Saturday, June 13, 2020
Sacheen Littlefeather refuses to accept the Best Actor Oscar® on behalf of Marlon Brando for his performance in "The Godfather" at the 45th annual Academy Awards® in 1973. Liv Ullmann and Roger Moore presented the award.
Marlon talks more about his decision to reject the Oscar for his performance in The Godfather. Date aired - 12th June 1973 - Marlon Brando
WHAT IS RACISM?
IT IS THE SOCIAL NORMALIZATION IN THE MASSES OF WHITE PEOPLE (REGARDLESS OF ETHNICITY)
OF THE IMPERIALIST AND COLONIALIST HEGEMONIC IDEOLOGY OF
OF THE IMPERIALIST AND COLONIALIST HEGEMONIC IDEOLOGY OF
ARYAN SUPREMACY
CREATED BY 17TH CENTURY
EUROPEAN CAPITALISM
The professional mercenary Sir William Walker instigates a slave revolt on the Caribbean island of Queimada in order to help improve the British sugar trade. Years later he is sent again to deal with the same rebels that he built up because they have seized too much power that now threatens British sugar interests
Notes on this release: The original cut of the film was taken by United Artists and cut down for release in America by nearly 20 minutes. In Italy, the film was released in its full length, but the performances, recorded in English, were released in dubbed Italian (notes from the upload of the Italian Director’s Cut DVD are reproduced below for more info). Several people on KG requested a hybrid cut, keeping the deleted scenes in Italian but putting the English dialogue back in its place, which I have done. Unfortunately, due to the way the American release was cut/dubbed, I had to make a few very minor trims to the Italian Director’s Cut to have the original English audio sync correctly. The goal was to adhere to the Italian cut as much as possible while using as much of the English dialogue as possible. No edit was made that doesn’t correspond to either the Italian or American cut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an_7OWnW6wE
ANOTHER RIGHT WING WHITE RACIST IDIOT
Australian PM Scott Morrison Says There Was ‘No Slavery In Australia', Instantly Gets Dragged On Twitter
Australian PM Scott Morrison Says There Was ‘No Slavery In Australia', Instantly Gets Dragged On Twitter
"Blackfullas worked for free, for the love of it." Bit of sun, bit of air, bit of a chain around your neck, bit of a stolen wage.
By Carly Williams
HUFFPOST
By Carly Williams
HUFFPOST
AUSTRALIA
Scott Morrison Says There Was ‘No Slavery In Australia', Instantly Gets Dragged On Twitter
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison drew strong criticism after he said that “there was no slavery in Australia” during a discussion of the early days of British settlement, which he acknowledged was “pretty brutal.”
He told Sydney radio: “While slave ships continued to travel around the world, when Australia was established, sure it was a pretty brutal settlement ... but there was no slavery in Australia.”
Historians, First Nations activists and a number of lawmakers called the PM out on the factually incorrect comments.
Sharman Stone, a former federal lawmaker turned politics professor at Monash University said, “Slavery of Indigenous, men, women and children is well documented in a series of State government inquiries, in particular in the WA Royal Commission into the conditions of Natives, 1904, but also in 1913, 1929 in SA and Commonwealth parliamentary papers.”
Slaves in Australia were made to work in the pearling, fishing, the pastoral industries or provide domestic labour.
“The capturing of labour from the Pacific to work in Queensland cane fields is also well documented,” Stone said.
“Denial of slavery in Australia is akin to denial of the Stolen Generations. Now is the time for all Australians to learn, understand and acknowledge its history.”
Rapper Briggs scoffed at the PM’s statements.
“Blackfullas worked for free, for the love of it. Bit of sun, bit of air, bit of a chain around your neck, bit of a stolen wage,” he Tweeted.
When @ScottMorrisonMP finally cracks open the history books.... pic.twitter.com/0GivpmTqVw— Senator Briggs (@Briggs) June 12, 2020
There wasn’t Slavery in Australia. Blackfullas worked for free, for the love of it. Bit of sun, bit of air, bit of a chain around your neck, bit of a stolen wage.— Senator Briggs (@Briggs) June 11, 2020
Labor Senator for the Northern Territory Malarndirri McCarthy told ABC News Breakfast on Friday that the PM needed to get out more.
“This is a big country and there are so many things that need to be understood. And truth-telling begins with telling all those stories,” she said.
Meanwhile Bruce Pascoe, the award-winning author of “Dark Emu” condemned Morrison’s comments.
“When you capture people, and put chains around their necks, and make them walk 300 kilometres and then set them to work on cattle stations, what’s that called?”
Many others on Twitter called out Morrison with some inviting him to sugar cane regions of Queensland to work for free.
“There was no slavery in Australia.” Scott Morrison, 11.06.2020.
What would you call this, then ? pic.twitter.com/gUfFnQbskj— Mike Carlton (@MikeCarlton01) June 11, 2020
Morrison said on 2GB slavery has never existed in Australia. Wow, he obviously doesn’t know his history. Aboriginal slavery, foreign workers, sex slavery, it still exists today. Open your eyes foolish man. @scottmorrisonmp#auspol— Eddy Jokovich (@EddyJokovich) June 11, 2020
Hopefully the world will take note that the Australian PM Scott Morrison is a disgusting racist POS just like Trump, pretending Aus does not have a disgraceful history of slavery among Indigenous people and South Pacific Islanders.https://t.co/ewXe257J5xpic.twitter.com/aa5116v4wT— DEMAND action to curb climate change 🦐🦀 (@Greg_MarineLab) June 11, 2020
Kidnapped, ripped from the arms of their loved ones and forced into back-breaking labour: The brutal reality of life as a Kanaka worker - but Scott Morrison claims 'there was no slavery in Australia' @wgarnewshttps://t.co/ZvUb5t2FSypic.twitter.com/bP8UBqpI81— lynlinking (@lynlinking) June 11, 2020
Scott Morrison's 'no slavery' comment prompts descendants to invite him to sugar cane regions I think he needs to refrain do a public apology for that comment."I'd like to see him come up here .sit with the South Sea Islander elders to hear their storieshttps://t.co/7YVKMmnd64pic.twitter.com/OTYfjRjuBV— lynlinking (@lynlinking) June 12, 2020
.@ScottMorrisonMP No slavery in Australia? I guess these guys were just getting on the beers with the boys? Give me a fucking break. pic.twitter.com/b7SJ4Gh8hC— Jordan Berlyn (@jordanberlyn) June 12, 2020
If @ScottMorrisonMP wants to charge protestors because he thinks free speech is dangerous, then perhaps we should start by having him charged for denying the history of slavery in Australia - an act akin to denying the holocaust. #AusPol— Chas Davis (@czhdavis) June 11, 202
Carly WilliamsSenior Editor
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison drew strong criticism after he said that “there was no slavery in Australia” during a discussion of the early days of British settlement, which he acknowledged was “pretty brutal.”
He told Sydney radio: “While slave ships continued to travel around the world, when Australia was established, sure it was a pretty brutal settlement ... but there was no slavery in Australia.”
Historians, First Nations activists and a number of lawmakers called the PM out on the factually incorrect comments.
Sharman Stone, a former federal lawmaker turned politics professor at Monash University said, “Slavery of Indigenous, men, women and children is well documented in a series of State government inquiries, in particular in the WA Royal Commission into the conditions of Natives, 1904, but also in 1913, 1929 in SA and Commonwealth parliamentary papers.”
Slaves in Australia were made to work in the pearling, fishing, the pastoral industries or provide domestic labour.
“The capturing of labour from the Pacific to work in Queensland cane fields is also well documented,” Stone said.
“Denial of slavery in Australia is akin to denial of the Stolen Generations. Now is the time for all Australians to learn, understand and acknowledge its history.”
Rapper Briggs scoffed at the PM’s statements.
“Blackfullas worked for free, for the love of it. Bit of sun, bit of air, bit of a chain around your neck, bit of a stolen wage,” he Tweeted.
When @ScottMorrisonMP finally cracks open the history books.... pic.twitter.com/0GivpmTqVw— Senator Briggs (@Briggs) June 12, 2020
There wasn’t Slavery in Australia. Blackfullas worked for free, for the love of it. Bit of sun, bit of air, bit of a chain around your neck, bit of a stolen wage.— Senator Briggs (@Briggs) June 11, 2020
Labor Senator for the Northern Territory Malarndirri McCarthy told ABC News Breakfast on Friday that the PM needed to get out more.
“This is a big country and there are so many things that need to be understood. And truth-telling begins with telling all those stories,” she said.
Meanwhile Bruce Pascoe, the award-winning author of “Dark Emu” condemned Morrison’s comments.
“When you capture people, and put chains around their necks, and make them walk 300 kilometres and then set them to work on cattle stations, what’s that called?”
Many others on Twitter called out Morrison with some inviting him to sugar cane regions of Queensland to work for free.
“There was no slavery in Australia.” Scott Morrison, 11.06.2020.
What would you call this, then ? pic.twitter.com/gUfFnQbskj— Mike Carlton (@MikeCarlton01) June 11, 2020
Morrison said on 2GB slavery has never existed in Australia. Wow, he obviously doesn’t know his history. Aboriginal slavery, foreign workers, sex slavery, it still exists today. Open your eyes foolish man. @scottmorrisonmp#auspol— Eddy Jokovich (@EddyJokovich) June 11, 2020
Hopefully the world will take note that the Australian PM Scott Morrison is a disgusting racist POS just like Trump, pretending Aus does not have a disgraceful history of slavery among Indigenous people and South Pacific Islanders.https://t.co/ewXe257J5xpic.twitter.com/aa5116v4wT— DEMAND action to curb climate change 🦐🦀 (@Greg_MarineLab) June 11, 2020
Kidnapped, ripped from the arms of their loved ones and forced into back-breaking labour: The brutal reality of life as a Kanaka worker - but Scott Morrison claims 'there was no slavery in Australia' @wgarnewshttps://t.co/ZvUb5t2FSypic.twitter.com/bP8UBqpI81— lynlinking (@lynlinking) June 11, 2020
Scott Morrison's 'no slavery' comment prompts descendants to invite him to sugar cane regions I think he needs to refrain do a public apology for that comment."I'd like to see him come up here .sit with the South Sea Islander elders to hear their storieshttps://t.co/7YVKMmnd64pic.twitter.com/OTYfjRjuBV— lynlinking (@lynlinking) June 12, 2020
.@ScottMorrisonMP No slavery in Australia? I guess these guys were just getting on the beers with the boys? Give me a fucking break. pic.twitter.com/b7SJ4Gh8hC— Jordan Berlyn (@jordanberlyn) June 12, 2020
If @ScottMorrisonMP wants to charge protestors because he thinks free speech is dangerous, then perhaps we should start by having him charged for denying the history of slavery in Australia - an act akin to denying the holocaust. #AusPol— Chas Davis (@czhdavis) June 11, 202
Carly WilliamsSenior Editor
Trump Administration Refuses To Disclose Which Businesses Received $500 Billion In Government Bailout
The move will prevent oversight of 4.5 million businesses that took a government Paycheck Protection Program loan. One critic called it "unconscionable, jaw-dropping corruption."
By Molly Redden
The Trump administration said on Wednesday that it plans to keep the identities of more than 4.5 million businesses that received a government bailout through the Paycheck Protection Program a secret.
The lack of transparency is a stark break from the past. Normally, the Small Business Administration discloses the names of borrowers from the program on which it based PPP, The Washington Post reports.
But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in testimony before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, said his department considered that information “proprietary” and “confidential.”
That secrecy extends even to internal attempts at government oversight. The Government Accountability Office, which is supposed to brief Congress on whether COVID-19 relief funds are being distributed as intended, says the Treasury has refused to give the agency the names of recipients.
“Unconscionable, jaw-dropping corruption,” tweeted Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, in response to the news.
The Paycheck Protection Program has distributed more than $500 billion in low-interest and forgivable loans and is part of the gigantic Congressional spending effort to rescue businesses from the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic.
PPP loans are intended for small businesses, many of which scarcely have the savings to weather a global economic downturn. Businesses that receive the loans have several months to defer payments, and the government will forgive large portions of the loans if a business uses the bulk of the money to keep workers on its payroll.
As the U.S. experiences record unemployment, Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have credited the program with staving off an even worse unemployment crisis.
But the program has also been plagued by design flaws and accusations of corruption.
The program doled out millions of dollars to dozens of large, publicly traded companies that didn’t qualify as small businesses or had other avenues for raising capital. Shake Shack, which in recent years was one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the country, received and return a loan worth $10 million.
The program also benefitted multiple companies with financial troubles that long predated the pandemic and executives which used the loans to shore up bonuses.
The Small Business Administration left it up to banks to determine who should receive loans, allowing some banks to prioritize their wealthiest clients. Meanwhile, mom-and-pop stores found themselves in a mad dash to apply before each round of money dried up.
“I can count on one hand — literally on one hand — the number of businesses in my district who have received assistance,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), who represents upper Manhattan, complained after the first round of loans.
Without adequate oversight, public watchdogs have noted, it would be easy for the money to follow existing trends of inequality.
“We need to know if there are racial or ethnic or gender implications of who got this money to understand its impact on inequality,” Amanda Fischer, policy director at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, told HuffPost in April.
To give more minority communities access to the loans, secondary rounds of the loan program set aside some money for small community banks.
But Republicans in Congress have resisted demands from Democrats to show where the bulk of the money is going.
Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) are now calling for all loans made under the program to be made public.
“Full transparency of PPP data is the only way to quickly and fairly show who is using this program to line their pockets,” Porter said in a statement.
Molly Redden
Senior Politics Reporter, HuffPost
The move will prevent oversight of 4.5 million businesses that took a government Paycheck Protection Program loan. One critic called it "unconscionable, jaw-dropping corruption."
By Molly Redden
The Trump administration said on Wednesday that it plans to keep the identities of more than 4.5 million businesses that received a government bailout through the Paycheck Protection Program a secret.
The lack of transparency is a stark break from the past. Normally, the Small Business Administration discloses the names of borrowers from the program on which it based PPP, The Washington Post reports.
But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in testimony before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, said his department considered that information “proprietary” and “confidential.”
That secrecy extends even to internal attempts at government oversight. The Government Accountability Office, which is supposed to brief Congress on whether COVID-19 relief funds are being distributed as intended, says the Treasury has refused to give the agency the names of recipients.
“Unconscionable, jaw-dropping corruption,” tweeted Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, in response to the news.
The Paycheck Protection Program has distributed more than $500 billion in low-interest and forgivable loans and is part of the gigantic Congressional spending effort to rescue businesses from the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic.
PPP loans are intended for small businesses, many of which scarcely have the savings to weather a global economic downturn. Businesses that receive the loans have several months to defer payments, and the government will forgive large portions of the loans if a business uses the bulk of the money to keep workers on its payroll.
As the U.S. experiences record unemployment, Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have credited the program with staving off an even worse unemployment crisis.
But the program has also been plagued by design flaws and accusations of corruption.
The program doled out millions of dollars to dozens of large, publicly traded companies that didn’t qualify as small businesses or had other avenues for raising capital. Shake Shack, which in recent years was one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in the country, received and return a loan worth $10 million.
The program also benefitted multiple companies with financial troubles that long predated the pandemic and executives which used the loans to shore up bonuses.
The Small Business Administration left it up to banks to determine who should receive loans, allowing some banks to prioritize their wealthiest clients. Meanwhile, mom-and-pop stores found themselves in a mad dash to apply before each round of money dried up.
“I can count on one hand — literally on one hand — the number of businesses in my district who have received assistance,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), who represents upper Manhattan, complained after the first round of loans.
Without adequate oversight, public watchdogs have noted, it would be easy for the money to follow existing trends of inequality.
“We need to know if there are racial or ethnic or gender implications of who got this money to understand its impact on inequality,” Amanda Fischer, policy director at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, told HuffPost in April.
To give more minority communities access to the loans, secondary rounds of the loan program set aside some money for small community banks.
But Republicans in Congress have resisted demands from Democrats to show where the bulk of the money is going.
Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) are now calling for all loans made under the program to be made public.
“Full transparency of PPP data is the only way to quickly and fairly show who is using this program to line their pockets,” Porter said in a statement.
Molly Redden
Senior Politics Reporter, HuffPost
AMERICAN PRIVATE HEALTHCARE
A 70-year-old man was hospitalized with COVID-19 for 62 days. Then he received a $1.1 million hospital bill, including over $80,000 for using a ventilator
A 70-year-old man was hospitalized with COVID-19 for 62 days. Then he received a $1.1 million hospital bill, including over $80,000 for using a ventilator
Connor Perrett, INSIDER•June 13, 2020
Nurses care for a patient with COVID-19 at a Seattle, Washington, hospital on May 7, 2020.
Karen Ducey/Getty Images
A man in Washington state who spent more than two months in the hospital and more than a month in the Intensive Care Unit with COVID-19 received a 181-page itemized bill that totals more than $1.1 million, The Seattle Times reported.
Michael Flor, 70, will likely foot little of the bill due to his being insured through Medicare, according to the report.
"I feel guilty about surviving," Flor told The Seattle Times. "There's a sense of 'why me?' Why did I deserve all this? Looking at the incredible cost of it all definitely adds to that survivor's guilt."
A 70-year-old man in Seattle, Washington, was hit with a $1.1 million 181-page long hospital bill following his more than two-month stay in a local hospital while he was treated for — and nearly died from — COVID-19.
"I opened it and said 'holy (expletive)!' " the patient, Michael Flor, who received the $1,122,501.04 bill told The Seattle Times.
He added: "I feel guilty about surviving. There's a sense of 'why me?' Why did I deserve all this? Looking at the incredible cost of it all definitely adds to that survivor's guilt."
According to the report, Flor will not have to pay for the majority of the charges because he has Medicare, which will foot the cost of most if not all of his COVID-19 treatment. The 70-year-old spent 62 days in the Swedish Medical Center in Issaquah, Washington, 42 days of which he spent isolated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Of the more than one month he spent in a sealed-off room in the ICU, Flor spent 29 days on a ventilator. According to the Seattle Times, a nurse on one occasion even helped him call his loved ones to say his final goodbyes, as he believed he was close to death from the virus.
While in the ICU, Flor was billed $9,736 each day; more than $80,000 of the bill is made up of charges incurred from his use of a ventilator, which cost $2,835 per day, according to the report. A two-day span of his stay in the hospital when his organs, including his kidneys, lungs, and heart began to fail, cost $100,000, according to the report.
In total, there are approximately 3,000 itemized charges on Flor's bill — about 50 charges for each day of his hospital stay, according to The Seattle Times. Flor will have to pay for little of the charges — including his Medicare Advantage policy's $6,000 out-of-pocket charges — due to $100 billion set aside by Congress to help hospitals and insurance companies offset the costs of COVID-19.
Flor is recovering in his home in West Seattle, according to the report.
Karen Ducey/Getty Images
A man in Washington state who spent more than two months in the hospital and more than a month in the Intensive Care Unit with COVID-19 received a 181-page itemized bill that totals more than $1.1 million, The Seattle Times reported.
Michael Flor, 70, will likely foot little of the bill due to his being insured through Medicare, according to the report.
"I feel guilty about surviving," Flor told The Seattle Times. "There's a sense of 'why me?' Why did I deserve all this? Looking at the incredible cost of it all definitely adds to that survivor's guilt."
A 70-year-old man in Seattle, Washington, was hit with a $1.1 million 181-page long hospital bill following his more than two-month stay in a local hospital while he was treated for — and nearly died from — COVID-19.
"I opened it and said 'holy (expletive)!' " the patient, Michael Flor, who received the $1,122,501.04 bill told The Seattle Times.
He added: "I feel guilty about surviving. There's a sense of 'why me?' Why did I deserve all this? Looking at the incredible cost of it all definitely adds to that survivor's guilt."
According to the report, Flor will not have to pay for the majority of the charges because he has Medicare, which will foot the cost of most if not all of his COVID-19 treatment. The 70-year-old spent 62 days in the Swedish Medical Center in Issaquah, Washington, 42 days of which he spent isolated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Of the more than one month he spent in a sealed-off room in the ICU, Flor spent 29 days on a ventilator. According to the Seattle Times, a nurse on one occasion even helped him call his loved ones to say his final goodbyes, as he believed he was close to death from the virus.
While in the ICU, Flor was billed $9,736 each day; more than $80,000 of the bill is made up of charges incurred from his use of a ventilator, which cost $2,835 per day, according to the report. A two-day span of his stay in the hospital when his organs, including his kidneys, lungs, and heart began to fail, cost $100,000, according to the report.
In total, there are approximately 3,000 itemized charges on Flor's bill — about 50 charges for each day of his hospital stay, according to The Seattle Times. Flor will have to pay for little of the charges — including his Medicare Advantage policy's $6,000 out-of-pocket charges — due to $100 billion set aside by Congress to help hospitals and insurance companies offset the costs of COVID-19.
Flor is recovering in his home in West Seattle, according to the report.
Canada indigenous chief Allan Adam battered during arrest
THIS HAPPENED IN ALBERTA HOME TO THE WHITE SUPREMACIST CHRISTIAN PARTY UCP AND ITS LEADER PREMIER KENNEY
BBC•June 13, 2020
Video of an indigenous chief's violent arrest has shocked Canada, turning a spotlight on systemic racism in the country's police force.
The footage shows Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam being floored and repeatedly punched by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.
The confrontation took place in Fort McMurray, Alberta, on 10 March.
Protests demanding police reform have spread across Canada recently after spilling over from the US.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for an independent investigation.⇓
What does the video show?
Before the public release of the footage on Thursday night, the local RCMP division said they had reviewed it and found the officer's actions "reasonable".
The incident begins when an RCMP officer approaches Mr Adam and his wife over an expired licence plate.
The nearly 12-minute-long video, recorded by a dashcam from the RCMP officer's vehicle parked behind Mr Adam's lorry in a casino car park, begins with Mr Adam having a tense and profanity-laden discussion with the officer.
"I'm tired of being harassed by the RCMP," he says.
Mr Adam and the officer continue to have a heated argument. At about the 4:45 mark, the officer tries to arrest his wife, twisting her arm behind her back until she says: "Ow!"
That is when Mr Adam gets out again, shouting: "Leave my wife alone!" He pushes the officer away. Everyone gets back in the vehicle.
Backup is called, and Mr Adam gets out of the lorry. The officer begins to arrest him, and Mr Adam says "don't touch me", using an expletive. That is when a second officer runs at him full speed, knocks him down, and repeatedly punches him while shouting: "Don't resist."
The incident is being investigated by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, which oversees incidents involving police where someone is hurt.
What do Allan Adam and his lawyer say?
Mr Adam told Canadian media: "Because we are a minority and nobody speaks up for us, every time our people do wrong and the RCMP go and make their call, they always seem to use excessive force.
"And that has to stop. And enough is enough."
Mr Adam's lawyer Brian Beresh wants his client's charges, which include assaulting an officer and resisting arrest, to be dropped. Mr Adam is next due in court on 2 July.
Mr Beresh has practised law for 44 years, and says police violence against indigenous people has been a constant issue.
"I've seen this from the first day I've started to practise," he told the BBC.
"I'd like there to be some positive action taken by the RCMP, in terms of how they can prevent this from happening again. If this can happen with my client who's a respected chief, what about the First Nations person who is living on the street, who doesn't have my client's standing?"
The final straw
Analysis by Robin Levinson King, BBC News, Toronto
This video comes not so much as a surprise, but as a final straw to those who have for years been demanding an end to systemic racism and police brutality.
Over the past two weeks, thousands of Canadians have marched in mostly peaceful protests held in cities across the country for the Black Lives Matter movement. While the protests may have been sparked by the death of George Floyd in the US, the Canadians marching have been clear to say that systemic racism is not just an American problem.
In addition to Mr Adam's arrest, the recent deaths in police custody of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a black woman in Toronto, and Chantel Moore, an indigenous woman New Brunswick, have become touchstones in the wider discussion about race and policing in Canada, which has included calls to defund police.
Although Canada is often praised for its politeness and multiculturalism, especially in comparison to the US, it has its own legacy of violence and oppression of indigenous and black people to contend with - a legacy which continues to have ramifications today.
While only 5% of the population is indigenous, indigenous people make up about a third of the prison population. Last November, the Globe and Mail published an analysis that showed that indigenous people made up a third of deaths in police custody.
While most Canadian police forces do not track race-based data, media reports find that black Canadians are also more likely be stopped by police and experience police violence.
What is the political reaction?
Calls for an end to racial injustice are gaining traction. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday he has "serious questions" after watching the video.
"We have all now seen the shocking video of Chief Adam's arrest and we must get to the bottom of this," he said. "The independent investigation must be transparent and be carried out so that we get answers."
Video Transcript
JUSTIN TRUDEAU: The events that have been brought to light over the past days highlight that without question, there is systemic discrimination within our institutions, including within the RCMP.
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday demanded answers after he viewed a newly released dash cam video that shows a Royal Canadian Mounted Police arresting a prominent indigenous leader. In the video from March 10, Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan first nation accuses an officer of harassing him.
About seven minutes into the video, an officer tackles Adam to the grounds. An officer then punches Adam in the face. Adam alleges police beat him up during the incident involving an expired license plate in Fort McMurray, Alberta. He released a photo of his swollen and bloodied face. Then this video emerged after it was filed as a court exhibit.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU: I think everyone who's seen this video has serious questions about what exactly happened, about how it happened this way, and about that use of force that we saw. That's why we're calling for an independent transparent investigation that will get the answers to so many questions people are asking right now.
- The RCMP said officers used reasonable force after Adam resisted arrest. An independent agency has begun an investigation. Adam has been charged with resisting arrest and assaulting police.
He is due in court on July 2nd. People of indigenous descent account for just under 5% of Canada's population. Many live in communities hit by crime, ill health, and poverty. Complaints about police discrimination are widespread.
Canadian PM Trudeau condemns ‘shocking’ police video of aboriginal chief arrestRob Gillies, Associated Press, PA Media: World News•June 12, 2020
Canadian PM Trudeau condemns ‘shocking’ police video of aboriginal chief arrestCanadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has said dashcam video of the violent arrest of a Canadian aboriginal chief is shocking and that black Canadians and indigenous people do not feel safe around police.
The arrest has received attention in Canada as a backlash against racism grows worldwide after the death of George Floyd after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee to his neck.
A 12-minute police video shows an officer charging at Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam with his arm and elbow up as he tackles him to the ground. It also shows the officer punching him in the head
BREAKING NEWS: Dash-cam footage obtained by CTV News shows Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam getting tackled by Wood Buffalo RCMP officers, then punched in the head and put in a choke-hold. #cdnpoli #RCMP pic.twitter.com/NKJeapPzDN
Rosa Hwang (@journorosa) June 12, 2020
Mr Trudeau called the video “shocking”, and said: “I have serious questions about what happened. The independent investigation must be transparent and be carried out so that we get answers.
“At the same time, though, we also know that this is not an isolated incident. Far too many black Canadians and indigenous people do not feel safe around police. It’s unacceptable. And as governments, we have to change that.”
Pictures show Mr Adam was left bloodied with his face swollen. Alberta’s police watchdog is investigating.
Police charged Mr Adam with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.
The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police dashcam video was released publicly as part of a court application to get criminal charges against Mr Adam removed.
The video earlier showed a different officer approaching Mr Adam’s truck outside a casino in Fort McMurray, Alberta, early on the morning of March 10. Police have said the truck had expired licence plates.
The video shows him getting in and out of the vehicle, removing his coat and taking a karate-like stance and using expletives as he complains about being harassed by police. His wife and niece get in between Mr Adam and the officer at times.
I'm raising money for Legal Costs – Chief Allan Adam. Click to Donate: https://t.co/cSe2TTmj7x via @gofundme
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (@ACFN_KaiTaile) June 12, 2020
His lawyer, Brian Beresh, has filed a court motion to have criminal charges dropped over violation of Mr Adam’s constitutional rights.
“All of this resulted from an expired licence plate tag. The video speaks for itself,” Mr Beresh said in a statement.
Mr Trudeau has said the issue of systemic racism in policing is longstanding and needs addressing.
Mr Adam held a news conference last weekend to talk about excessive force and racism. He has noted that although aboriginals represent 5% of Canada’s population, they make up to 30% of the prison population.
Opposition Conservative leader Andrew Scheer said he was troubled by the video.
“It’s very difficult to watch,” he said. “I found it very troubling and very worrying. The events of the last few days and weeks have ignited a very important conversation about the use of excessive force.”
The RCMP said in a statement that the video had been reviewed by supervisors and “it was determined that the members’ actions were reasonable and did not meet the threshold for an external investigation”.
The statement from the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation called for the officers involved to be punished and criminal charges brought.
THIS HAPPENED IN ALBERTA HOME TO THE WHITE SUPREMACIST CHRISTIAN PARTY UCP AND ITS LEADER PREMIER KENNEY
BBC•June 13, 2020
Video of an indigenous chief's violent arrest has shocked Canada, turning a spotlight on systemic racism in the country's police force.
The footage shows Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam being floored and repeatedly punched by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer.
The confrontation took place in Fort McMurray, Alberta, on 10 March.
Protests demanding police reform have spread across Canada recently after spilling over from the US.
Although RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki initially said she "can't say for sure" PATHETIC whether systemic racism is a problem with the police, on Friday afternoon she released a statement saying "systemic racism is part of every institution, the RCMP included". "Throughout our history and today, we have not always treated racialized and Indigenous people fairly," she wrote.
THE RCMP ARE A MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL FORCE, THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO INDIAN LANDS WEST OF THE OTTAWA VALLEY, FOR THE RAILROADS.SEE MY http://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2005/07/rebel-yell.html
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for an independent investigation.⇓
What does the video show?
Before the public release of the footage on Thursday night, the local RCMP division said they had reviewed it and found the officer's actions "reasonable".
The incident begins when an RCMP officer approaches Mr Adam and his wife over an expired licence plate.
The nearly 12-minute-long video, recorded by a dashcam from the RCMP officer's vehicle parked behind Mr Adam's lorry in a casino car park, begins with Mr Adam having a tense and profanity-laden discussion with the officer.
"I'm tired of being harassed by the RCMP," he says.
Mr Adam and the officer continue to have a heated argument. At about the 4:45 mark, the officer tries to arrest his wife, twisting her arm behind her back until she says: "Ow!"
That is when Mr Adam gets out again, shouting: "Leave my wife alone!" He pushes the officer away. Everyone gets back in the vehicle.
Backup is called, and Mr Adam gets out of the lorry. The officer begins to arrest him, and Mr Adam says "don't touch me", using an expletive. That is when a second officer runs at him full speed, knocks him down, and repeatedly punches him while shouting: "Don't resist."
The incident is being investigated by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, which oversees incidents involving police where someone is hurt.
What do Allan Adam and his lawyer say?
Mr Adam told Canadian media: "Because we are a minority and nobody speaks up for us, every time our people do wrong and the RCMP go and make their call, they always seem to use excessive force.
"And that has to stop. And enough is enough."
Mr Adam's lawyer Brian Beresh wants his client's charges, which include assaulting an officer and resisting arrest, to be dropped. Mr Adam is next due in court on 2 July.
Mr Beresh has practised law for 44 years, and says police violence against indigenous people has been a constant issue.
"I've seen this from the first day I've started to practise," he told the BBC.
"I'd like there to be some positive action taken by the RCMP, in terms of how they can prevent this from happening again. If this can happen with my client who's a respected chief, what about the First Nations person who is living on the street, who doesn't have my client's standing?"
The final straw
Analysis by Robin Levinson King, BBC News, Toronto
This video comes not so much as a surprise, but as a final straw to those who have for years been demanding an end to systemic racism and police brutality.
Over the past two weeks, thousands of Canadians have marched in mostly peaceful protests held in cities across the country for the Black Lives Matter movement. While the protests may have been sparked by the death of George Floyd in the US, the Canadians marching have been clear to say that systemic racism is not just an American problem.
In addition to Mr Adam's arrest, the recent deaths in police custody of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a black woman in Toronto, and Chantel Moore, an indigenous woman New Brunswick, have become touchstones in the wider discussion about race and policing in Canada, which has included calls to defund police.
Although Canada is often praised for its politeness and multiculturalism, especially in comparison to the US, it has its own legacy of violence and oppression of indigenous and black people to contend with - a legacy which continues to have ramifications today.
While only 5% of the population is indigenous, indigenous people make up about a third of the prison population. Last November, the Globe and Mail published an analysis that showed that indigenous people made up a third of deaths in police custody.
While most Canadian police forces do not track race-based data, media reports find that black Canadians are also more likely be stopped by police and experience police violence.
What is the political reaction?
Calls for an end to racial injustice are gaining traction. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday he has "serious questions" after watching the video.
"We have all now seen the shocking video of Chief Adam's arrest and we must get to the bottom of this," he said. "The independent investigation must be transparent and be carried out so that we get answers."
BLM protest in Ottawa
Last week, he marched in a Black Lives Matter protest and has said Canada has a problem with systemic racism "in all our institutions, including in all our police forces, including in the RCMP".
Black in Canada: 10 stories
Canada 'complicit in race-based genocide' of indigenous women
But Mr Trudeau also faces serious criticism both personally and politically, especially after photos surfaced during last autumn's election campaign of him in black face.
He has also been under scrutiny for not making greater strides at indigenous reconciliation.
Last year, a government report into murdered and missing indigenous women found that Canada was complicit in "race-based genocide" against indigenous women. Many of the report's recommendations have yet to be implemented.
Trudeau has 'serious questions' on arrest videoReuters Videos•June 12, 202039 Comments
"The events that have been brought to light over the past days highlight, without question, there is systemic discrimination within our institutions, including the RCMP."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday demanded answers, after he viewed a newly released dashcam video that shows Royal Canadian Mounted Police arresting a prominent indigenous leader.
In the video from March 10, Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation accuses an officer of harassing him.
About 7 minutes into the video, an officer tackles Adam to the ground.
An officer then punches Adam in the face.
Adam alleges police beat him up during the incident involving an expired license plate in Fort McMurry, Alberta.
He released a photo of his swollen and bloodied face.
Then - this video emerged after it was filed as a court exhibit.
“I think everyone who has seen this video has serious questions about what exactly happened, about how it happened this way and about that use of force that we saw. That’s why we’re calling for an independent, transparent investigation that will get the answers that so many people are asking right now.”
The RCMP said officers used reasonable force after Adam resisted arrest.
An independent agency has begun an investigation.
Adam has been charged with resisting arrest and assaulting police. He is due in court on July 2.
People of indigenous descent account for just under 5 percent of Canada’s population. Many live in communities hit by crime, ill-health and poverty. Complaints about police discrimination are widespread.
Last week, he marched in a Black Lives Matter protest and has said Canada has a problem with systemic racism "in all our institutions, including in all our police forces, including in the RCMP".
Black in Canada: 10 stories
Canada 'complicit in race-based genocide' of indigenous women
But Mr Trudeau also faces serious criticism both personally and politically, especially after photos surfaced during last autumn's election campaign of him in black face.
He has also been under scrutiny for not making greater strides at indigenous reconciliation.
Last year, a government report into murdered and missing indigenous women found that Canada was complicit in "race-based genocide" against indigenous women. Many of the report's recommendations have yet to be implemented.
Trudeau has 'serious questions' on arrest videoReuters Videos•June 12, 202039 Comments
"The events that have been brought to light over the past days highlight, without question, there is systemic discrimination within our institutions, including the RCMP."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday demanded answers, after he viewed a newly released dashcam video that shows Royal Canadian Mounted Police arresting a prominent indigenous leader.
In the video from March 10, Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation accuses an officer of harassing him.
About 7 minutes into the video, an officer tackles Adam to the ground.
An officer then punches Adam in the face.
Adam alleges police beat him up during the incident involving an expired license plate in Fort McMurry, Alberta.
He released a photo of his swollen and bloodied face.
Then - this video emerged after it was filed as a court exhibit.
“I think everyone who has seen this video has serious questions about what exactly happened, about how it happened this way and about that use of force that we saw. That’s why we’re calling for an independent, transparent investigation that will get the answers that so many people are asking right now.”
The RCMP said officers used reasonable force after Adam resisted arrest.
An independent agency has begun an investigation.
Adam has been charged with resisting arrest and assaulting police. He is due in court on July 2.
People of indigenous descent account for just under 5 percent of Canada’s population. Many live in communities hit by crime, ill-health and poverty. Complaints about police discrimination are widespread.
Video Transcript
JUSTIN TRUDEAU: The events that have been brought to light over the past days highlight that without question, there is systemic discrimination within our institutions, including within the RCMP.
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday demanded answers after he viewed a newly released dash cam video that shows a Royal Canadian Mounted Police arresting a prominent indigenous leader. In the video from March 10, Chief Allan Adam of Athabasca Chipewyan first nation accuses an officer of harassing him.
About seven minutes into the video, an officer tackles Adam to the grounds. An officer then punches Adam in the face. Adam alleges police beat him up during the incident involving an expired license plate in Fort McMurray, Alberta. He released a photo of his swollen and bloodied face. Then this video emerged after it was filed as a court exhibit.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU: I think everyone who's seen this video has serious questions about what exactly happened, about how it happened this way, and about that use of force that we saw. That's why we're calling for an independent transparent investigation that will get the answers to so many questions people are asking right now.
- The RCMP said officers used reasonable force after Adam resisted arrest. An independent agency has begun an investigation. Adam has been charged with resisting arrest and assaulting police.
He is due in court on July 2nd. People of indigenous descent account for just under 5% of Canada's population. Many live in communities hit by crime, ill health, and poverty. Complaints about police discrimination are widespread.
Canadian PM Trudeau condemns ‘shocking’ police video of aboriginal chief arrestRob Gillies, Associated Press, PA Media: World News•June 12, 2020
Canadian PM Trudeau condemns ‘shocking’ police video of aboriginal chief arrestCanadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has said dashcam video of the violent arrest of a Canadian aboriginal chief is shocking and that black Canadians and indigenous people do not feel safe around police.
The arrest has received attention in Canada as a backlash against racism grows worldwide after the death of George Floyd after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee to his neck.
A 12-minute police video shows an officer charging at Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam with his arm and elbow up as he tackles him to the ground. It also shows the officer punching him in the head
BREAKING NEWS: Dash-cam footage obtained by CTV News shows Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam getting tackled by Wood Buffalo RCMP officers, then punched in the head and put in a choke-hold. #cdnpoli #RCMP pic.twitter.com/NKJeapPzDN
Rosa Hwang (@journorosa) June 12, 2020
Mr Trudeau called the video “shocking”, and said: “I have serious questions about what happened. The independent investigation must be transparent and be carried out so that we get answers.
“At the same time, though, we also know that this is not an isolated incident. Far too many black Canadians and indigenous people do not feel safe around police. It’s unacceptable. And as governments, we have to change that.”
Pictures show Mr Adam was left bloodied with his face swollen. Alberta’s police watchdog is investigating.
Police charged Mr Adam with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.
The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police dashcam video was released publicly as part of a court application to get criminal charges against Mr Adam removed.
The video earlier showed a different officer approaching Mr Adam’s truck outside a casino in Fort McMurray, Alberta, early on the morning of March 10. Police have said the truck had expired licence plates.
The video shows him getting in and out of the vehicle, removing his coat and taking a karate-like stance and using expletives as he complains about being harassed by police. His wife and niece get in between Mr Adam and the officer at times.
I'm raising money for Legal Costs – Chief Allan Adam. Click to Donate: https://t.co/cSe2TTmj7x via @gofundme
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (@ACFN_KaiTaile) June 12, 2020
His lawyer, Brian Beresh, has filed a court motion to have criminal charges dropped over violation of Mr Adam’s constitutional rights.
“All of this resulted from an expired licence plate tag. The video speaks for itself,” Mr Beresh said in a statement.
Mr Trudeau has said the issue of systemic racism in policing is longstanding and needs addressing.
Mr Adam held a news conference last weekend to talk about excessive force and racism. He has noted that although aboriginals represent 5% of Canada’s population, they make up to 30% of the prison population.
Opposition Conservative leader Andrew Scheer said he was troubled by the video.
“It’s very difficult to watch,” he said. “I found it very troubling and very worrying. The events of the last few days and weeks have ignited a very important conversation about the use of excessive force.”
The RCMP said in a statement that the video had been reviewed by supervisors and “it was determined that the members’ actions were reasonable and did not meet the threshold for an external investigation”.
The statement from the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation called for the officers involved to be punished and criminal charges brought.
The Dow crashes more than 1,800 points out of nowhere — here's one reason why
https://news.yahoo.com/the-dow-crashes-more-than-1700-points-out-of-nowhere-heres-one-reason-why-193300504.html
The Dow Fell 1505 Points for the Week. Why Investors Shouldn’t Fret.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1505.44 points, or 5.6%, to 25,605.54 this past week, its worst weekly performance since the third week in March, when circuit breakers were triggered multiple times. It would have been worse except that the benchmark followed a Thursday drop of 1,862 points, or 6.9%, with a Friday rebound that almost lost steam before stocks surged into the close. After rising to three straight record highs, the Nasdaq Composite closed the week down 2.3%, at 9588.81, while the S&P 500 lost 4.8%, to 3041.31, and the Russell 2000 tumbled 7.9%, to 1387.68
Chile's health minister resigns as pandemic hits hard
AFP•June 13, 2020
A worker checks the temperature of a customer outside a supermarket in Valparaiso on June 12 as the city went under quarantine (AFP Photo/ADRIANA THOMASA CARBALLO)
Santiago (AFP) - Chile's health minister resigned Saturday amid controversy over the country's official coronavirus death toll, as the pandemic hits the nation hard despite quarantine measures in the capital for more than a month.
The departure of Jaime Manalich was announced by President Sebastian Pinera.
The government says publicly that the health crisis has claimed more than 3,000 lives.
On Saturday, however, a report revealed that Chile had informed the World Health Organization that the country's coronavirus death toll was actually more than 5,000.
The report was by an investigative journalism organization called CIPER which obtained a copy of documentation in which the health ministry told the WHO about the toll.
Publication of the information followed a week in which criticism of Manalich intensified after the ministry changed the way it tallies COVID-19 deaths. Many epidemiologists said the changes made no sense.
Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza said the higher figure is accurate and stems from the new and different tabulation methodology.
On Friday Chile set a record for new infections and deaths over a 24 hour period -- 6,754 and 222, respectively.
"The situation in our country continues to rise, above all in the metropolitan region," health ministry official Arturo Zuniga said Friday.
Infections have risen steadily in the South American copper giant despite the capital Santiago and its seven million people being placed on lockdown more than a month ago.
On Friday, the government also put the cities of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar under mandatory quarantine, along with nearby rural towns.
The quarantine orders mean that nearly half of Chile's population of 18 million is under strict confinement.
As of Saturday Chile has officially reported 167,355 cases of infection and 3,101 deaths.
AFP•June 13, 2020
A worker checks the temperature of a customer outside a supermarket in Valparaiso on June 12 as the city went under quarantine (AFP Photo/ADRIANA THOMASA CARBALLO)
Santiago (AFP) - Chile's health minister resigned Saturday amid controversy over the country's official coronavirus death toll, as the pandemic hits the nation hard despite quarantine measures in the capital for more than a month.
The departure of Jaime Manalich was announced by President Sebastian Pinera.
The government says publicly that the health crisis has claimed more than 3,000 lives.
On Saturday, however, a report revealed that Chile had informed the World Health Organization that the country's coronavirus death toll was actually more than 5,000.
The report was by an investigative journalism organization called CIPER which obtained a copy of documentation in which the health ministry told the WHO about the toll.
Publication of the information followed a week in which criticism of Manalich intensified after the ministry changed the way it tallies COVID-19 deaths. Many epidemiologists said the changes made no sense.
Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza said the higher figure is accurate and stems from the new and different tabulation methodology.
On Friday Chile set a record for new infections and deaths over a 24 hour period -- 6,754 and 222, respectively.
"The situation in our country continues to rise, above all in the metropolitan region," health ministry official Arturo Zuniga said Friday.
Infections have risen steadily in the South American copper giant despite the capital Santiago and its seven million people being placed on lockdown more than a month ago.
On Friday, the government also put the cities of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar under mandatory quarantine, along with nearby rural towns.
The quarantine orders mean that nearly half of Chile's population of 18 million is under strict confinement.
As of Saturday Chile has officially reported 167,355 cases of infection and 3,101 deaths.
Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters gather in Trafalgar Square against police brutality and racism
April Roach Evening Standard FRIDAY 12 June 2020
Black Lives Matter supporters are seen on the roof of a van during a rally in Trafalgar Square: Getty Images
Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square today after marching through central London in the pouring rain against racism and police brutality.
Dozens of activists wearing face coverings and waving signs reading “Enough is Enough” were seen making speeches in Trafalgar Square.
One speaker said the fact they had turned up despite the weather shows “genuine commitment” and urged the supporters to continue their demonstrations.
The demonstrators were urged to “stay calm” if they encountered any counter-rallies as they marched from Hyde Park.
Leaders of the march told others involved to make their demonstration “peaceful” and to not join any anti-racism rallies planned for the weekend, fearing violence would damage their cause.
Hundreds of campaigners surrounded Nelson’s Column before 5pm after walking from Hyde Park, as around two dozen police officers watched on.
They marched behind a van branded with the clenched fist emblem, holding up traffic along the way.
In Hyde Park the racial justice protesters chanted, held banners and performed a two-minute silence to raise awareness of black people oppressed around the world, during which they raised a clenched fist in the air.
At one point, around 20 police officers moved through large crowds of peaceful protesters sitting on the grass to seize a pair of demonstrators and escort them to nearby police vans.
The officers were booed as they moved to detain the two Black Lives Matter protesters.
Two men arrested by a swarm of officers were wanted for unrelated matters, City of London Police has said.
A protester wears a mask in the style of one worn by 17th century plague doctors during the rally in Trafalgar Square (AP)More
Footage of the arrest, which was undertaken by about a dozen Met Officers on behalf of City of London Police, was circulated on social media.
A spokeswoman for City of London Police said: “The individuals arrested by the Metropolitan Police today are wanted by the City of London Police for matters unrelated to their activity at any of the Black Lives Matter protests.
“As it is an ongoing police investigation we can’t provide any more details.”
Friday's protest came after BLM London organisers cancelled protests planned for today and Saturday due to fears Right Wing groups would infiltrate the protests.
They also said poor planning and a lack of consideration for public safety was why they were advising protesters not to attend the scheduled events.
The Democratic Football Lads Alliance called on supporters to travel to London to protect monuments after a number were vandalised in recent protests.
Last weekend saw demonstrators clash with police in London, while in Bristol a statue of slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down and dumped in the city’s harbour.
An elderly Irish man sits with a Black Lives Matter protester in Parliament Square on June 12 (Getty Images)
Metropolitan Police said it was ready to tackle violence directed at police or property following disorder at anti-racism protests last weekend.
Commander Bas Javid said: “We will learn from what happened last weekend. It’s accepted that a very, very small minority of people were intent on causing and engaging in violence.
“We absolutely don’t condone that, violence of any kind, particularly against police officers, particularly against property, and we’ll be ready for that."
Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford said he agreed with the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan that protesters should stay at home.
“I always said that I completely understand and share the outrage that underpins the Black Lives Matter protests,” Mr Drakeford said.
“But there are ways in which people can make their concerns known that do not involve breaking the law and putting yourself and other people in danger from coronavirus.”
Read more
Premier League players to wear 'Black Lives Matter' on shirts
Black Lives Matter unveil Westminster billboard to 'expose UK racism'
BLM London organisers call off protest amid fears of clashes
April Roach Evening Standard FRIDAY 12 June 2020
Black Lives Matter supporters are seen on the roof of a van during a rally in Trafalgar Square: Getty Images
Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square today after marching through central London in the pouring rain against racism and police brutality.
Dozens of activists wearing face coverings and waving signs reading “Enough is Enough” were seen making speeches in Trafalgar Square.
One speaker said the fact they had turned up despite the weather shows “genuine commitment” and urged the supporters to continue their demonstrations.
The demonstrators were urged to “stay calm” if they encountered any counter-rallies as they marched from Hyde Park.
Leaders of the march told others involved to make their demonstration “peaceful” and to not join any anti-racism rallies planned for the weekend, fearing violence would damage their cause.
Hundreds of campaigners surrounded Nelson’s Column before 5pm after walking from Hyde Park, as around two dozen police officers watched on.
They marched behind a van branded with the clenched fist emblem, holding up traffic along the way.
In Hyde Park the racial justice protesters chanted, held banners and performed a two-minute silence to raise awareness of black people oppressed around the world, during which they raised a clenched fist in the air.
At one point, around 20 police officers moved through large crowds of peaceful protesters sitting on the grass to seize a pair of demonstrators and escort them to nearby police vans.
The officers were booed as they moved to detain the two Black Lives Matter protesters.
Two men arrested by a swarm of officers were wanted for unrelated matters, City of London Police has said.
A protester wears a mask in the style of one worn by 17th century plague doctors during the rally in Trafalgar Square (AP)More
Footage of the arrest, which was undertaken by about a dozen Met Officers on behalf of City of London Police, was circulated on social media.
A spokeswoman for City of London Police said: “The individuals arrested by the Metropolitan Police today are wanted by the City of London Police for matters unrelated to their activity at any of the Black Lives Matter protests.
“As it is an ongoing police investigation we can’t provide any more details.”
Friday's protest came after BLM London organisers cancelled protests planned for today and Saturday due to fears Right Wing groups would infiltrate the protests.
They also said poor planning and a lack of consideration for public safety was why they were advising protesters not to attend the scheduled events.
The Democratic Football Lads Alliance called on supporters to travel to London to protect monuments after a number were vandalised in recent protests.
Last weekend saw demonstrators clash with police in London, while in Bristol a statue of slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down and dumped in the city’s harbour.
An elderly Irish man sits with a Black Lives Matter protester in Parliament Square on June 12 (Getty Images)
Metropolitan Police said it was ready to tackle violence directed at police or property following disorder at anti-racism protests last weekend.
Commander Bas Javid said: “We will learn from what happened last weekend. It’s accepted that a very, very small minority of people were intent on causing and engaging in violence.
“We absolutely don’t condone that, violence of any kind, particularly against police officers, particularly against property, and we’ll be ready for that."
Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford said he agreed with the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan that protesters should stay at home.
“I always said that I completely understand and share the outrage that underpins the Black Lives Matter protests,” Mr Drakeford said.
“But there are ways in which people can make their concerns known that do not involve breaking the law and putting yourself and other people in danger from coronavirus.”
Read more
Premier League players to wear 'Black Lives Matter' on shirts
Black Lives Matter unveil Westminster billboard to 'expose UK racism'
BLM London organisers call off protest amid fears of clashes
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