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Thousands of people protesting after the death of George Floyd have descended on central London for a Black Lives Matter rally.
People gathering outside the US Embassy at the protest chanted for justice and took the knee in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.
It comes after violence in the capital on Saturday left 10 police officers injured and 14 people arrested, Met Police said.
Meanwhile in Bristol, protesters topped a statue of a 17th-century slave trader during a demonstration earlier today.
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Boris Johnson: ‘Black Lives Matter protests subverted by thuggery’
Evening StandardBoris Johnson said the anti-racism demonstrations had been “subverted by thuggery” following a day of protests across the UK. It came after thousands of protester joined Black Lives Matter demonstrations taking place in cities across the UK on Saturday and Sunday.
Protester attempts to pull flag at cenotaph
Bottles were thrown at police who caught someone trying to pull a flag at the Cenotaph in London at around 8.45pm.
The crowd shouted “no justice, no peace” as they moved down Whitehall and let off smoke bombs as a police helicopter buzzed overhead.
The crowd was much smaller than earlier in the day.
Boris Johnson says protests ‘subverted by thuggery’
Boris Johnson said the anti-racism demonstrations had been “subverted by thuggery” following a day of protests across the UK.
“People have a right to protest peacefully & while observing social distancing but they have no right to attack the police,” the Prime Minister tweeted.
“These demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery – and they are a betrayal of the cause they purport to serve.
“Those responsible will be held to account.”
Many concerned about lack of police action
Chicago lifts curfew
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has lifted Chicago’s curfew and the city has reopened downtown train stations and allowed full bus service to resume following days of protests that largely remained peaceful.
Lightfoot imposed the 9 p.m. curfew on May 30 during a night of unrest that included widespread vandalism and break-ins that followed peaceful protests earlier that day over the death of George Floyd.
Access to the Loop was limited to essential workers for days, with bridges over the Chicago River raised and streets blocked. Several hundred Illinois National Guard were brought into Chicago to enforce the limited access. The mayor announced the lifting of the curfew Sunday on Twitter.
Meanwhile, demonstrations over Floyd’s death and police brutality continued on Sunday, with hundreds gathering at an intersection on the city’s South Side.
More clashes between police and protesters in London
A police officer has been injured in London
Police investigating protesters for criminal damage
Police have launched an investigation after protesters in Bristol pulled down the controversial statue of a 17th Century slave trader.
The bronze memorial to Edward Colston, situated in the city centre since 1895, was torn down after crowds left the city’s College Green and later was dumped into Bristol harbour.
On Sunday, around 10,000 people took part in the Black Lives Matter demonstration, which was praised by Avon and Somerset police for being “peaceful and respectful”.
No arrest were made, but officers are now said to be collating footage of a “small group of people” who were filmed pulling down the statue with ropes, which police say amounted to criminal damage.
Edward Colston’s legacy has been debated for years in Bristol
Black Lives Matter banners used today to be kept by Bristol museum
Bristol City Council said banners left around the base of where the Edward Colston statue stood until earlier today will be preserved for display in the city’s M Shed museum.
Some protest attendees are wreaking havoc in Brussels
Twitter alive with debate on what to do with historic statues from the colonial era
Smoke bomb lit outside Downing Street
A large crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters remain outside Downing Street following today’s rally.
A smoke bomb has been lit and there are reports of bottles being thrown at officers standing guard, however the scene is still thought to be largely peaceful. This from Sky News’ Home Affairs Correspondent:
Twitter users are voting on a replacement for Edward Colston
Brussels protests turn violent
Thousands of protesters have now descended on Downing Street where they are chanting about Boris Johnson and reportedly urging the police to take the kneel.
However, the protests remain peaceful so far. Last night, following a large assembly of Black Lives Matter protesters in Whitehall, skirmishes erupted at about 6pm as riot police arrived on horses.
Priti Patel demands full investigation over ‘disgraceful’ toppling of Edward Colston statue
The Home Secretary said it was an “utterly disgraceful… act of public disorder” and “vandalism” and called for an investigation.
Avon and Somerset Police have confirmed that they have launched a formal probe into the incident.
Labour MPs tweet in solidarity with toppling of Edward Colston statue
Labour MPs have tweeted in solidarity with protesters who pulled down a statue of Edward Colston, a 17th century slave trader, in Bristol.
Clive Lewis, MP for Norwich South, wrote: “If statues of confederates who fought a war for slavery & white supremacy shld come down then why not this one?
“Someone responsible for immeasurable blood & suffering. We’ll never solve structural racism till we get to grips with our history in all its complexity.”
Dawn Butler, MP for Brent Central, quote-tweeted a video of the statue being thrown into the harbour, captioning her post with a clenched fist emoji and the words “This caused me to exhale”.
Belgium sees thousands participate in George Floyd protest
Several thousand people filled a large square in front of Brussels’ main courthouse to protest racism and the death of George Floyd.
The multiracial crowd that turned out for Sunday’s demonstration included many families with children. Many people wore masks, but it was too crowded for protesters to stick to social distancing guidance.
Protesters held up white roses and placards decrying racism, including one held up by a young black woman that read, “You think you are tired of hearing about racism? We are tired of experiencing it.”
Belgium media outlet RTBF reports that as well as the estimated 10,000 people who rallied in Brussels, smaller crowds also gathered in the cities of Anvers and Gand, where demonstrators observed a silence of 8 minutes and 46 seconds. That corresponds to the length of time that prosecutors say George Floyd was pinned by the neck under a white Minneapolis police officer’s knee before he died.
