Today, Wednesday 3rd of June people in Orkney will be joining with folk all around the world to remember George Floyd who was murdered by a police officer, Derek Chauvin,  who has now been charged with Third Degree murder.

Campaigning group Orkney Resists is asking folk to join together on Wednesday in their homes or streets at 6pm to #TakeTheKnee and support justice for George Floyd. They would like people to take a photo of what they do and share it on social media using the hashtags #BlackLivesMatter , #TakeTheKnee , #ICan’tBreathe , #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd

Download, window poster from Counterfire: justice for george floyd poster

The world has been shocked at the events in the USA and the brutal reaction to demonstrations.

Orkney Resists state:

On Wednesday 3 June at 6pm Stand Up To Racism, backed by Orkney Resists, calls on people to “take the knee” on their doorsteps or wherever they are.

This is part of a day of action in solidarity with the #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #BlackLivesMatter movement and to highlight the disproportionate BAME deaths in the Covid19 crisis in the UK.

BAME communities are also disproportionately impacted by the rapid economic contraction, as well as police brutality which is not unique to the US as the recent tasering by police of Desmond Ziggy Mombeyarara in Greater Manchester shows. BAME communities are also 54% more likely to be fined under coronavirus rules.

The UK has one of the worst death tolls in the world. Around 34% of those that died were from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities (BAME). According to the Financial Times (FT) cautious estimate, 64,500 people have died, much higher than the government’s figure. That means around 21,000 people from BAME communities have died in the last 10 weeks.

Link: Facebook page Orkney supports Justice for George Floyd #TakeTheKnee