Black Lives Matter

Anti-racism demonstrations have been held in several Balkan cities and in the Polish capital in recent days, inspired by nationwide protests that erupted in the US following the death of an African-American man called George Floyd, who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Sofia this afternoon with Black lives matter posters, anti-racist messages and as part of a global series of protests over the assassination of George Floyd in the United States.  

The Bulgarian protest was attended by Bulgarians and foreigners, approximately equally, mostly with signs in English.

Beyonce on June 7 delivered a message to the graduating Class of 2020, marking their achievement with a speech amplifying messages of the Black Lives Matter movement and praising change-makers.

The superstar artist was among a roster of A-listers to participate in YouTube's global virtual commencement ceremony "Dear Class of 2020."

Tens of thousands of peaceful protesters rallied for racial justice on June 6 in cities across the United States following the death of African American George Floyd at the hands of police.    

More than 10,000 people have been arrested in protests decrying racism and police brutality in the wake of George Floyd's death, according to an Associated Press tally of known arrests across the U.S

Holding banners decrying racism and police brutality, demonstrators marched through Thessaloniki on Tuesday to show solidarity with protesters in the US over the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Many held banners reading "Black lives matter" and "I can't breathe," the phrase that Floyd uttered repeatedly while pinned to the street under a police officer's knee.

The Blackout Tuesday online day of action, intended to show solidarity with ongoing protests in the US against racism and police brutality, drew support from several festivals, clubs, media and music companies in the Balkans, Turkey and Poland on Tuesday.

Violent protests erupted across the United States late on May 29 over the death of a handcuffed black man in police custody, with murder charges laid against the arresting Minneapolis officer failing to quell boiling anger.

The Democratic-controlled U.S. House Judiciary Committee on May 28 asked the Justice Department to investigate systemic police misconduct following a spate of high-profile police killings of African Americans.

Demonstrators clashed with police and set a store alight during a second night of protests in the U.S. city of Minneapolis on May 27 over the killing of a black man by an officer who held him to the ground with a knee on his neck.