Black Lives Matter Protest Planned for Shepherd's Bush Green
Three groups from across west London to demonstrate this Sunday
A previous Black Lives Matter protest in west London
Three Black Lives Matter groups from west London are coming together to hold what they say will be a peaceful, socially distanced, protest on Shepherd’s Bush Green this Sunday (9 August).
The demo will begin at 12.45pm and follows on from protests these groups have separately held in Ealing Common, Turnham Green, Brentford, Feltham and Hillingdon. Now, they have decided to hold a joint event which aims to be family friendly and would also include live music and socially distanced dancing. The organisers are asking all people to support the event.
As the Green is close to Grenfell Tower where 72 people died in fire more than two years ago, a special tribute to the victims.
Balwinder Rana, one of the organisers of the protest and also convenor for West London Stand Up To Racism, said, “We are trying to widen our circle in west London and want to involve more people in our protests. We shall continue to raise awareness as the black people have suffered enough and now it’s time to demand a real change. We also want to take up the issue of Section 60 and the disproportionate use of stop & search against black people who are ten times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police than white people.
Similar events have been taking place in many parts of London and in other cities in the UK as part of the worldwide protests, starting in America against the killing of George Floyd. The protesters have been demanding end to police brutality against black people in both America and this country as well as an end to all forms of racism.
They claim that the UK also has an issue with police racism as there have been many deaths of black people after coming into contact with them. Rashan Charles, Sean Rigg, Roger Sylvester, Joy Gardener and Cynthia Jarrett are names that they cite.
Mr Rana adds, “We believe that the Windrush Scandal and the Grenfell fire have shown that black people’s lives are not valued by the people in power. But, I am glad to see that so many white people have been coming out to support us, especially the youth. We want to build a mass movement uniting all people so that we can make the authorities hear our voices that Black Lives Matter.”
It is believed the protest will be held on the Green itself and no traffic diversions will be required.
August 3, 2020