All you need to know about this Sunday’s BLM protest in Leeds

A Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstration has been scheduled to take place on Sunday 14^th June at 2 pm on Woodhouse Moor.

The peaceful protest will adhere to social distancing measures and attendees are requested to bring face masks and hand sanitiser.

BLM are asking for donations which will go towards safety costs for the event and future work carried out by the organisation. The fundraising page can be found here.

This protest will follow similar events that have taken place across the country in response to the death of George Floyd.

George Floyd mural in Manchester

Last weekend over 30,000 protestors attended BLM demonstrations in Manchester and in Bristol the statue of slave-trader Edward Colston was torn down and thrown in the river.

A spokesperson for BLM Leeds said: “Our intentions behind this event are to educate and empower our community; provide a medium for people to grieve; and more importantly, to remind those in attendance, and within Leeds that we know we can bring about change together. We believe everyone has the right to protest and everyone should exercise their right to protest.

BLM dog in Glasgow

“We would however like to remind all that these are uncertain times. All individuals who are deemed at greater risk of being affected by Covid19 or live with someone who is – please stay at home.

“There are numerous ways to show your solidarity with Black Lives Matter Leeds. We will be providing information as to how you can help from the safety of your own home but attending the protest may not be the safest course of action.

“Whilst we understand this may seem ambitious, we do believe we have found a way to achieve this.We have contacted doctors, nurses, and public health officials from Yale University.

“We would like to ask everyone now to remember that the times we are currently in are not normal, and we must adapt.We understand that black people have been reported to be at greater risk of being exposed to the coronavirus and we want to protect the very lives we are protesting for.”