A gathering comprising some Ghanaians and the Africa Diaspora community has embarked on a peaceful protest for the murder of George Floyd, an African American who was killed on May 25.
Floyd’s death has sparked outrage across the globe with many cities in the US experiencing protests at unprecedented levels in the midst of COVID-19 curfews and lockdowns.
The group, cladded in black with red wristbands to show their displeasure with placard inscriptions such as “Black Lives Matter” and the popular, “I can’t breathe” exclamation which were uttered by Floyd as the police officer knelt on his neck.
Rabbi Kohain Halevi of the Panafest Foundation who first addressed the gathering said, beyond the arrest, police officers and all those complicit in the death of Floyd need to be prosecuted.
He said the Black race has suffered enough injustice and it was time people rallied around Floyd’s death to demand an end to such injustices.
“And no one should make a mistake, as long as you’re Black, you’re African, no matter where you’re whether in America, South America or in Africa, and we are victimized for the colour of our skin and for our origin and we owe it to our ancestors to end this cycle of pain.”
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority Mr Akwasi Agyeman, stated,” one of us was murdered in such cold blood, so we cannot be and we cannot look on. “So on behalf on the Beyond the Return Committee we are here to show solidarity to our brothers and sisters who are here as we all march to present our petition that, enough is enough.”
Head of Mission at the Diaspora African Forum, Dr. Erieka Bennett said the event was not just not a protest but a funeral to mourn the death of victims of racial abuse and systemic injustices that have been meted out Black peolple over the years.
A signed petition highlighting the concerns of the Diaspora Community was presented to the American Embassy.
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