translated from Spanish: Protests against racism emerge in Paris and London

The riot police in Paris fired primrose gas on Saturday to disperse a largely peaceful but unauthorised protest against police brutality and entrenched racism, as French minorities increasingly reject a national doctrine of ethnic blindness that has failed to eradicate discrimination. In London, far-right activists and rioters struggled with the police as they sought to “safeguard” the historical monuments that have recently been targeted by anti-racist protesters for their ties to British slavery and colonialism. Events in the two European capitals reflected the global uproos of the death of African-American George Floyd in the United States and the consequent rebuke for racial injustice and historical mistakes. In both cities, protesters defied restrictions on public rallies to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Myriam Boycotton, 31 and originally from the French Caribbean island of Martinique, said she left in Paris on Saturday because she wants to “be heard.” Being visible is huge,” said Boicoulin, who is black and lives in the mainland of France. “I am constantly obliged to adapt, make concessions, not make fuss, in fact be almost white.” It’s the first time people have seen us,” he told The Associated Press. “Let us breathe.” Hours before the protest, Paris police ordered the closure of the newly opened restaurants and shops located along the march against police brutality and racism. The demonstration inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement took place between the Place de la République, in the east of the French capital, and the Ópera.Al minus 15,000 took part in a march in Paris led by supporters of Adama Traore, a black French man who died in police custody in 2016 in circumstances that are not yet clear despite four years of several autopsies. No one has been charged in the case.” We all demand the same thing: justice for all,” Traore’s sister Assa said during the demonstration. The demonstrators, of marked racial diversity, threw slogans while a small group of white-winged outright activists climbed through a building that overlooked the protests and unfurled a huge banner denouncing “anti-white racism.” The residents of the building opened their windows to rip off part of that banner, and one of them raised his fist in victory. The police prevented participants from the main march from approaching counter-test members, but did not stop the far-right activists until two hours later, further infendering those below. Riot police then threw tear gas and lashed out at a few uncontrolled members of the main protest, urging them to disperse. Hundreds of protesters laid a knee on the ground and remained so for hours despite police pressure. Protesters had initially planned to march from different parts of the city, but police decided to prevent them from passing by by raising concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. Similar protests were also held on Saturday in several cities in France, from Rouen, in Normandy, to Marseille in the Mediterranean.Some demonstrators were motivated by the French government’s response to the last two weeks of protests inspired by Floyd’s death banning police officers from taking someone by the neck and launching investigations into racist comments between policemen in private Facebook and Whatsapp groups. , a group sympathetic to the Black Lives Matter movement suspended the call for a demonstration scheduled for Saturday, claiming that it would be unsafe given the announced presence of counter-demonstrators. However, some demonstrators gathered in Hyde Park to denounce racism, as hundreds of far-right activists protested against it, despite strict police restrictions and warnings of staying home to contain the pandemic. Many participants of the far-right counter-demonstration gathered around a statue of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the Cenotaph Monument, who were surrounded by panels to protect them from possible acts of vandalism. Some activists threw bottles and cans at police officers, while others tried to break through police barriers. The riot agents on horseback pushed back the crowd. The protesters, who seemed to be in their mostly white men, chanted “England” and sang the national anthem.” I am extremely fed up with the way the authorities have allowed two consecutive weekends of vandalism against our national monuments,” Paul Golding, leader of the far-right group Britain First, told the Press Association agency. In turn, protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement continued saturday in Australia despite warning from health authorities, albeit on a significantly smaller scale than last weekend, when thousands of people took to the streets on the east coast. The largest mobilization was recorded in Perth, the state capital of Western Australia, where according to estimates by The Australian Broadcasting Corp. 5,000 people gathered to remember George Floyd and Aboriginal Australians who died in police custody.

Original source in Spanish