Protesters in Birmingham marched through the streets of the city centre demanding justice (Photograph: Geoff Dexter)
Hundreds of protesters marched through Birmingham city centre on Saturday, demonstrating and rallying in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, in response to the recent and ongoing murders of black civilians in the US.
In direct response to the recent killing of 37-year-old Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, Birmingham-based arts organisation Artivist called a silent vigil in High Street, which was followed by a march through the city centre and a rally outside Steelhouse Lane Police Station.
Blacks Lives Matter activists held a silent vigil outside the Bullring, in central Birmingham’s High Street (Photograph: Geoff Dexter)
Sharing their reasons for marching, organisers stated:
“We’re organising this demo to avoid desensitisation and dehumanisation of the countless Black lives, both in America and the UK and world wide that are told they don’t matter, that are told this is just how things are. We’re not taking it anymore.
“This is for Alton Sterling, for Philando Castile, for Sandra Bland, for Tamir Rice, for Sheko Bayoh, for Sarah Reed, for Kingsley Burrel, for us! Because no matter how much we cry, when we look up from those hands, we’re still black, we’re still fighting to stay alive and mentally well every day!
“The police force in America historically began as a slave patrol, this then formed into having Sheriffs and then hooded vigilantes aka the KKK, then to modern day “Law Enforcement” the police.”
Anti-racism campaigners marched through Birmingham city centre (Photograph: Geoff Dexter)
A rallying call on the event’s Facebook page continued:
“From the moment an institution is built on white supremacy and oppression (as all mainstream American systems are), that injustice and oppression becomes the baseline that upholds everything else built upon it.
“If police officers weren’t trained with target practice on black crash test dummies, if the constitution didn’t still deem black lives as second class (it has not been amended), if black people were not always depicted in gangster films and as thugs through the media, if this wasn’t the mainstream depiction of 30% of the American population, the same 30% who make up 60% of the largest prison population in the world, if black people were allowed to be multi-faceted human beings as white people are, if a black man with a licensed gun was of the same worth as his white counterpart, if we weren’t fed post-racial bullshit, if the police were not indoctrinated with racism and supremacy then maybe, maybe she wouldn’t of had to film this, and maybe we wouldn’t just see it as another black death.”
Birmingham Black Lives Matter activists staged a rally outside Steelhouse Lane Police Station to highlight police brutality in the UK and US (Photograph: Geoff Dexter)
Campaigners from the Justice 4 Kingsley Burrell group were also at the rally, including victim Kingsley Burrell’s sister Kadisha Brown-Burrell (Photograph: Geoff Dexter)
>> GALLERY: Black Lives Matter Vigil & Rally in Birmingham <<
Protesters and supporters who joined the demonstration held banners, while some had their mouths taped shut to symbolise being voiceless.
The rally outside the police station was organised by Justice or Else for Kingsley Burrell a month in advance, while the wider event was supported by Stand Up To Racism Birmingham, alongside community groups and local activists. A similar protest also took place in Brixton in London, on the same day, to express solidarity with the families of black victims of police brutality in Britain and the US.
LIVE on #Periscope: #BLMBrum rally https://t.co/J3AR2KQGre
— Eyrie City (@aquilaedwards) July 9, 2016
Following the emotionally-charged rally, event co-organiser Aliyah Holder wrote on the Art!vist blog:
“Everything we do with ART!VIST UK is a mix of art and activism and that’s what we’ll continue to do. The idea originated from the phenomenal arts marketeer Olivia Brown, who approached me with a dream she’d had of people with taped mouths holding Black Lives Matter placards and blasting Kendrick Lamar… together we worked to make this happen.
“Many quoted how powerful it was that we stood in silence for so long playing music to show how long this brutality has been occurring for, from Sam Cook and Nina Simone to Jorja Smith and Kendrick Lamar we made their words ring true through our silence. When it got to 2pm and we ripped off the tape on our mouths (alongside most of our lipstick) we erupted and there was no way we couldn’t of be heard.”
Checkout https://t.co/zaFkk1IiQg to catch the powerful Birmingham #BlackLivesMatter protests live! #blmbrum pic.twitter.com/KwnTCOphvH
— Amrit Singh (@MrASingh) July 9, 2016
#BLMBRUM #blacklivesmatterUK #sayhername #staywoke #thismadnesshastostop #BlackGirlMagic pic.twitter.com/apKzwecxWS
— threetwoseventwo (@blackdiamond_72) July 9, 2016
#BlackLivesMatter Birmingham Respect Love & Solidarity @artivistsuk & Justice 4 Kingsley Burrell Lets Build Lets Win pic.twitter.com/ULHmidDRyS
— Matters of the Earth (@mattersearth) July 10, 2016
We are here to stay @typicalbrad we ain’t going nowhere #BLMBRUM #Blacklivesmatter #justice for all #blackpeople ♥ ✊ pic.twitter.com/xRjiyiipn6
— Saida Vedasto (@saidavedasto) July 9, 2016
Refugees banner today too #BLMBRUM pic.twitter.com/otITq8myp2
— Sham (@bitterarab) July 9, 2016
The organisation plans to continue representing the struggle of the black community through art and artistic expression.
Black Lives Matter supporters marched through Birmingham city centre (Photograph: Geoff Dexter)
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On Sunday 17th July, a separate unity rally will be held in Birmingham’s Victoria Square to stand united against racism and hate; and to say ‘Never again!’. The event – titled ‘Remember Together – We Are One‘ will begin at 1pm.
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