In the year that has passed since the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has circled the globe. In country after country, people have stood up to oppression and demanded an end to systemic racism. A year on, those movements for justice remain active.
Something about the way George Floyd’s needless and cruel death was widely documented and shared on social media, made it resonate. What might have initially seemed to be one more dreadful case in the long and routine string of murders of Black people by US police had unexpected consequences, and far beyond the USA.
People not only protested in solidarity but were also empowered to share their own experiences of racism in their countries. They mobilised for George Floyd but also for countless others who lived anonymous lives and died anonymous deaths. They said the names of those killed, made the invisible visible and demanded acknowledgement and redress. They claimed a different life for themselves and others whose lives should matter but were treated like they did not.
