Type and hit ENTER

Commonly used tags...

Brighton Festival Brighton Fringe Brighton Pride British Sea Power Cinecity Lewes Psychedelic Festival Locally Sourced Lost & Found Love Supreme Festival Nick Cave Poets Vs MCs Politics Rag'n'Bone Man Record Store Day Save Our Venues Six Of The Best Source Virgins Streets Of Brighton Street Source Tattoos The Great Escape Tru Thoughts Unsung Heroes
  • Home
  • News
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Food
  • Tickets
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Advertise
  • Home
  • News
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Food
  • Tickets
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Advertise
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence
Features

Thousands march in Brighton for Black Lives Matter

Jun 14, 2020
-
Posted by Ashley Laurence

Thousands of people took to the streets of Brighton yesterday in a show of unity and support for Black Lives Matter. The death of George Floyd on 25th May, under the brutal boot of the Minneapolis police, has caused outrage around the world.

Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence

The Brighton protest, which drew an estimated 10,000 plus attendees, thankfully passed with no violence and zero arrests. It was a very different story in London, where far-right ‘statue protectors’ fought with police, and even threw in the odd Nazi salute for good measure. It’s worth noting that the London BLM protests were called off to avoid confrontations. With hindsight, a great shout.

Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence

Back to Brighton, and the day started with a socially-distanced protest that spread for over a mile along Marine Parade, people standing in silence and solidarity. The main protest then started at the Palace Pier, before heading along the seafront and through town via the clock tower, finishing at the Level with a number of short speeches.

Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence

It’s fair to say social distancing didn’t really happen once the march got moving, especially where space was limited. We’d say over 95% of people wore masks, with volunteers dishing out spares and providing hand sanitizer. It was an issue we considered long and hard before attending, but felt the moment was too important. Tombstoning off Durdle Door this was not.

Throughout the march, George Floyd’s name was used in a call-and-response chant by protesters, as was Breonna Taylor’s (shot eight times in her own home by the Louisiana Police). Placards paid tribute to the long list of black people who have lost their lives at the hands of the police. “The UK is not innocent”, “No justice, no peace, no fascist police” and of course “Black lives matter” were consistent calls that filled the air.

Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence

Tensions rose near the Old Steine war memorial, where 30 or so people had gathered to ‘protect’ it, but from whom? We can’t imagine why anyone on the march would want to have a go at a war memorial, especially one dedicated to soldiers who fought against Hitler. In any case, police soon acted as a shield to keep the groups apart and prevent clashes. One protester was allowed to climb on top of a police van and used a megaphone to urge others to move on and focus their energies on the cause. We heard (unconfirmed) rumours that the 30 blokes were later kettled by the police and that some resorted to pissing on the memorial they were supposedly there to protect.

Black Lives Matter BLM Protest Brighton Source Time for Heroes Photography Ashley Laurence

Elsewhere, there was a beautiful sense of togetherness. Brighton has always been an open minded place, and this show of unity felt important. The impact of the day will depend on your personal viewpoint, on your background and own experiences. And maybe on your colour. Social media has become particularly toxic in recent weeks, and looking outside of one’s bubble can be worrying. Far too many people seem incapable of registering why ‘all lives matter’ is a wholly inappropriate response. Where the fuck is the empathy?!

There will no doubt be many views and interpretations of the weekend’s events. However, it was certainly the biggest protest we’ve ever seen in Brighton. For the thousands who made it happen, putting this issue at front of mind is long overdue. #blacklivesmatter

Brighton, Saturday 13th June 2020
Photos by Time for Heroes
You may also like:
Extinction Rebellion in Brighton
Source Virgins: Protesting

Politics
Jun 14, 2020
Email
Ashley Laurence
I'm a music, events and portrait photographer (Time for Heroes Photography), balancing freelance work with my day job as a content writer.

I'm a lover of the open-minded, treating people and our planet with respect, punk spirit and take a rather footloose and fancy-free new approach to embrace new experiences. Not a fan of heights.

I adore Brighton's unique character, and have been proudly repping Brighton Source since 2013.
← PREVIOUS POST
Locally Sourced, June 2020
NEXT POST →
Save Our Venues – The Brunswick
Mailing List

Recent Posts
  • Two Decades Of Funk Fire With Jalapeno Records
    Jan 18, 2021

    A new compilation celebrates 20 years of funk and soul from world-renowned Brighton label Jalapeno Records.

  • Hansel and Gretel? | Brighton Source
    Hansel and Gretel? Review
    Dec 18, 2020

    A postmodern pantomime with an unrelaible narrator. Outdoors with comedy, dance, camp actors, plenty of fun. On two levels: laughs for kids and jokes for adults

  • Artists Open Houses 2020
    Dec 5, 2020

    After cancelling the May edition, Artists Open Houses tell us what it's like to be back with a December festival that is open to visitors in person for eight days.

  • Cinecity 2020 previewed by Brighton Source
    Cinecity 2020
    Nov 17, 2020

    From the North Laine to Mongolia, Cinecity's lineup is typically eclectic and original this year - catch it before the city's key film festival ends.

  • Macbeth Review
    Nov 2, 2020

    Macbeth in Brighton. One-act play with Scottish Gaelic sounds by This Is My Theatre. Power, ambition, murder, blood. The woods are moving.

  • Lost & Found: Poison Girls
    Nov 2, 2020

    As part of our retrospective series on local bands we look back at the hugely influential and ever-challenging anarcho-punk collective Poison Girls.

  • The Rose Hill | Brighton Source
    Save Our Venues – The Rose Hill
    Oct 26, 2020

    We spoke to the team at the Rose Hill to find out how a series of new creative projects is helping this unique Brighton venue to cope with the current crisis.

  • Spillage! Review
    Oct 19, 2020

    This one-person, one-act play is giddy, funny and seriously entertaining. An odyssey through the madness of corporate pressure on our mental health.

Website developed in Brighton by Infobo
Copyright © Brighton Source 2009-2020
Thousands march in Brighton for Black Lives Matter - Brighton Source