HUNDREDS OF people have taken to the streets of Dublin in a powerful show of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protests in the US.
There was a huge turnout for the demonstration, with massive crowds gathering outside the General Post Office (GPO) to protest the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis in the US last week.
Protestors wearing face coverings marched down O’Connell Street and past Trinity College on their way to Grafton Street and the city centre.
Massive turnout for #BlackLivesMatter in Dublin, Ireland today in full solidarity with #JusticeforGeorgesFloyd ! #DefundPolice #protests2020 #GeorgeFloydProtests #RacistInChief
💚🗯🧡🇮🇪🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/qJLi5LVAbE— Keith (@Keefabix) June 1, 2020
Chants of "Say the name, George Floyd" and "Black Lives Matter" could be heard during what was a peaceful protest, free of incident, with those involved careful to keep as much of a distance from one another as possible.
Placards and banners were also prominent, featuring powerful messages of support like “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and “Your silence will not protect you”.
The protest led to significant disruption for anyone using the Luas in Dublin with the city’s Green Line services operating with delays as a result of the demonstration.
Dublin stands with you #BlackLivesMatter #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/jxhrG6iuwZ
— Chloe Hanan (@chloehanan) June 1, 2020
In a powerful show of support the anti-racism protests witnessed across the US, demonstrators later gathered outside the US Embassy in Dublin, taking a knee to remember Mr. Floyd.
It comes a day on from similar demonstrations in which more than 150 people convened outside the US Embassy in Ballsbridge and Phoenix Park in protest at the 46-year-old's death.
Mr. Floyd died in police custody last Monday, May 25.
Footage widely shared on social media showed one of the officers involved in his arrest kneeling on his throat while Mr. Floyd could be heard pleading: “I can’t breathe”.
We're about to start marching #blmDublin black lives matter Dublin huge crowd, lots of masks, unreal signs, all the solidarity pic.twitter.com/4OXNU4sWxE
— Jess (she/her) (@JessRepeal) June 1, 2020
A preliminary autopsy carried out by the county medical examiner determined that the officer involved, Derek Chauvin, had his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds.
By then, officers had already noted Mr. Floyd had been non-responsive for almost three minutes. Two minutes before the knee was removed, one officer had been unable to find a pulse.
He was eventually taken to hospital but pronounced dead roughly an hour later.
Mr. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter and is facing more than 12 years in prison if convicted.
Everyone taking a knee at the #GeorgeFloyd protest at the US Embassy Dublin #BlackLivesMatter #BLM #NoJusticeNoPeace pic.twitter.com/4WFEGeivQt
— INAR - Irish Network Against Racism (@INARIreland) June 1, 2020
Three other officers who were also present at the time of the incident have also been sacked.
In the wake of the death, massive demonstrations have taken place in Minneapolis and across at least 30 cities across the US for the past three days and nights.
