Global Impact of George Floyd's Death

George Floyd! George Floyd! The death of George Floyd hasn't just horrified people in America. But the effects of what's happened on a street corner in Minneapolis on the 25th of May are being felt around the globe. No stress, no peace! As hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets to protest, to demand racial equality and an end to police brutality. In this My World special, I'll be joined by BBC reporter Chichi Azundu, who'll help break down more of the historic context of the protests that we've been seeing. Plus, we'll find out what young people around the world think. Protests eke out and take action and tell their story because this movement is to give people a platform. However you want to express your blackness, that's on you. But you're still black. You still go through the same struggles. This shouldn't just be a moment but truly a movement. Hi, I'm Radzi. Now, even though many parts of the world are still on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, we've come to talk about George Floyd. Now, his death in America has resulted in a wave of anti-racism protests throughout the world. And unlike previous protests, many people are saying that these could have lasting change in the fight for equality. Here's how the story started. The same scenes, decades apart. Protests, fury, anger, hurt spilling out across America and around the world. The cause, racism, police brutality, inequality. George Floyd was a 46-year-old father who was stopped by police in Minneapolis on the 25th of May. Suspected of using fake money to pay for cigarettes. A white police officer was seen kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck as he was pinned to the ground. He repeatedly cried, I can't breathe. He was held down for eight minutes and 46 seconds. After six minutes, he stopped moving. George Floyd's death has echoes of many others. Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by a man in Sanford, Florida, as he walked alone one evening. George Zimmerman was eventually charged but found not guilty. The acquittal led to public outrage and the beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement. 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by police in Ferguson. Eric Garner was choked by a police officer. His dying words were, I can't breathe, and there are more. America has a long, painful history of racism and segregation. Until the 60s, African Americans were made to live separately from white people and didn't have the right to vote. Nowadays, policing in America varies from state to state. In North Carolina, it takes just 16 weeks to become a police officer. Half the time it takes to become a licensed barber in the state. Racism and inadequate training in a country awash with guns are a toxic mix. But in America now, the fight for justice, liberty and equality has spread across the world and has become everyone's. So those are just some of the events that have culminated in the protests that we've been seeing, not just in America, but around the world. Hi, I'm Chi-Chi Zindu, and I'm a reporter here at the BBC who's been covering the anti-racism protests around the UK. And I want a bit more context. I need to understand why people are taking to the streets. So I've asked my colleague Clive Myrie, who's done a lot of reporting over the years at a number of protests, for five minutes of his time. Hi, Clive Myrie. Hi there, Chi Chi. How are you doing? Thank you so much for doing this for us. So can I ask you, first of all, the global protests that we're seeing around the death of George Floyd, do you think it's a turning point when it comes to racism and prejudice? I think they could be a turning point. I think many people are hoping they're a turning point because for so long we've had this scourge of racism in all societies around the world. And I think what's different about the protests that we're seeing at the moment over the death of George Floyd are the fact that there are so many young white people who are involved. We had Trayvon Martin, young black man, shot in 2012. Black Lives Matter came out of that. appalling tragedy and most of the demonstrations in Ferguson and around the United States involved black people. What we're seeing now are white people get involved as well and I think that is critical to the framing of this debate that everyone understands that you cannot have one section of society being treated badly and the other section of society not being affected by that. Fairness is good for everyone. And I think it's very, very important that a lot of young white people are on the streets now. This is something that you did not see in the civil rights marches of the 1950s and 60s. That simply did not happen. And that could be why this might be a turning point. So Clyde, can you give us a brief look back at how we've got to this point? What happened with George Floyd? Racism doesn't come out of nowhere. It is the product of centuries of... a sense on the part of the predominantly white population in the United States that they are superior to black people. And that is what underpinned the whole concept of slavery. There was a master who was white and superior, and the slave was the black person. Now that mentality, even though slavery ended after the Civil War in 1865, and I don't want this to be too much of a history lesson, but... That mentality remained in people's minds, in the minds of some white people, that they were superior. That meant that they felt they were justified in lynching black people, summarily executing them for any minor infringement. It meant that they believed that they could have segregated schools, so black people in one school and white children in another school. Even though the black schools were very substandard and poor, white people argued that... they were similar, but they were not. It underpinned, for instance, the relief that the government gave during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Relief was given to white people. It was not given to black people. At the end of the Second World War, you had what was called the GI Bill. All those returning servicemen back from the war were given a house and given money to help them in their new lives at the end of the Second World War. African Americans... did not get that. That meant that they had no money to hand down through the generations to their sons and their grandsons and so on, which is why you see poverty in lots of inner city areas. And then of course you had the Voting Rights Act of the 1960s and attempts by local authorities around America to deny black people the vote. They would put up restrictions stopping them getting to polling booths and so on and so forth. So that history of racism develops from that original idea. that white people are superior. And that is part of why this police officer felt he had the right to treat George Floyd the way he did. Well, Clive, thank you so much for coming on and having a chat to us about your history, as in your career and the things that you've covered, but also giving us a better look at what's going on with the protests. My pleasure. Now it's time to speak to three fantastic young people. I'm so excited about this. We have Maxwell, who's 14, from London. We have Zee, who's from Nashville, Tennessee. She's 15 years old and at that age arranged a demonstration against police brutality. And 17-year-old Maya is from New York City and she goes to the black school. Maya, Zee and Max, I'm genuinely very excited to talk to you, especially being young people and being people who are very passionate about Black Lives Matter. And with that in mind, Maya, if I start with yourself, what do you make of... what's going on in America in terms of the reaction to George Floyd's death? So in America, it's really tense right now. And honestly, if we didn't even have COVID-19, we should be celebrating the class of 2020, another milestone that we just reached, graduating high school. But once again, we're having to shout the names of the people that we've lost to police brutality. And I think it's crazy that it's like a pandemic for people to sit down and even just try and understand that racism isn't only caught when it's on camera. And I think it's great that we're seeing allies from other countries supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. And they're speaking out themselves, saying they're not innocent and that they have their own Breonna Taylor or Eric Gardner, George Floyd. So I just think it's great, the support that we're seeing. Absolutely right. And the thing to bear in mind is America is obviously a massive country. You come from... New York City, Maya. Z, you're in Nashville, Tennessee. What do you make of the reaction to George Floyd's death? Black people in America have always been mistreated, and ever since the beginning. So it's been a long time coming. This should have happened a long time ago. Max, you're based in the UK. How does what Z and Maya have spoken about, how does that compare to your experience? It's very sad and obviously kind of... depressing but it is also inspirational because here in the UK a couple of my friends and I have we've agreed to go to the protest and we believe that we should educate others who are not educated on the matter to participate in it as well. Zee just coming back to yourself for a second you've actually set up a demonstration yourself how was that? It was wild it was the people recorded over 20,000 people I think the most I've heard was 60,000. and it's the biggest protest in Nashville history, so it's kind of cool to do. And what made you want to do it? Where does your passion come from? Nobody else is going to do it. Nobody else is going to get in that position to make sure that people's voices were heard. And so we decided that we were going to do it ourselves. I have a question for Zee. So did you have any anxiety about maybe starting this protest? Because I know obviously a lot can get out of hand and it can turn into a riot or people can start looting so did you feel any anxiety or pressure to make sure it was a peaceful protest so like you wouldn't have anything falling down on you because you did create the protest oh god it was it was a lot of anxiety i still feel anxiety now because something could happen because we started an organization so that organization could easily like fall through but it was really anxious i couldn't sleep the day before but It was really peaceful. I'm really lucky that people didn't, you know, cause a riot. I mean, I think it's great that everyone's coming together. I actually went to one protest so far. It was on June 2nd in New York, and it was honestly beautiful. I mean, it was sad, but it was beautiful just to see people from all different races come together. And it really didn't matter who you were because we all stood for one cause, and that was the Black Lives Matter movement, and it still is. And I think the... important thing that people a lot of people are talking about including me is that this shouldn't just be a moment but truly a movement because with all these people coming together we need to continuously fight for black lives matter not have it be just one trend like blackout tuesday it needs to be continuous so um i would like to see way more people that are educated on the matter i want to see more people be proactive protest speak out and take action and tell their story because this movement is to give people a platform so everybody's voices are heard. Maya, have you ever been told, because you're vocal, that you're not black enough because of the color of your skin? Definitely. I was asked before, like, where am I from? And I'm always like, I'm not sure, because I just don't have a lot of history. I mean, I definitely know about colorism. I know that because I'm lighter, I definitely have some more opportunities than people who are darker than me. And I stand for that, too. So I know where my place is. And I also advocate for people of different skin tones. I think it's a bit ludicrous that people discard other people solely because they are mixed race or light skin. But then again, it does play into colorism, which I have the understanding that, yeah. because I'm light skinned I do get given more opportunities but I do I don't try to take away any attention from them but I just bring it into light that we are all in this together and that well there's no black people come in all different types and skin colors there's no one way of being black and what however you want to express your blackness that's on you but you're still black you still go through the same struggles that people darker you darker than you or lighter than you So those are some of the voices that we got in touch with. But what do others think from around the world? Here's their reaction. Justice for George Floyd. The day after his death, one 15-year-old girl in Oregon started a petition calling for just that. It's now the most signed petition in Change.org's history. Here's Kellan in her own words. We are trying to reach the attention of Mayor Jacob Frey and DA Mike Freeman to have the officers involved in this disgusting situation fired and for charges to be filed immediately. Please help us get justice for Jordan's family. These teenagers were some of the 17 million people and counting who added their names to Callan's petition. Here's what justice means to them. Justice for George Floyd means making sure that no black person ever dies at the hands of a cop. Someone who should be protecting them just because of that cop's racist beliefs. Hope that maybe our country is waking up. Hope for change. Hope for recovery. kinder, safer world. Seeing the murder of George Floyd definitely changed me. Seeing an African-American male beg for his life as he was killed. These type of situations happen every single day in America, but they're just now starting to be televised. Having to fight. for his basic rights is just proof that we live in a broken system where racism is very much prevalent and to change that not only do we need to inform ourselves but we also need to listen to black voices and fight for them. Our skin is seen as a threat. I would like to see racial equality and justice for African Americans. There's been an outcry against racism around the world. From Argentina to England, Australia to Syria, and protests have united all 50 states of America. Most of these have been peaceful, but in some US cities they have turned violent and curfews were imposed. When President Trump threatened to send the US military to restore order, he was criticised by Twitter itself, who said he was glorifying violence. The reaction to George Floyd's death has been the most talked about story on social media, even during the coronavirus pandemic. While his name and Black Lives Matter trended, fans of K-pop flooded social media with videos of their favourite singers to drown out posts that opposed or criticised the protests. Then there were the 28 million posts under hashtag Blackout Tuesday. Brianna A. Jemang and Jamila Thomas, two women in the music industry, called for a day to disconnect from work and reconnect with our community to provoke accountability and change. A lot of record labels and music stars stopped working and millions of people posted black tiles on Instagram to support the campaign. But it posed the question, now you've posted on your social media, what next? So let's head to Nigeria which is in the west of Africa. Now it's a place that I worked not that long ago, I'd say about two months ago, and it's a place that a lot of African Americans trace their heritage to. We've got a reporter there, her name is Kesha and she's in Lagos. Much like young people everywhere, they're pretty upset. There's been a lot of outrage regarding what's happened and is happening. in the US when it comes to black people across the continent and that feeling seems to be resonating. There's been a significant amount of social media engagement with young people calling for change and solidarity when it comes to fighting injustice and we've also seen that they seem to have recognised that it's not just a US problem but it's a global problem that everyone needs to lend their voice to. The way the police engage with the black community in America is difficult for anyone to witness, regardless of what race you're from. But I think it definitely sits a little differently when you're seeing things happen to people who look just like you and whom you could also easily be mistaken for. Definitely impacts the way you think about life and yourself when you're away from your home base or your natural home environment. So, for example, if you're a black African who lives on the continent and you plan to travel outside of your immediate home environment, one thing you definitely have to research and consider before you go is what racism looks like in the place that you're going to. It's definitely having an impact. Nigerians make up one of the largest immigrant groups to the US and a lot of young people go there to study and then they stay on to work in almost every field but there's definitely renewed concern. regarding safety. I've been speaking to some young people and their parents and some families have just said that they are not willing to risk it, particularly at this time and in the very near future. Other families have actually said that they don't want to comment either way because they're not sure what they're going to do yet and they don't want an interview or a social media post to jeopardise their chances of academic placement in the future. As Clive said, and as we've heard already, many people are saying that these protests could lead to real change, some of which has already happened. Protests against racial inequality, sparked by the killing of George Floyd, are taking place all over the world. These are just some of the tangible changes introduced since the protests began. The original charge against the white police officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed kneeling on George Floyd's neck, was third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. After calls to raise the degree, Chauvin is now facing the more serious charge of second-degree murder. This requires proof he intended to kill and, if he's found guilty, could result in up to 15 years longer in jail. Three other police officers who were present but did not intervene were originally uncharged. They now face charges of aiding and abetting the crime. Across multiple states, forces say they'll introduce a duty to intervene, which means police will be required to step in when they see fellow officers using inappropriate force. The use of neck restraints and chokeholds in police custody has been controversial for years. following the deaths of other African Americans. Now in Minneapolis, the city where Mr. Freud was killed, the use of these by police has been banned. Other U.S. cities and even France's government are introducing similar bans on neck restraints. Meanwhile, Louisville have banned no-knock warrants where officers are able to enter a property without giving anyone inside a warning. This follows the death of Breonna Taylor, who was killed during a raid at her home earlier this year. Defund the Police has been a rallying cry for protesters. New York City's mayor has said he will divert money from the police department to social services, while the Minneapolis City Council signed a pledge to begin the process of ending the Minneapolis Police Department. But with leaders opposing the move to defund the police, this debate is set to continue. Around the world, monuments of slave traders have been removed. Some toppled by protesters, others taken down by officials. Tech giants are responding by stepping away from facial recognition services. This software has been accused of racial bias because most algorithms are more likely to wrongly identify the faces of people who aren't white. IBM, Microsoft and Amazon are limiting the police use of facial recognition software until US lawmakers regulate how the technology is used. Perhaps one of the biggest shifts comes from the reflections and conversations being had around the world. It can be quantified in the millions of dollars that have been donated to the Black Lives Matter movement. In Washington, DC, the street in front of the White House has been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza. While this may just be symbolic, it's clear that the movement is becoming harder to ignore. That's it for now. Thank you very much for watching. And to finish, here are some more pictures of the huge protests from around the world. Black Lives Matter! If you found that video interesting, there's a lot more to watch and talk about on our channel. So for all updates on everything BBC My World, subscribe here.

George Floyd! George Floyd! The death of George Floyd hasn't just horrified people in America.

But the effects of what's happened on a street corner in Minneapolis on the 25th of May are being felt around the globe. No stress, no peace! As hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets to protest, to demand racial equality and an end to police brutality. In this My World special, I'll be joined by BBC reporter Chichi Azundu, who'll help break down more of the historic context of the protests that we've been seeing. Plus, we'll find out what young people around the world think.

Protests eke out and take action and tell their story because this movement is to give people a platform. However you want to express your blackness, that's on you. But you're still black.

You still go through the same struggles. This shouldn't just be a moment but truly a movement. Hi, I'm Radzi. Now, even though many parts of the world are still on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, we've come to talk about George Floyd.

Now, his death in America has resulted in a wave of anti-racism protests throughout the world. And unlike previous protests, many people are saying that these could have lasting change in the fight for equality. Here's how the story started. The same scenes, decades apart.

Protests, fury, anger, hurt spilling out across America and around the world. The cause, racism, police brutality, inequality. George Floyd was a 46-year-old father who was stopped by police in Minneapolis on the 25th of May. Suspected of using fake money to pay for cigarettes.

A white police officer was seen kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck as he was pinned to the ground. He repeatedly cried, I can't breathe. He was held down for eight minutes and 46 seconds. After six minutes, he stopped moving. George Floyd's death has echoes of many others.

Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by a man in Sanford, Florida, as he walked alone one evening. George Zimmerman was eventually charged but found not guilty. The acquittal led to public outrage and the beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement. 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by police in Ferguson. Eric Garner was choked by a police officer.

His dying words were, I can't breathe, and there are more. America has a long, painful history of racism and segregation. Until the 60s, African Americans were made to live separately from white people and didn't have the right to vote. Nowadays, policing in America varies from state to state.

In North Carolina, it takes just 16 weeks to become a police officer. Half the time it takes to become a licensed barber in the state. Racism and inadequate training in a country awash with guns are a toxic mix.

But in America now, the fight for justice, liberty and equality has spread across the world and has become everyone's. So those are just some of the events that have culminated in the protests that we've been seeing, not just in America, but around the world. Hi, I'm Chi-Chi Zindu, and I'm a reporter here at the BBC who's been covering the anti-racism protests around the UK.

And I want a bit more context. I need to understand why people are taking to the streets. So I've asked my colleague Clive Myrie, who's done a lot of reporting over the years at a number of protests, for five minutes of his time.

Hi, Clive Myrie. Hi there, Chi Chi. How are you doing? Thank you so much for doing this for us. So can I ask you, first of all, the global protests that we're seeing around the death of George Floyd, do you think it's a turning point when it comes to racism and prejudice?

I think they could be a turning point. I think many people are hoping they're a turning point because for so long we've had this scourge of racism in all societies around the world. And I think what's different about the protests that we're seeing at the moment over the death of George Floyd are the fact that there are so many young white people who are involved.

We had Trayvon Martin, young black man, shot in 2012. Black Lives Matter came out of that. appalling tragedy and most of the demonstrations in Ferguson and around the United States involved black people. What we're seeing now are white people get involved as well and I think that is critical to the framing of this debate that everyone understands that you cannot have one section of society being treated badly and the other section of society not being affected by that. Fairness is good for everyone. And I think it's very, very important that a lot of young white people are on the streets now.

This is something that you did not see in the civil rights marches of the 1950s and 60s. That simply did not happen. And that could be why this might be a turning point. So Clyde, can you give us a brief look back at how we've got to this point?

What happened with George Floyd? Racism doesn't come out of nowhere. It is the product of centuries of... a sense on the part of the predominantly white population in the United States that they are superior to black people.

And that is what underpinned the whole concept of slavery. There was a master who was white and superior, and the slave was the black person. Now that mentality, even though slavery ended after the Civil War in 1865, and I don't want this to be too much of a history lesson, but...

That mentality remained in people's minds, in the minds of some white people, that they were superior. That meant that they felt they were justified in lynching black people, summarily executing them for any minor infringement. It meant that they believed that they could have segregated schools, so black people in one school and white children in another school. Even though the black schools were very substandard and poor, white people argued that...

they were similar, but they were not. It underpinned, for instance, the relief that the government gave during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Relief was given to white people. It was not given to black people. At the end of the Second World War, you had what was called the GI Bill.

All those returning servicemen back from the war were given a house and given money to help them in their new lives at the end of the Second World War. African Americans... did not get that.

That meant that they had no money to hand down through the generations to their sons and their grandsons and so on, which is why you see poverty in lots of inner city areas. And then of course you had the Voting Rights Act of the 1960s and attempts by local authorities around America to deny black people the vote. They would put up restrictions stopping them getting to polling booths and so on and so forth.

So that history of racism develops from that original idea. that white people are superior. And that is part of why this police officer felt he had the right to treat George Floyd the way he did. Well, Clive, thank you so much for coming on and having a chat to us about your history, as in your career and the things that you've covered, but also giving us a better look at what's going on with the protests.

My pleasure. Now it's time to speak to three fantastic young people. I'm so excited about this.

We have Maxwell, who's 14, from London. We have Zee, who's from Nashville, Tennessee. She's 15 years old and at that age arranged a demonstration against police brutality. And 17-year-old Maya is from New York City and she goes to the black school. Maya, Zee and Max, I'm genuinely very excited to talk to you, especially being young people and being people who are very passionate about Black Lives Matter.

And with that in mind, Maya, if I start with yourself, what do you make of... what's going on in America in terms of the reaction to George Floyd's death? So in America, it's really tense right now.

And honestly, if we didn't even have COVID-19, we should be celebrating the class of 2020, another milestone that we just reached, graduating high school. But once again, we're having to shout the names of the people that we've lost to police brutality. And I think it's crazy that it's like a pandemic for people to sit down and even just try and understand that racism isn't only caught when it's on camera. And I think it's great that we're seeing allies from other countries supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. And they're speaking out themselves, saying they're not innocent and that they have their own Breonna Taylor or Eric Gardner, George Floyd.

So I just think it's great, the support that we're seeing. Absolutely right. And the thing to bear in mind is America is obviously a massive country. You come from... New York City, Maya.

Z, you're in Nashville, Tennessee. What do you make of the reaction to George Floyd's death? Black people in America have always been mistreated, and ever since the beginning.

So it's been a long time coming. This should have happened a long time ago. Max, you're based in the UK. How does what Z and Maya have spoken about, how does that compare to your experience? It's very sad and obviously kind of...

depressing but it is also inspirational because here in the UK a couple of my friends and I have we've agreed to go to the protest and we believe that we should educate others who are not educated on the matter to participate in it as well. Zee just coming back to yourself for a second you've actually set up a demonstration yourself how was that? It was wild it was the people recorded over 20,000 people I think the most I've heard was 60,000.

and it's the biggest protest in Nashville history, so it's kind of cool to do. And what made you want to do it? Where does your passion come from?

Nobody else is going to do it. Nobody else is going to get in that position to make sure that people's voices were heard. And so we decided that we were going to do it ourselves.

I have a question for Zee. So did you have any anxiety about maybe starting this protest? Because I know obviously a lot can get out of hand and it can turn into a riot or people can start looting so did you feel any anxiety or pressure to make sure it was a peaceful protest so like you wouldn't have anything falling down on you because you did create the protest oh god it was it was a lot of anxiety i still feel anxiety now because something could happen because we started an organization so that organization could easily like fall through but it was really anxious i couldn't sleep the day before but It was really peaceful. I'm really lucky that people didn't, you know, cause a riot. I mean, I think it's great that everyone's coming together.

I actually went to one protest so far. It was on June 2nd in New York, and it was honestly beautiful. I mean, it was sad, but it was beautiful just to see people from all different races come together. And it really didn't matter who you were because we all stood for one cause, and that was the Black Lives Matter movement, and it still is. And I think the...

important thing that people a lot of people are talking about including me is that this shouldn't just be a moment but truly a movement because with all these people coming together we need to continuously fight for black lives matter not have it be just one trend like blackout tuesday it needs to be continuous so um i would like to see way more people that are educated on the matter i want to see more people be proactive protest speak out and take action and tell their story because this movement is to give people a platform so everybody's voices are heard. Maya, have you ever been told, because you're vocal, that you're not black enough because of the color of your skin? Definitely.

I was asked before, like, where am I from? And I'm always like, I'm not sure, because I just don't have a lot of history. I mean, I definitely know about colorism. I know that because I'm lighter, I definitely have some more opportunities than people who are darker than me.

And I stand for that, too. So I know where my place is. And I also advocate for people of different skin tones. I think it's a bit ludicrous that people discard other people solely because they are mixed race or light skin.

But then again, it does play into colorism, which I have the understanding that, yeah. because I'm light skinned I do get given more opportunities but I do I don't try to take away any attention from them but I just bring it into light that we are all in this together and that well there's no black people come in all different types and skin colors there's no one way of being black and what however you want to express your blackness that's on you but you're still black you still go through the same struggles that people darker you darker than you or lighter than you So those are some of the voices that we got in touch with. But what do others think from around the world?

Here's their reaction. Justice for George Floyd. The day after his death, one 15-year-old girl in Oregon started a petition calling for just that.

It's now the most signed petition in Change.org's history. Here's Kellan in her own words. We are trying to reach the attention of Mayor Jacob Frey and DA Mike Freeman to have the officers involved in this disgusting situation fired and for charges to be filed immediately.

Please help us get justice for Jordan's family. These teenagers were some of the 17 million people and counting who added their names to Callan's petition. Here's what justice means to them.

Justice for George Floyd means making sure that no black person ever dies at the hands of a cop. Someone who should be protecting them just because of that cop's racist beliefs. Hope that maybe our country is waking up.

Hope for change. Hope for recovery. kinder, safer world. Seeing the murder of George Floyd definitely changed me. Seeing an African-American male beg for his life as he was killed.

These type of situations happen every single day in America, but they're just now starting to be televised. Having to fight. for his basic rights is just proof that we live in a broken system where racism is very much prevalent and to change that not only do we need to inform ourselves but we also need to listen to black voices and fight for them. Our skin is seen as a threat.

I would like to see racial equality and justice for African Americans. There's been an outcry against racism around the world. From Argentina to England, Australia to Syria, and protests have united all 50 states of America. Most of these have been peaceful, but in some US cities they have turned violent and curfews were imposed.

When President Trump threatened to send the US military to restore order, he was criticised by Twitter itself, who said he was glorifying violence. The reaction to George Floyd's death has been the most talked about story on social media, even during the coronavirus pandemic. While his name and Black Lives Matter trended, fans of K-pop flooded social media with videos of their favourite singers to drown out posts that opposed or criticised the protests. Then there were the 28 million posts under hashtag Blackout Tuesday. Brianna A. Jemang and Jamila Thomas, two women in the music industry, called for a day to disconnect from work and reconnect with our community to provoke accountability and change.

A lot of record labels and music stars stopped working and millions of people posted black tiles on Instagram to support the campaign. But it posed the question, now you've posted on your social media, what next? So let's head to Nigeria which is in the west of Africa. Now it's a place that I worked not that long ago, I'd say about two months ago, and it's a place that a lot of African Americans trace their heritage to.

We've got a reporter there, her name is Kesha and she's in Lagos. Much like young people everywhere, they're pretty upset. There's been a lot of outrage regarding what's happened and is happening.

in the US when it comes to black people across the continent and that feeling seems to be resonating. There's been a significant amount of social media engagement with young people calling for change and solidarity when it comes to fighting injustice and we've also seen that they seem to have recognised that it's not just a US problem but it's a global problem that everyone needs to lend their voice to. The way the police engage with the black community in America is difficult for anyone to witness, regardless of what race you're from. But I think it definitely sits a little differently when you're seeing things happen to people who look just like you and whom you could also easily be mistaken for.

Definitely impacts the way you think about life and yourself when you're away from your home base or your natural home environment. So, for example, if you're a black African who lives on the continent and you plan to travel outside of your immediate home environment, one thing you definitely have to research and consider before you go is what racism looks like in the place that you're going to. It's definitely having an impact. Nigerians make up one of the largest immigrant groups to the US and a lot of young people go there to study and then they stay on to work in almost every field but there's definitely renewed concern.

regarding safety. I've been speaking to some young people and their parents and some families have just said that they are not willing to risk it, particularly at this time and in the very near future. Other families have actually said that they don't want to comment either way because they're not sure what they're going to do yet and they don't want an interview or a social media post to jeopardise their chances of academic placement in the future.

As Clive said, and as we've heard already, many people are saying that these protests could lead to real change, some of which has already happened. Protests against racial inequality, sparked by the killing of George Floyd, are taking place all over the world. These are just some of the tangible changes introduced since the protests began.

The original charge against the white police officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed kneeling on George Floyd's neck, was third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. After calls to raise the degree, Chauvin is now facing the more serious charge of second-degree murder. This requires proof he intended to kill and, if he's found guilty, could result in up to 15 years longer in jail. Three other police officers who were present but did not intervene were originally uncharged. They now face charges of aiding and abetting the crime.

Across multiple states, forces say they'll introduce a duty to intervene, which means police will be required to step in when they see fellow officers using inappropriate force. The use of neck restraints and chokeholds in police custody has been controversial for years. following the deaths of other African Americans. Now in Minneapolis, the city where Mr. Freud was killed, the use of these by police has been banned.

Other U.S. cities and even France's government are introducing similar bans on neck restraints. Meanwhile, Louisville have banned no-knock warrants where officers are able to enter a property without giving anyone inside a warning. This follows the death of Breonna Taylor, who was killed during a raid at her home earlier this year.

Defund the Police has been a rallying cry for protesters. New York City's mayor has said he will divert money from the police department to social services, while the Minneapolis City Council signed a pledge to begin the process of ending the Minneapolis Police Department. But with leaders opposing the move to defund the police, this debate is set to continue.

Around the world, monuments of slave traders have been removed. Some toppled by protesters, others taken down by officials. Tech giants are responding by stepping away from facial recognition services. This software has been accused of racial bias because most algorithms are more likely to wrongly identify the faces of people who aren't white.

IBM, Microsoft and Amazon are limiting the police use of facial recognition software until US lawmakers regulate how the technology is used. Perhaps one of the biggest shifts comes from the reflections and conversations being had around the world. It can be quantified in the millions of dollars that have been donated to the Black Lives Matter movement.

In Washington, DC, the street in front of the White House has been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza. While this may just be symbolic, it's clear that the movement is becoming harder to ignore. That's it for now.

Thank you very much for watching. And to finish, here are some more pictures of the huge protests from around the world. Black Lives Matter!

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Transcript for:Global Impact of George Floyd's Death

Transcript for:
Global Impact of George Floyd's Death