‘IT IS CAPITALISM as a system which has to go,’ artist Harlow Welldon said on the 35,000 strong protest last Wednesday in Hyde Park, central London, demanding justice for George Floyd, murdered by US cops.
At the mass rally in the park, protesters shouted: ‘Justice for Floyd!’ and ‘Who are the murderers? The police are the murderers.’
Harlow Welldon continued: ‘I am half African, half English. Injustice is in plain sight.
‘With the Metropolitan Police, there is an undercurrent of racism,’ she alleged, adding: ‘Police do not have the right to kill in any country.
‘They must be prosecuted even more stringently than the common person because they have been trained to arrest without killing someone.’
University student Khiara Buttinglione studying at UCL said: ‘This movement is extremely important.
‘I am from a privileged background and if we don’t get involved, that is criminal.
‘We have to come together and raise each other up and in the same way we have to raise ourselves up for this issue.
‘Capitalism is the thing that upholds all of this racism.
‘I have been reflecting on this for the last couple of months and have come to the conclusion that it is capitalism as a system which has to go.’
Cuthelia Lewis told News Line: ‘We need a change now.
‘We need to stop concentrating on getting justice for one situation and instead fight to get justice in general. The entire system needs to be changed.
‘We have been protesting for years and now we need a revolution.
‘We need to kick Johnson out of power.’
Student Farouk Moloney said: ‘We demand justice.
‘The killing was a blatant disregard for human life.
‘It is not the first police killing and I really doubt it will be the last.
‘I am not surprised to find out that there have been 1,099 deaths in police custody in 2019.
‘The US is a country made for the rich white people who will do everything in their power to oppress.’
Scarlet Brown a Nottingham University student said: ‘So many people are outraged, so many people are disgusted.
‘US president Donald Trump is not a good representative for a business, let alone a whole country.
‘He needs to be replaced.
‘In fact an entire new system need to be put in place that is for the people not against them.’
Her fellow student who also travelled down from Nottingham for the protest, Chloe Dixon, said: ‘The entire student movement has to support this.
‘People are getting killed. Police officers who kill should go to prison.
‘When I heard that in the UK 1,741 people had been killed in police custody since 1990 I was both shocked and horrified.
‘It is ridiculous that not a single police officer in this country has been done for murder.’
Actor and Equity member Steve Miller said: ‘I am here because it is important that as a white, straight, male I stand up on these issues.
‘Capitalism is one of the biggest problems at the heart of this issue.
‘All the wealth and power of the capitalists fuels all of this.
‘I want a different world. Society is not working; it is broken.
‘Wealth doesn’t trickle down it trickles up.’
Bertie Cox, an Equity union actor, told News Line: ‘I will no longer sit in silence. Justice needs to be done. The police have got away with it for years. They have like a “freedom pass” to do what they want, and that includes killing.’ He alleged: ‘They have a licence to kill.
‘An enquiry is not enough. It’s time for the trade unions to take action and take control. If we can’t do it now, we never will. Now is the time for all the unions, every union, across the whole spectrum from the actors union to the construction union – we need a general strike to bring the government down.’
Naomi Guerinier said: ‘What black people want is their voice to be heard. They want to be treated as humans and not something without value. These police must be found guilty of murder, that is the only justice.
‘Too many people have been killed for the colour of their skin and that is racism. When we see something that is not right we do need to speak. We do need to stand up and we do need change.’
A junior doctor in the BMA, Faith Soriano, stated: ‘Capitalism has always been built on the monetary gain of the right wing. How can you say you support black and ethnic minorities and social justice when you, yourself, are voting against them by voting Tory?
‘Capitalism is selfish. It doesn’t value everyone equally, it doesn’t value humanity at all. It cares for the rich and only the rich.’
A young waiter, Alex Maiorano said: ‘I am so angry about the injustices and inequality – it is so wrong. The discrepancies between rich people and poor people are extreme.
‘There are people on tens of millions of pounds a year and others who are homeless. I want society right for everyone. Things start as a revolution. We have to stand up against capitalism. I want socialism.’
‘We’re tired of injustice,’ said Jacinta Ngoma from Croydon. ‘This won’t end until change happens and we are here to make change happen, period!’
Another protester, Mario Seeley, told News Line: ‘I’m here to support the Black Lives Matter US protests because it is so important.
‘Violence is happening all over the world and we want to be treated as equal.
‘Racism is more to the front in the US now Trump is president.
‘These protests will spark a movement that will bring down Trump and his government.’
Student Manon Ijaz said: ‘We have to challenge racism as this system institutionalises it. We have to overthrow capitalism, not just talk about it.’
Another student, Anya Dupre, said: ‘We need the education system to change. Generations have been fighting for it but now we’ve got to get everyone to come together to make it happen.
‘The Windrush scandal shows that racism is still prevalent.’
Sameera McKenna was with a delegation of RMT members with their Bakerloo Line banner. She said: ‘We want justice for tube worker Belly Mujinga who died as a result of a racist attack on the Underground.
‘All essential workers need PPE on the trains and the Underground.’
Phil Roy, an RMT member on the Victoria Line, said: ‘We are showing our solidarity with the protests in the US.’
Student Melina said: ‘We’ve had enough. These police murders have been going on for years. These demonstrations have to give energy to the movement for change.’
Student Chris Lewis said: ‘You have to be anti-racist. It’s not enough to be silent, it only aids the racists.’‘IT IS CAPITALISM as a system which has to go,’ artist Harlow Welldon said on the 35,000 strong protest last Wednesday in Hyde Park, central London, demanding justice for George Floyd, murdered by US cops.
At the mass rally in the park, protesters shouted: ‘Justice for Floyd!’ and ‘Who are the murderers? The police are the murderers.’
Harlow Welldon continued: ‘I am half African, half English. Injustice is in plain sight.
‘With the Metropolitan Police, there is an undercurrent of racism,’ she alleged, adding: ‘Police do not have the right to kill in any country.
‘They must be prosecuted even more stringently than the common person because they have been trained to arrest without killing someone.’
University student Khiara Buttinglione studying at UCL said: ‘This movement is extremely important.
‘I am from a privileged background and if we don’t get involved, that is criminal.
‘We have to come together and raise each other up and in the same way we have to raise ourselves up for this issue.
‘Capitalism is the thing that upholds all of this racism.
‘I have been reflecting on this for the last couple of months and have come to the conclusion that it is capitalism as a system which has to go.’
Cuthelia Lewis told News Line: ‘We need a change now.
‘We need to stop concentrating on getting justice for one situation and instead fight to get justice in general. The entire system needs to be changed.
‘We have been protesting for years and now we need a revolution.
‘We need to kick Johnson out of power.’
Student Farouk Moloney said: ‘We demand justice.
‘The killing was a blatant disregard for human life.
‘It is not the first police killing and I really doubt it will be the last.
‘I am not surprised to find out that there have been 1,099 deaths in police custody in 2019.
‘The US is a country made for the rich white people who will do everything in their power to oppress.’
Scarlet Brown a Nottingham University student said: ‘So many people are outraged, so many people are disgusted.
‘US president Donald Trump is not a good representative for a business, let alone a whole country.
‘He needs to be replaced.
‘In fact an entire new system need to be put in place that is for the people not against them.’
Her fellow student who also travelled down from Nottingham for the protest, Chloe Dixon, said: ‘The entire student movement has to support this.
‘People are getting killed. Police officers who kill should go to prison.
‘When I heard that in the UK 1,741 people had been killed in police custody since 1990 I was both shocked and horrified.
‘It is ridiculous that not a single police officer in this country has been done for murder.’
Actor and Equity member Steve Miller said: ‘I am here because it is important that as a white, straight, male I stand up on these issues.
‘Capitalism is one of the biggest problems at the heart of this issue.
‘All the wealth and power of the capitalists fuels all of this.
‘I want a different world. Society is not working; it is broken.
‘Wealth doesn’t trickle down it trickles up.’
Bertie Cox, an Equity union actor, told News Line: ‘I will no longer sit in silence. Justice needs to be done. The police have got away with it for years. They have like a “freedom pass” to do what they want, and that includes killing.’ He alleged: ‘They have a licence to kill.
‘An enquiry is not enough. It’s time for the trade unions to take action and take control. If we can’t do it now, we never will. Now is the time for all the unions, every union, across the whole spectrum from the actors union to the construction union – we need a general strike to bring the government down.’
Naomi Guerinier said: ‘What black people want is their voice to be heard. They want to be treated as humans and not something without value. These police must be found guilty of murder, that is the only justice.
‘Too many people have been killed for the colour of their skin and that is racism. When we see something that is not right we do need to speak. We do need to stand up and we do need change.’
A junior doctor in the BMA, Faith Soriano, stated: ‘Capitalism has always been built on the monetary gain of the right wing. How can you say you support black and ethnic minorities and social justice when you, yourself, are voting against them by voting Tory?
‘Capitalism is selfish. It doesn’t value everyone equally, it doesn’t value humanity at all. It cares for the rich and only the rich.’
A young waiter, Alex Maiorano said: ‘I am so angry about the injustices and inequality – it is so wrong. The discrepancies between rich people and poor people are extreme.
‘There are people on tens of millions of pounds a year and others who are homeless. I want society right for everyone. Things start as a revolution. We have to stand up against capitalism. I want socialism.’
‘We’re tired of injustice,’ said Jacinta Ngoma from Croydon. ‘This won’t end until change happens and we are here to make change happen, period!’
Another protester, Mario Seeley, told News Line: ‘I’m here to support the Black Lives Matter US protests because it is so important.
‘Violence is happening all over the world and we want to be treated as equal.
‘Racism is more to the front in the US now Trump is president.
‘These protests will spark a movement that will bring down Trump and his government.’
Student Manon Ijaz said: ‘We have to challenge racism as this system institutionalises it. We have to overthrow capitalism, not just talk about it.’
Another student, Anya Dupre, said: ‘We need the education system to change. Generations have been fighting for it but now we’ve got to get everyone to come together to make it happen.
‘The Windrush scandal shows that racism is still prevalent.’
Sameera McKenna was with a delegation of RMT members with their Bakerloo Line banner. She said: ‘We want justice for tube worker Belly Mujinga who died as a result of a racist attack on the Underground.
‘All essential workers need PPE on the trains and the Underground.’
Phil Roy, an RMT member on the Victoria Line, said: ‘We are showing our solidarity with the protests in the US.’
Student Melina said: ‘We’ve had enough. These police murders have been going on for years. These demonstrations have to give energy to the movement for change.’
Student Chris Lewis said: ‘You have to be anti-racist. It’s not enough to be silent, it only aids the racists.’
