Black Lives Matter campaigners in Portsmouth plan events for the rest of the year

Millions of people around the world took part in BLM protests last summer following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, who was filmed dying struggling to breathe as he was detained by police officers in Minneapolis, America.

Portsmouth Guildhall provided the backdrop to a BLM rally in June 2020, as hundreds of residents filled the city centre to protest US police brutality and call for renewed efforts towards racial equality.

Now the Portsmouth branches of Black Lives Matter and Stand Up To Racism are continuing this work, with several events planned for this month and later this year.

Alex Ruddock, an organiser for both groups, said: ‘We recently had a meeting with (Hampshire Constabulary) about bridging the gap between the community and the police force.

‘On March 13, Stand Up To racism is holding an online rally, with a variety of speakers.

‘And on March 20, we are going along the beach, putting on benches posters of people from the BAME who have died in England, focusing on police brutality cases.

‘Lockdown restrictions being partially lifted gives us some leeway to go down the beach, but we won’t be congregating.’

The online rally on March 13 will be broadcast on the Stand up to Racism Portsmouth Facebook page.

Later in the summer – dependent on Covid-19 restrictions – BLM Portsmouth hopes to put on a street market in conjunction with the Instagram account BuyBlack_Portsmouth.

The account highlights and champions Black business owners across the city.