Protests support Floyd, Black Lives Matter on 3 continents

Tens of thousands of people were gathering in cities far from the United States to express their anger over the death of George Floyd, a sign that the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality is resonating with wider calls over addressing racism in Asia, Australia and Europe.

In Berlin, where police say 15,000 people rallied peacefully on the German capital’s Alexander Square, protesters chanted Floyd’s name and held up placards with slogans such as “Stop police brutality” and “I can’t breath.”

Several thousand demonstrators in Paris defied a protest ban — issued due to the coronavirus pandemic — and assembled within sight of the U.S. Embassy, kept back by imposing barriers and riot police.

In central London, tens of thousands staged a rally outside Parliament Square, invoking Floyd’s memory as well as people who died during police encounters or indifference in Britain. Some protesters ignored thickening rain clouds and later headed toward the UK Home Office, which oversees law enforcement and immigration, and to the US Embassy.

An estimated 15,000 people also gathered in the heart of Manchester, England, and a further 2,000 people joined in a demonstration in the Welsh capital of Cardiff.

In Brisbane, the Queensland state capital, organizers said about 30,000 people gathered, forcing police to shut down some major downtown streets. The protesters demanded to have Australia’s Indigenous flag raised at the police station.

In South Korea’s capital, Seoul, protesters gathered for a second straight day to denounce Floyd’s death.

Police say 20,000 people rallied against racism in Munich, while thousands more took part in protests in Frankfurt and Cologne.

— AP