Justice for George Floyd: Front and Centre Stage
Experience from a peaceful protest in London.
June 7th 2020 was a fantastic day. The day where hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of London and peacefully protested for the equality of black lives and demanding an end to police brutality. These protests have been taking place all over the world since 25th May 2020 when George Floyd, a black American man, was unlawfully and disgustingly murdered in cold blood by a white police officer. This is just one of many cases across the world where white police officers have acted in an unfair, discriminative and aggressive way towards black citizens without much justice being served through our Criminal Justice Systems. Quite frankly, this incident was the final straw.
For those of you that are very concerned about their being a second wave of COVID-19 (the deadly and unfortunate virus that we have been dealing with since March 2020) due to these protests, then you’ve obviously choosen when to listen to the media. Nearly every sunny and hot weekend since lockdown, thousands of people have been flocking to beaches unprotected and not giving a damn about coronavirus. What you really need to do is change your mindset from “I can’t believe people are protesting during a pandemic” to “I can’t believe people have to protest for basic human rights during a pandemic”. Coronavirus will not pause itself just for us. If there is an opportunity to make change then it must be grabbed with as many hands as possible. I do not doubt that if there was not a pandemic, hundreds if not THOUSANDS more people would be protesting.
Judging from the footage of police horses on the loose and police officers blocking Downing Street shown by the media on Saturday June 6th, I knew I had to be prepared for this protest. It may suddenly become not so peaceful and to be wary that there will be hundreds of thousands of people (turns out there was around one million). I can confirm there was no violence in sight.
When I first stepped out the station I bumped into a protester preaching about what being black means to her. Throughout the march, many protesters were giving similar speeches and passing their microphone round to others so they could talk freely. Free masks were being handed out in long sticks, hand sanitizer and some protesters were handing out free bottles of water.
From Vauxhall tube station to Parliament Square, I walked 23,000 steps with my Black Lives Matter placard, bottle of water alongside taking part in numerous chants. What I noticed is that pretty much every street was defaced with slogans such as 'George Floyd', 'Black Lives Matter', 'ACAB', images of fists and more. Every single bus shelter, phone box, construction equipment on the streets were covered in grafetti. Traffic lights and lamp posts had placards stuck on them and even the pavement was defaced. People of all colour and age were hanging out on their balconies, waving placards and banging on saucepans with wooden spoons. A crazy, overwhelming and emotional environment.
Eventually, at Parliament Square the crowd soon died down and many people decided to sit on the grass and relax their feet (including myself). I notice that there were no police officers walking with us but when we reached the Square they were grouping together to manage the crowd and maintain peace, which they did. What caught my eye was a number of lost placards on the floor by a metal fence. When I looked closer, I realised they weren't lost placards at all but instead an extremely long line of placards placed, stuck or hung on this metal fence.
I will end on these two final points. During my final hour of the protest, my friends and I were distracted by someone speaking through a microphone with a medium sized crowd. Unfortunately, I have forgotten his name but I will never forget his face or what he said. He explained that being at a protest, carrying a sign and demanding justice is all well and good. But what do black people want from this? If Boris Johnson was to invite us into Parliament and ask us to explain exactly what we wanted to happen from here on out, could any of us actually do it? What we do not need is a new leader. Malcom X? Murdered. Martin Luther King? Murdered. Abraham Lincoln? Murdered. It is obvious as to what the pattern is here. Instead, what we need to do is create an ideology and pinpoint multiple factors as to what we want to CHANGE. You cannot assassinate an ideology. The first point is to draw an end to police brutality by implementing a 20 year prison sentence to any officer that physical harms/kills a citizen unlawfully. Then we will create a second, a third, and so forth until we have all the same rights as white people and until black lives really do matter.
Secondly, another person mentioned that we need to bring back segregation. Not segregation as in hanging up 'Whites only' or 'Blacks only' signs but consider the following example of Chinatown. In London, Manchester, Birmingham and I don't doubt many other cities, you will find a Chinatown. This will consist of only Chinese shops run by Chinese people. This money will then no doubt be sent back home to their origin country of China and into their economy. By setting up Chinatowns, they are also implementing their culture into many communities. But where is Nigeratown? Or Jamiacatown? Or Ghanatown? What is stopping us from doing the same as China? I hope you see the point I am making.
Overall, it was a tiresome but very worthy day. But just because it is over does not mean it is the end. I hear rumours of many more protests coming up and you can bet your bottom dollar (pound in my case) that I will be attending as many as possible to make my voice heard. Racism, you messed with the wrong generation...
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Berlin Blackout Sparks Alarm After Left-Wing Group Claims Responsibility for Sabotage
Start wrBerlin is no stranger to political protest, but a recent citywide blackout has pushed Germany into uneasy territory. After tens of thousands of residents were left without power, a left-wing activist group came forward claiming responsibility, framing the incident as an act of political sabotage aimed at forcing attention on climate policy and technological governance. The claim has intensified public concern, not only about the blackout itself, but about the growing willingness of activist groups to target critical infrastructure. What began as a disruption has now become a national debate over the limits of protest, the definition of extremism, and how democracies should respond when political activism crosses into sabotage. The Blackout That Shook the Capital The outage affected multiple districts across Berlin, disrupting homes, businesses, and public transport systems. Traffic lights failed, trains were delayed, and residents reported hours without heating, internet access, or reliable communication. While hospitals and emergency facilities relied on backup generators, authorities acknowledged that the incident placed significant strain on public services. Initial reports described the blackout as a technical failure. That explanation changed dramatically when a left-wing group issued a statement online claiming responsibility, describing the outage as a deliberate act designed to expose what it called the “fragility of systems that sustain an unjust and destructive status quo.” The group framed the sabotage as non-violent, arguing that disruption — not harm — was the goal. The Group’s Message and Motivation In its statement, the group linked the blackout to broader grievances over climate change, artificial intelligence, and what it described as government inaction. According to the group, modern societies continue to rely on fossil fuels, centralized energy grids, and rapidly advancing technologies without sufficient democratic oversight. By targeting infrastructure, the activists said they hoped to demonstrate how vulnerable modern life is — and how urgently political priorities need to shift. This rhetoric reflects a growing strand within radical activism that views disruption of everyday life as a legitimate tool. Supporters argue that traditional protests no longer generate meaningful political change. Critics see a dangerous escalation that risks normalizing tactics once associated with extremist movements. Government and Security Response German authorities reacted swiftly. Interior Ministry officials condemned the sabotage, stressing that interference with critical infrastructure is a serious criminal offense regardless of political motivation. Investigators are now working to verify the group’s claim and determine how the outage was carried out. Security agencies have also launched a broader review of infrastructure protection, particularly energy systems that are increasingly decentralized and digitized. Officials warned that while the blackout did not result in fatalities, similar incidents could have far more serious consequences in the future. Several political leaders called for tougher penalties for those who sabotage essential services, arguing that democratic societies cannot tolerate actions that endanger public safety. Public Reaction: Sympathy Meets Anger Public opinion in Berlin and across Germany has been sharply divided. Some residents expressed sympathy with the underlying causes highlighted by the group, particularly concerns over climate change and unchecked technological power. However, frustration and anger dominated many responses. Small business owners reported financial losses. Families with elderly or medically vulnerable members described fear and anxiety during the outage. Commuters voiced outrage at being used, in their words, as “collateral damage” in a political statement. For many, the group’s justification rang hollow. While climate anxiety is widespread, the idea of sabotaging infrastructure crossed a line. Protest or Extremism? The central question now facing Germany is how to define actions like the Berlin blackout. Is this civil disobedience, or does it constitute political extremism? Legal experts point out that intent matters. Civil disobedience traditionally involves breaking laws openly and accepting consequences to highlight injustice. Sabotage, by contrast, is covert and risks unintended harm. The blackout’s scale and impact complicate claims that the action was harmless. German history adds another layer of sensitivity. The country remains acutely aware of how political extremism — from both the far right and far left — has threatened democratic stability in the past. As a result, there is little tolerance for actions that undermine public trust or safety. Infrastructure as a New Protest Target The Berlin blackout underscores a worrying trend: infrastructure has become a new battleground for political activism. Energy grids, transport networks, and data systems are increasingly seen as pressure points capable of generating maximum attention with minimal effort. Experts warn that this approach carries serious risks. Even well-intentioned activists cannot fully control the consequences of infrastructure disruption. Power outages can affect hospitals, emergency communications, and vulnerable populations in unpredictable ways. There is also concern that such tactics could inspire copycat actions — not only by activists, but by criminal or hostile actors exploiting similar vulnerabilities. Political Fallout and Policy Implications The incident is already shaping political discussions in Germany. Lawmakers are debating whether existing laws adequately address sabotage motivated by ideology. Some have proposed expanding surveillance powers or tightening restrictions on protest activities near critical infrastructure. Civil liberties groups caution against overreaction, warning that broad crackdowns could erode democratic freedoms and push activism further underground. They argue that the solution lies not only in security measures, but in addressing the grievances that fuel radicalization. The challenge for policymakers is finding a balance: protecting infrastructure without criminalizing dissent. A Warning for Europe Berlin’s blackout is being closely watched across Europe. As cities become smarter, greener, and more interconnected, they also become more vulnerable. Energy transitions, while essential for climate goals, introduce new complexities into grid management and security. The incident serves as a reminder that resilience is not just about technology, but governance. Transparent decision-making, public trust, and credible political pathways for change are crucial in preventing radical escalation. Conclusion: A Line Has Been Crossed The claim of responsibility by a left-wing group has transformed the Berlin blackout from a technical incident into a political reckoning. While the urgency of climate change and concerns about technology are widely shared, the method chosen has sparked fear rather than consensus. Democracies depend on protest, but they also depend on trust and safety. When activism turns to sabotage, it risks undermining the very values it claims to defend. Berlin’s blackout is more than a disruption of power — it is a warning about how fragile the line between protest and extremism can become in an age of crisis, urgency, and political frustration.iting...
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