#BlackLivesMatter: Pictures & Videos That Capture The Essence Of Protests In The US

‘Please, I can’t breathe,’ begged George Floyd before he finally succumbed to police brutality on May 25, 2020. The man died then and there but his words continue to rock America as they materialise into the #BlackLivesMatter protests. And while Floyd’s desperate cries remind so many of Eric Garner, who met a similar end way back in 2014, the #BlackLivesMatter protestors right now fight for a future where police brutality doesn’t exist and someone’s skin colour doesn’t decide the value of their life in America. 

Since the beginning of the protests and a collective outrage across America, the four policemen responsible for Floyd’s killing have been charged, protests have gone way beyond Minneapolis. And as years of frustration finds a release, peaceful demonstrations have turned violent at many places. In the face of unyielding protests, the National Guard has been activated by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz meaning they can fight for the state or the president as and when the need arises. Meanwhile, POTUS Donald Trump has already threatened military action in case the violence doesn’t abate. 

#BlackLivesMatter brings out the brutality and subhuman treatment that a race has faced for centuries now. And with no intention of dismissing all the other forms of injustice that exist in the world, it is important for us to respect and recognise the movement of the hour, the voices that are being amplified in a given moment. It is vital for us to understand the intensity of what’s happening in America not just to support it, but take lessons from it to power our movements when they are finally conceived. To take you through the crux and the spirit of the #BlackLivesMatter protests, we have thus compiled a series of pictures and videos that summerise everything that has happened so far. Scroll through:  

Pain

Oppression

Solidarity

Truth

Strength

Hope

Facts

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Saying It Like It Should Be Said

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The Sly Technique Of Counter Discourses

Puncturing Through Skewed Narratives

Of Guns & Posters

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Social Distancing Through Coronavirus & The Biggest Pandemic

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Where Is The Love?

Harry Styles Sure Is A Stand Up Person

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Humanity Is All It Takes

An Image For History’s Sake

News 18

Other Side Of The Story

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Remember, Silence Is Violence!

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Lastly, it is important to understand that America, right now, is fighting against a humanitarian crisis. There are no two ways about it. Let us all support the movement as it finally rises.

Featured Image: Twitter