Protests Against Police Brutality Go Global as Australian Movement Begins

Protests against police brutality have spread to the rest of the world as Australia joins protests in London, Berlin, Denmark and New Zealand.

Protests Reach Australia

More than 1,000 Australians marched in solidary from Hyde Park to New South Wales on Tuesday, carrying signs and banners, saying “Black Lives Matter,” “Aboriginal Lives Matter,” and others. The protests support those in the United States over the death of George Floyd, who was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis.

The Australian protesters also chanted “Justice today for David Dungay,” referencing the case of the 26-year-old Aboriginal man, who died in 2015 after being restrained by five prison guards, despite the man saying “I can’t breathe” 12 times.

One of the co-organizers of the demonstration, Kieran Stewart-Assheton, said that the move was in solidarity with America, but also to raise awareness about the same problem, albeit in Australia and its indigenous population.

The demonstration also comes following the surfacing of a video, showing an indigenous 16-year-old getting slammed to the pavement by a Sydney police officer in Surry during an arrest.

Police said that while patrolling Surry Hills, the officer encountered a group of teenagers, which threatened an officer, leading to the arrest, and while the assistant commissioner for the NSW Police Mick Willing said that he is “concerned” by the footage, he is also concerned that some might look to turn it into “something it’s not.”

Willing said that “this is not the United States of America,” despite being aware of the situation, although he did not comment on whether or not he thought the officer’s actions were appropriate.