Black Lives Matter Receives Support from Marginalized Communities Around the Globe
By: Nathan Matsko
Protestors in Algeria, 2019. Photo from @OrenZiv1985
State College — As protests continue to rage in cities across the United States after the murder of George Floyd, marginalized communities around the world are throwing their support behind the Black Lives Matter movement.
In Israel and Palestine, a killing by police with parallels to the murder of George Floyd spurred a wave of protesters to take to the streets, sharing messages of solidarity with American demonstrators.
Iyad Hallak, a 32-year-old Palestinian man, was chased by police after they spotted what they thought to be a pistol on his person. Hallak, who had been diagnosed with Autism, refused to stop after being ordered to do so by police. The officers then cornered Hallak and proceeded to open fire as he hid by a dumpster, killing him.
Israeli and Arab protesters peacefully demonstrated to demand justice for the killing. The activists held a wide variety of signs, “Palestinian Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter” and “Justice for Iyad, Justice for George” are just a few examples that connected the two murders.
In Idlib, Syria, an area that has been under siege by government forces for months, a mural of Geoge Floyd with the words “I can’t breathe” and “No to Racism” was painted on rubble of a destroyed building.
In Tokyo, an alleged case of racial profiling by Prefectural Police has led to protests and similar shows of solidarity with Black Lives Matter. After an apparent traffic violation, a Kurdish man was pulled from his car and pinned to the ground while officers searched his vehicle. The man, who has lived in Tokyo for over a decade, suffered multiple injuries in the scuffle.
Hundreds took to the streets in response, calling for an end to racial profiling as well as police brutality. Signs demanding justice for George Floyd, as well as showing support for the Black Lives Matter movement, were commonplace.
These protests are a sample of the hundreds that ignited around the world after the death of George Floyd. For the US, as well as several other countries, it is unlikely that large scale protests will fade anytime soon