The march and rally against Global Racism and Injustice was organised by BARAC (Black Activists Rising Against Cuts) in solidarity with families of Trayvon Martin, Stephen Lawrence, Azelle Rodney, Jimmy Mubenga and many others to highlight the reality of racism and seek justice, both in the UK and US, and was timed for the anniversary of the shooting of Martin. A few days before it took place we were appalled to hear that his murderer, George Zimmerman, had been acquitted. In Florida, a white man only has to say he felt threatened to get a licence to kill, though it seems unlikely that anyone black would be treated in the same way.
But the protest wasn’t just about a case in the USA. It was also very strongly about the lack of justice felt by many black people in the UK, particularly over the actions of the police, who seem to be able to kill people with impunity, whether in custody like Sean Rigg in Brixton police station, or on the street like Mark Duggan or in a tube station like Jean Charles de Menezes. Of course it isn’t just black people who are killed but they are picked on disproportionately. And police have had to admit their failures over the investigation of the killing by racist youths of Stephen Lawrence.
For once the wind was being reasonably cooperative in blowing out the flag on the embassy roof as Zita Holbourne, one of the co-founders of BARAC, was speaking. Usually it either hangs limp or gets wrapped around the flag pole.
The other co-founder and co-chair of BARAC, Lee Jasper was leading the protest. As you can see, looking at the pictures in Against Global Racism and Injustice I found it hard to really find anything to photograph at this event – a few pictures of those taking part, the odd placard or poster. Perhaps the best of these was one held by the woman at the right of picture below, which say ‘Skin Colour should not be a Death Sentence’, but I wasn’t entirely happy with the picture.
By the time I took it, the protest march was close to Green Park station and I was getting too tired to continue (it was my third event of the day) and I left the march and went home to write my stories, edit my pictures and file them. Perhaps I should have stuck at it longer.
________________________________________________________
My London Diary : Buildings of London : River Lea/Lee Valley : London’s Industrial Heritage
All photographs on this and my other sites, unless otherwise stated are by Peter Marshall and are available for reproduction or can be bought as prints.
To order prints or reproduce images
________________________________________________________