“Please! I can’t breathe!” “Everything hurts!” “They’re going to kill me!” were the last words of George Floyd, a forty-six-year-old black man, who had died in Minnesota, United States of America (U.S.A.) on May 25, 2020. His death was the ‘spark’ that brought people of all communities (especially the black people), to fume with rage and burst into the ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests. This protest then spread more rapidly than the coronavirus to other countries.
What happened?
On May 25, 2020, four officers of the Minneapolis Police arrested Goerge Floyd after a deli worker had called 911, informing them that he had stolen cigarettes using a fake twenty-dollar bill. On catching him, Derek Chauvin, one of the police officers who arrived at the scene, pinned him to the ground. The most horrifying incident was where the ‘white’ police officer was seen placing his knee for eight minutes and forty-six seconds, on the helpless ‘black’ man.
Aftermath:
The above incident resulted in the involved police officers being dismissed from their duty and under investigation for the crime they had committed. Protests quickly emerged around the world against the racial injustice.
Black Lives Matter Protest happening globally:
Amid the rise of the fatal COVID-19 pandemic, the basic principles of ‘social distancing,’ ‘wearing masks and gloves’ no longer became a matter of concern to the angered people. Thousands around the world have taken to the streets to raise their voice against the inhuman act.
U.S.A.
Massive rallies took place in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, the birthplace of George Floyd, thousands had gathered to pay their respect before a memorial service. With the biggest protest happening in the capital city, Washington D.C., the crowd was seen marching towards the White House to display their objective that even ‘Black Lives Matter,’ to the country’s President. Donald Trump had also made a statement that he is “dispatching thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel, and law enforcement officers” in response to continued protests in the country’s capital. If so, this could mark the beginning of Martial Law.
United Kingdom (U.K.)
Protests were held in major cities like London, Manchester, Cardiff, Leicester and Sheffield. Protests which were peaceful in the beginning then erupted into disturbances. Despite warnings regarding the mass gatherings, the demonstrations continued. Home Secretary, Priti Patel mentioned that the social distancing advice was for “the safety of all of us.” London’s Mayor advocated his support for the “Black Lives Matter’ protest by tweeting the following:-
Londoners of all ages, races and backgrounds joined millions of people around the world yesterday to come together peacefully. I stand with you. George Floyd’s brutal killing must lead to immediate and lasting change everywhere. 1/3 #BlackLivesMatter
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) June 7, 2020
Australia
Despite the pleas from the Prime Minister, Mr. Scott Morrison, and the state leaders for people to stay at home, tens of thousands of Australian citizens were out in the streets of Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and other small towns and cities. Surprisingly, the new South Wales Court of Appeal ruled the rally to be LAWFUL! Although the protests were intended to be peaceful, the police officers resorted to pepper sprays on the people for forcing entry into the Central Station, once the rally was over.
The protests went ahead despite warnings from Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Mr. Brendan Murphy, that large gatherings risked ruining the significant progress that Australia had made, reducing the number of active coronavirus cases. On June 5, 2020, Alex Hawke, Australia’s minister for the Pacific, criticised those who attended the protests in Australia, due to the health concerns over the COVID-19 outbreak. He tweeted;
No one should risk the good position 🇦🇺 is in, especially to attend a self indulgent ‘protest’ about matters in other countries. Thank goodness for the PM’s strong leadership. There must be equality if we are to keep the cohesion & consensus we have achieved by banding together. https://t.co/u1MCemhpDw
— Alex Hawke MP (@AlexHawkeMP) June 5, 2020
The same is the situation in countries like France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, and others, where the protestors were eventually seen carrying out the “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” policy, to fight against the racial injustice shown towards the people.
Another big concern that arises from these protests is that the COVID-19 virus is still out there. The risk of ‘community spread’ increases with the large number of people out on the streets. These protests could also mean that the countries which had done an appreciable job of containing the virus could be severely affected by the same. Australia is an example of ‘a job well done’ in stopping the spread of the virus. However, with the angry protests happening, it is highly doubtful if the ‘curve’ could remain ‘bent’ any longer.
Bigger picture: ALL LIVES MATTER!
All this culminates into an even bigger topic, “ALL LIVES MATTER.” Several pastors and theological advocates have stated that amidst the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, we must not forget that ALL LIVES MATTERS.
Millions of abortions are carried out every day, worldwide. We do not have the right to take the lives of unborn and innocent blood. Several people are being persecuted for their Faith in various parts of the world, that the media does not highlight. Animals and almost all forms of living beings are becoming subject to cruel and barbaric acts.
Two important world events happened at the same time in 2020, one being the spread of COVID-19 and the second one being the death of George Floyd. The former requires a person to wear a mask to avoid getting affected; however, the latter caused people to risks their health to get out and join the community for a cause. It is quite evident that the two events are very much antonymous to each other.
With the outbreak of pandemic and the death of George Floyd, it is no longer hidden that the world is moving towards a ‘New World Order’ also for the world as a whole to become ONE, in terms of everything. The main question which now arises is, “Is there an unknown agenda behind all this?”
