The next Dublin Black Lives Matter demonstration, which was due to take place on June 8 outside the US Embassy, has been called off due to concerns around social distancing.
In a statement on Twitter, organisers said, “The protest will not continue due to fears of potential persecution. We ask that people do not any protests in their own interests. We will share details of alternative digital action.”
They added, “An Garda Siochana have not threatened or in any way attempted to intimidate the organisers, however, a number of safety concerns and potential criminal offences surrounding the protest were raised and we have elected to cancel with the possibility of rescheduling.”
The last Black Lives Matter demonstration in Dublin took place on Monday, June 1 and attracted thousands of people. Marching from O’Connell Street to the US Embassy in Ballsbridge, protestors chanted ‘black lives matter’ together as they made their way to the embassy.
The event was organised in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week. Floyd’s autopsy revealed he died of asphyxiation after police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee over Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8S1IOqvB7/
On Monday night, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar spoke out after the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter demonstration in Dublin.
Taking to Twitter, he said, “Racism is a virus that we have been fighting for millennia. Despite the progress we have made, it is no less virulent today and no less dangerous. We need to show solidarity as people of all races & backgrounds around the world come together to stop its spread and defeat it.”
Racism is a virus that we have been fighting for millennia. Despite the progress we have made, it is no less virulent today and no less dangerous. We need to show solidarity as people of all races & backgrounds around the world come together to stop its spread and defeat it.
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) June 1, 2020
As well as demonstrating, people in Ireland have been supporting the Black Lives Matter movement through donations and signing petitions. Find out more about that here.
READ NEXT: Five Netflix series you can watch to learn about racism and black oppression
