Another big turnout on Brighton BLM protest following “I can’t breathe” outrage

Another big turnout in Brighton today for BLM march. As many as 5,000 took part in the protest.

The march comes on the back of an “I can’t breathe” incident in the city involving a black man and police. Thanks to Chris Middleton for the video below.

And if you missed the video of the latest brutal police attack, here it is:

Brighton & Hove News:

Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council Nancy Platts is to meet the city’s policing commander, Nick May, over her concerns about the footage, which has been circling on social media.

In the film, a suspect loudly objects to an officer putting his elbow on his neck, and then tells him he can’t breathe. At the end of the footage, the officer takes his arm away.

Chief Superintendent Nick May said police are reviewing the officer’s body worn footage and would take appropriate action, but cautioned that the clip only featured a snapshot of a much longer operation in Montpelier Road on Tuesday, 7 July in which the 28-year-old man was arrested during a search for a missing 17-year-old girl.

More at the Guardian.

“I can’t breathe” pleads black man attacked by Brighton police

Brighton police racist violence on display in yet another shocking video.

From the Independent

Video footage showing officers restraining a man as he repeatedly shouts “I can’t breathe” has been referred to the police watchdog. 

A man can be seen lying on the ground as he is restrained by three officers near a police car in a recording captured in Brighton on Tuesday.

A witness to the incident said: “I have seen people be arrested before, I have never seen anything like that. 

“It was really, really shocking. I do not understand why there were three policemen sat on him.”

Join the Brighton BLM protest

Details here.

End racist stop and search, scrap Section 60 – protest at Tottenham police station

There’s a protest at Tottenham police station on Saturday against stop and search

Called by Haringey Stand Up To Racism

End Stop & Search
Scrap Section 60
Ban the Taser

Peaceful Protest Saturday 11 July 12 noon – 1.30pm

outside Tottenham police station, High Road N17 9JA

Thanks to all who made last Saturday’s protest in Duckett’s Common a success. This week we take the campaign back to Tottenham Police Station on the High Road. Bring banners and placards – let’s keep up the momentum!

Black Lives Matter
This is a static, socially distanced protest. Wear a mask.

Please share and circulate to your networks.

Facebook event

Instagram here

Twitter here

Emergency protest against Cressida Dick visit on Friday 10 July,

There’s also an emergency protest tomorrow, Friday 10th against Met commissioner Cressida Dick’s visit to Tottenham.

4pm at Tottenham Hotspur Football aground, Tottenham High Road

Sprucing up Trump Tower BLM-style

Great to see the BLM paint job outside the obscene low-class Trump Tower in New York City.

Unfortunately Trump is unlikely to see it in person as he doesn’t visit his hometown anymore, because he is so universally hated there.

Hopefully the paint job will put off people spending their money at the hotel and hasten the demise of Trump Inc.

The shine was taken off the whole affair somewhat though, after the sighting of Mayor Bill de Blasio joining in with the roadworks.

This is the same Bill de Blasio who was singing the praises of the New York cops when they were brutalising peaceful protesters.

The same mayor that imposed curfews in a dangerous attack on the freedom of assembly that is meant to be guaranteed in the US constitution.

The same Bill de Blasio who got elected – as did some other Democrat politicians – on the promise of addressing police racist violence, militarisation and general corruption, but then after getting into office doing nothing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCboII8Jfzf/?igshid=1if8m87ytdqn3

But de Blasio aside, it’s still good to see some irritant being rubbed into the eyes of the man in the high castle.

There’s more on thumbing it to Trump Tower at the New York Times:

NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio grabbed a roller Thursday to paint “Black Lives Matter” in front of the namesake Manhattan tower of President Donald Trump, who tweeted last week that the street mural would be “a symbol of hate.”

De Blasio was flanked by his wife, Chirlane McCray, and the Rev. Al Sharpton as he helped paint the racial justice rallying cry in giant yellow letters on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower. Activists watching chanted, “Whose streets? Our streets!”

“When we say ‘Black Lives Matter,’ there is no more American statement, there is no more patriotic statement because there is no America without Black America,” de Blasio said. “We are acknowledging the truth of ourselves as Americans by saying ‘Black Lives Matter.’ We are righting a wrong.”

The mayor announced the plan to paint “Black Lives Matter” in front of Trump Tower last month after earlier saying the slogan would be painted on streets at several locations around the city. Trump responded via Twitter that the mural would denigrate “this luxury Avenue” and “further antagonize New York’s Finest.” De Blasio tweeted back that Black Lives Matter is “a movement to recognize and protect the lives of Black people.”

Rahima Torrence, 20, who was among the people slapping yellow paint onto Fifth Avenue, said that even though the mural might be a symbol, “it’s the beginning of something more.” She said the location in front of Trump’s own skyscraper “shows that we matter and it shows to him that you can’t ignore us.”

Quarter of young black people in London stopped by cops during lockdown

Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee has got hold of damning evidence of the extent of the oppressive nature of the policing of black (and white) youth in the big cities of the UK, especially London.

Lots of anecdotal evidence has been cited about the increase in stops of young people and now we have the proof.

For black youth the level of harassment has gone way off the scale, with a quarter of all the young black people having been stopped during the lockdown.

This comes after the overpolicing of block parties on working class housing estates.

From the Guardian:

Young black men were stopped and searched by police more than 20,000 times in London during the coronavirus lockdown – the equivalent more than a quarter of all black 15- to 24-year-olds in the capital.

More than 80% of the 21,950 searches between March and May resulted in no further action, according to analysis by the office of the home affairs select committee chair, Yvette Cooper.

The figures equate to 30% of all young black males in London, though some individuals may have been searched more than once.

The Met increased its use of stop and search during the lockdown, compared with a year ago. The force carried out 43,000 stops in May, compared to 21,000 a year earlier, and 30,608 in April, up from 20,981.

Katrina Ffrench, chief executive of Stopwatch, a charity that campaigns against the disproportionate use of stop and search, said: “The number is shocking and saddening. How do those young people feel when this is their city, they’re going about their daily business, could be caring for parents, all sorts of reasons as to why they’re out?” more

Parliament Home Affairs Select Committee hears evidence on stop and search. Hearing evidence this week.

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/cd010bb3-558c-4575-9a23-ec4a5070a3cb