Catalogue Number
NMLH.2021.34
Object Name
Placard
Date
2020
Description
- This is a cardboard placard from the Black Lives Matter protests - these placards are most likely from 2020 or 2021.
- Mentions several issues, such racism in the USA, says 'stop weapons sales to fascists', underneath says 'justice for grenfell', mentions windrush and Belly Mujinga
- After George Floyd's murder committed by a police officer in 2020, protests against racism and police brutality became widespread across the globe. This murder and subsequent wave of protests took place during the covid-19 pandemic.
- The top of the placard says 'BLM' which stands for Black Lives Matter. This movement originated in protesting against police brutality and racial violence against Black people.The movement started in 2013 and had a resurgence of support in 2020 following Floyd's murder.
- The protests became common across the world, and in the UK which has its own institutionalised racism. Statues and heritage in the UK became a prominent discussion due to legacies of slavery and colonialism. This placard mentions other pressing issues in the UK like the Windrush scandal, when many people were wrongly detained, deported or threatened with deportation - this was particularly people from Caribbean countries.
- Placard also says 'Justice 4 Grenfell" which refers to the victims of a fire in the Grenfell tower block of flats in West London. 72 people died, and the inquiry showed that the cladding and construction of the building was unsafe. Many attributed this to classism and racism, as people in council estates and their safety was neglected. Many of the surviving victims of the fire were mistreated and neglected.
- Placard mentions Belly Mujinga, a Congolese Black woman who died from covid. She was not provided with PPE by Transport for London, and was spat and coughed on by a man who had the virus - this could have been a racially aggravated assault that resulted in Mujinga's death.Mujinga had asked to not work in the station due to health issues but was forced to work without a mask.
- Cardboard placard with black writing on the front.
- Donation
Multimedia
