Black Lives Matter protests in Brighton and Sussex

Demonstrations were held in Brighton, Worthing and Shoreham yesterday alongside huge protests in London.

A group of about 100 people met at the British Airways i360 shortly after noon for the city's fourth Black Lives Matter protest in as many days.

They follow global unrest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died last week while being restrained by a Minneapolis police officer.

He told the officer "I can't breathe" as he knelt on Mr Floyd's neck.

During yesterday's demonstration in Brighton, protesters held BLM banners as they walked together to Brighton Palace Pier.

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There, they took a knee in silence for nine minutes... the length of time the police officer knelt on the neck of Mr Floyd.

Bud Johnston organised the demonstration, saying he only put two posts on social media to publicise the event and was "flabbergasted with the response".

He said: "The power and momentum supporting the Black Lives Matter movement is phenomenal.

"The BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) community is in an exceptionally delicate and sensitive time with the current spotlight over racism and injustice.

"Yesterday's solidarity walk wasn’t just about supporting the issues in America, it was about highlighting that there is work to be done in the UK also."

He referenced figures from last year in which black people were found to be ten times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people, and said members of the BAME community were four times more likely to be affected by coronavirus due to social economic conditions".

Mr Johnston said: "These issues are impacted further in the midst of the Covid pandemic and finding safe and suitable ways to take a stand throws even more divide into the conversation.

"We don’t want anyone to suffer or die because of coronavirus but we also don’t want anyone to suffer or die because of racism.

"I personally hope that through open ears and open minds Brighton can be the pillar of acceptance and support for the BAME community and issues of racism with the same excellence it has championed the LGBT community."

Lucy Ward of Lucy Ward Photography attended the event and captured the scenes.

She said: "It was really peaceful and really powerful. Everyone walked from the i360 to the pier fairly quietly, then there were a few chants regarding George Floyd.

"It attracted a fair bit of attention as it was quite central in the city, and people joined the walk along the way.

"Everyone knelt in silence for nine minutes, and people walking past again came and joined them, then everyone clapped and dispersed when it was over."

Similar events were seen in Shoreham and Worthing where groups of 100 or more protesters gathered to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Both groups observed a nine minute silence and organisers said social distancing rules were observed throughout.

In Shoreham a group gathered in the High Street while Worthing protesters of all ages took a knee on the seafront.

Wearing masks, they held banners with messages including "I understand that I will never understand. However, I stand," and "no to racism".

More anti-racism demonstrations are set to take place across the UK today after huge crowds gathered in London yesterday.

A Black Lives Matter rally is scheduled outside the US Embassy in London’s Battersea, an estimated 4,000 people are expected at a BLM gathering in Bristol and demonstrations will also be held in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

There will also be further protests in Brighton next weekend.

Another march is planned for June 13, with protesters meeting at Brighton Palace Pier.

Campaign group Brighton Black Lives Matter said this date had been chosen “as it correlates to the 13th Amendment that has caused the mass incarceration of black people (and other ethnic groups) in the US”.

This amendment stated that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction”.

Organisers have said they will march through Brighton to expose the “horrible truth of racism still lurking explicitly and subtly in the UK today”.

A spokesman for the event said: "The fight starts now. We may not live in America. We may be able to walk the streets, breathe, look, jog, be in the comfort of our own homes without being killed (the list goes on), but the UK is not innocent.

"This public demonstration will be creating history alongside people globally also responding to the black lives matter movement.

"We will be acknowledging our privileges and supporting those in America who are oppressed more so.

"We will be destroying the facade of Brighton being 'such an accepting community' and presenting the horrible truth of racism still lurking explicitly and subtly in the UK today."