Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Oct 06, 2025

Thousands join George Floyd protest in Birmingham

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Birmingham to protest about the death of George Floyd in US police custody.

Mr Floyd, an African-American, died on 25 May when a white police officer continued to kneel on his neck after he pleaded he could not breathe.

Thousands of people marched in London on Wednesday after the death sparked global protests against racism.

The Birmingham protest started outside the library but later moved through the city to the police's headquarters.

West Midlands Police said an estimated 4,000 people took part and there were no arrests.

"The protesters were loud and passionate, and made their voices clearly heard, but there were no arrests and no disorder," a force spokesman said.

Protest organisers UK Isn't Innocent said Britain had "a duty to stand in solidarity with the US while exposing the inner workings of racism and police brutality in the UK".

"We are tired and we have been tired for too long," lead organiser Hannah Ringane said.

"We have been taught that we won't be treated the same as everyone else, that we will be viewed as aggressors."

Carol Smith, who was among the demonstrators, said: "My grandchildren were born here, they have to have a different world to the world I have.

"They have to realise they have a right to be here, and they have a right to equality, just like everyone else who don't look like them.

"I can't give you the answer to racism. I didn't create it, people who look like me didn't create it."

Derrick Bassaragh added: "Young kids - black, white and Asian - demand parity, justice, love and equality.

"Not just for us, but changes for the world. These are the things that are demanded now."

Aston Villa and England defender Tyrone Mings - who was targeted with racist abuse while playing for his country against Bulgaria last year - indicated he would join demonstrators, urging his followers online to "stand for what's right".

People were originally due to gather in Victoria Square outside the council house, but when it became clear the numbers would be too large it was moved to Centenary Square.

Although it was billed as a stand-in demonstration, protesters moved on from the square and marched towards Lloyd House, the headquarters for West Midlands Police, shouting "justice now" and calling for an end to police brutality.

In the past month, the Independent Office for Police Conduct has begun nine investigations into West Midlands Police connected to alleged excessive use of force on black men and two officers have been suspended.

Ch Insp Sarah Tambling, from the force, said she was "really pleased with the atmosphere" at the protest in the city.


At the scene

By Phil Mackie, BBC News correspondent

Although some people have begun to leave, many more are continuing to arrive. The atmosphere has been good, with whole families coming to express their solidarity with the demonstrators.

A handful of police liaison officers have kept a respectful distance and the crowds have remained peaceful.

The younger generation in particular have made banners with clever slogans, while several older onlookers, especially from the Afro-Caribbean community, have been overcome with emotion when they see the size of the crowd.

Birmingham City Council said it supported the demonstration, but encouraged protesters to maintain social distancing.

"The city of Birmingham has a long and proud history of standing up to racism and to prejudice, and that is why today we stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement," said Labour councillor and cabinet member for social inclusion John Cotton.

Four Minneapolis police officers have been charged over 46-year-old Mr Floyd 's death, including Derek Chauvin who faces a second-degree murder charge.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
×