TOPLINE
Another wave of demonstrations kicked off across the globe on Saturday, with tens of thousands—from Germany and France to Mexico and Australia—turning out in solidarity with U.S. protesters against the death of George Floyd, while also denouncing racism and police brutality within their own countries.
Demonstrators burn police vehicles during a protest in Guadalajara.
KEY FACTS
In London, tens of thousands of people peacefully gathered in Parliament Square on Saturday afternoon, holding signs paying homage to George Floyd, before demonstrating in front of the U.S. embassy.
A fresh wave of anti-racism protests kicked off across Germany on Saturday, filling up cities like Berlin, Dusseldorf, Cologne and Nuremberg.
Thousands crowded into Alexanderplatz in Berlin’s city center with signs that read “Black Lives Matter” and “No justice, no peace,” German publication DW reported.
In Hamburg protests turned ugly as police used pepper spray and water cannons to forcibly disperse protesters, with law enforcement blaming hundreds of “hooded and aggressive people.”
In Mexico, protests flared and turned violent, with demonstrators demanding justice for construction worker Giovanni Lopez, who was allegedly beaten to death in police custody last month.
Protesters in Mexico City vandalized the U.S. embassy, which has been put on lockdown, while in Guadalajara they clashed with police—and one officer was even set on fire (he survived).
Hundreds of Brazilians rallied against racism in the coastal city of Recife, after the death of a five-year-old black boy—while under the care of a white woman—triggered social unrest.
Despite French authorities banning people from gathering in front of the U.S. embassy in Paris, thousands showed up anyway during the afternoon, as well as near the Eiffel Tower.
Surprising Fact:
In Australia, a court ruled late on Friday that marches could not be held given the need for social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic. But a higher court reversed the order in a last-minute decision on Saturday, allowing demonstrations in Sydney and other cities, like Melbourne and Brisbane, to continue.
Key background
Large crowds gathered in cities across the United States on Saturday for the 11th straight day of protests against police brutality and racism. Demonstrations have taken place all over the world since last week, including in Japan, Denmark, Sweden, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Further reading
Journalists Targeted While Covering Protests: 328 Press Freedom Violations And Counting (Forbes)
Mass Protests Across The U.S. Have No Impact On Stocks, What Gives? (Forbes)
Photos: Thousands March In Wake Of George Floyd’s Death, From Amsterdam To Tokyo (Forbes)
Global Protests Sparked By George Floyd’s Death Spread To Toronto, London And Berlin (Forbes)
