What is Black Lives Matter?

This movement was born in 2013, after a man killed an unarmed black teenager, aged 17, Trayvon Martin, in Florida in February 2012  and was declared innocent of his murder.

A Californian African-American activist, Alicia Garza, posted  a message on Facebook:

 “Black people. I love you. I love us. Our lives matter.” 

The hashtag was born, and continued to grow with each new incident and protest taking place in the USA.

First of all, the movement decided to highlight the disproportionate number of cases in which a police officer killed a member of the black community. 

In August 2014, Michael Brown Jr., a 18-year-old black man, was fatally shot by a 28-year-old white police officer in the city of Ferguson, Missouri.  

Black Lives Matter gained international recognition, with events also organised in the United Kingdom.

Black Lives Matter now describes itself as a “national organization working for the validity of black life”. 

A lot of people are talking about more and more tragedies targeting black Americans by the police force.

It was backed up a few years ago by a report of the Baltimore Department of Justice, which said that black residents of low-income neighbourhoods are more likely to be stopped and searched by police officers, even if white residents are statistically more likely to be caught carrying guns and drugs.

The last victim, George Floyd is causing many demonstrations and protests in the USA and in many other countries throughout the world at the moment while President Trump wants to go back to normal by sending the military against the protesters.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, another African-American man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota by the police. 

While Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on a city street during an arrest, Derek Chauvin, a white American police officer, kept his knee on Floyd's neck for more than 8 minutes. For the last 3 minutes the victim wasn't conscious anymore.

Several bystanders recorded the event on their smartphones, with one video showing Floyd repeating "Please", "I can't breathe", "Mama", "Don't kill me", "My stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts", and he requested water.

Those videos widely circulated on social media and in the media showing the total absence of reaction from the police-officers.

Have a look at the video which recaps what you have just read!

You can also visit their website and do something to help

• sign a petition
• buy a t-shirt
• make a donation

https://blacklivesmatter.com

Learn more about the history of Slavery and Segregation

BLM

about a great movie

Selma

or about its main song

Glory