A new wave of anti-racism protests has once again swept across the United States, demanding police reform following the death in custody of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis last month.
Protesters took to the streets in several US cities on Sunday to demand justice for George Floyd, who died on May 25 after an officer kneeled his neck for nearly nine minutes.
More rallies have been held in several world cities against racism and police brutality in a show of solidarity with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests in the US, which broke out in late May in the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd in Minnesota police custody.
In parallel with the protests in US cities, people took to the streets for a second weekend in major cities in Europe and other continents to condemn systematic racism and police violence, demanding justice for Floyd.a
The 46-year-old unarmed black man died, struggling to breathe, while a Minneapolis police officer kept him handcuffed and pinned to the ground with a knee to his neck, on May 25.
Footage of the brutal police killing — captured by a bystander — went viral on social media quickly, triggering angry protests first in the US and then globally.
As in earlier protests, sit-ins were held in front of Washington’s diplomatic missions in many cities around the world. Protesters carried signs that read ‘Black Lives Matter,’ or took a knee in memory of Floyd. At some gatherings, participants stood in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the duration Floyd struggled to breathe.
Imam Khomeini on several occasion denounced racial discrimination and enquality being practiced by the world colonial poowers against the oppressed people. Imam in this regard once said as following:
Statements
Date: April 28, 1979 [Ordībehesht 6, 1358 AHS / Jamādī al-Awwal 28, 1399 AH]
Place: Qum
Subject: Islam’s fight against racism
Audience: Members of the National Front of the Union of South-West Africa (SWAPO) headed by Robert Mugabe (Leader of the freedom fighters of Zimbabwe—Formerly Rhodesia)
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
I would like to thank you and your leader who has sent a message for me. In Islam, which we are following, the question of race and racism is not of consideration. Islam is unconcerned about the color of the face; it measures a person’s worth based on his piety.
The fact that you have a grievance against America and other governments that are criminal and oppressive is not confined to you alone; this America and its gang behave in a similar fashion with the common people wherever they are. For fifty years, our nation was under the yoke of the ominous regime because of America and England.
So many crimes were perpetrated by the government of this father and son that it defies description. Our country was totally ruined in the reign of this father and son and that which was made habitable was the graveyards. Because of the killings that they masterminded, they made our graveyards populous and our land bare.
They squandered our resources and gave them to foreigners, and made us totally dependent on America and others until by the grace of God, our nation woke up, and by placing its trust on the Blessed and Almighty God and unity of expression and without having any weapons and equipment revolted, started a movement and pushed aside all the forces of darkness.
I hope that the secret that became the key to victory in Iran will be a model for all downtrodden peoples. That secret was unity of expression and trust in Islam.
If in a nation the conviction in spirituality is found, then can they overcome their problems. We went through the same miseries and oppression that you went through—or perhaps more. However, today we broke this great barrier and it is hope that this movement will finally culminate in triumph and we can put the progressive tenets of Islam into action. I pray to Almighty God for the victory of the oppressed over the oppressors. Convey my greetings to that section that are oppressed and have revolted against the tyrants, and inform them that with unity of expression they can attain victory.
May God’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
Sahifeh-ye-Imam, Vol 7., page 127