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala and Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman.

Allow people of different races, ethnicities and religions contribute to the UK school curriculum as many people who have gone through education here in the UK feel as though they have not been taught about their history and culture which is not right and the lack of education surrounding racism has negatively impacted many lives due to people going through school and going into life as ignorant and uneducated.

We need to do more and as a nation we can only grow, change and progress if we educate ourselves and others.

Yours sincerely,

What is the Black Lives Matter movement?
.


if you're here, you probably want more information on the BLM movement for yourself or to educate others, and that's ok. educating yourself is a good thing.

#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. It is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, and they aim to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities, thus creating space for Black imagination and innovation and allowing improvement.

Black Lives Matter began as a call to action in response to state-sanctioned violence and anti-Black racism. Their intention has always been to connect Black people from all over the world who have a shared desire for justice to act together in their communities.

On the things to do page and the home page I have linked many resources to help you support this movement from the UK, and I'll continue to update and add links every day. Below, I'll add some helpful resources to allow you to educate yourself further on the situation, as well as some articles detailing statistics.

what does white privilege mean?
White privilege doesn't mean that your life hasn't been hard, it just means that the colour of your skin isn't one of the things that makes it hard.
You can use your white privilege to educate those around you on how they can break down these barriers that black people face every day, and you can promise to listen to and amplify the voices of black people. It's not enough to be not racist, you have to be actively anti-racist!

what about reverse racism?
Reverse racism is not real. Racism is a system of power where a racial majority has dominance over, and can enforce power and privilege over another race. It's systematic and institutionalised oppression. Historically, and currently, the biggest example of the dominant race is white people, and the most prevalent victims of racism are black people.
Reverse racism is the concept that affirmative action and similar colour-conscious programs for addressing racial inequality, like the Black Lives Matter movement, are anti-white racism. This often goes hand in hand with the belief that social and economic gains by the black community cause disadvantages for white people.
Reverse racism is just that. A concept. Racism and discrimination are not the same thing by any means, as discrimination leaves out the power perspective making racism what it is. White people have the power to be racist against black people, and there has been a long history of this. Black people suffer systemic discrimination because of this history.
White people can still face racial prejudice, which is a set of discriminatory or derogatory attitudes based on assumptions about race and/or skin colour, but as mentioned above, discrimination and racism are two different things, and this is not considered racism due to the systemic relationship of power. Black prejudice does not affect the rights of white people.

but what about other lives?
The BLM movement is not saying that black lives matter more than any other life, or are superior, but simply that right now, in the present, black lives are undervalued when compared to that of others. It is not Black Lives Matter only, but yes, Black Lives Matter too. Underplaying and ignoring the suffering of the black community proves that their lives need to matter more and we need to support that. The movement highlights that the situation and lives of Black people are undervalued, that Black people are arrested, convicted and killed by police more than white people, that they do not feel safe, and hopes to bring an end to this. We owe it them to listen to their experiences and to listen to what they are saying so that all lives can matter.

but what about violent protests? do you support that?
Thousands of people attend these protests with no intent of injury, violence or looting. These protests are intended to be peaceful - to amplify black voices and to highlight the problems that they face. The tiny minority that become violent are not a representation of the movement and should not be a representation of the protests either. In many places, it has been seen and documented that the police attending the scene instigate and engage in the violence, which is exactly one of the situations trying to be combated.