Dozens attend Black Lives Matter demo in Shrewsbury
A Black Lives Matter demonstration went ahead in Shropshire today to coincide with Windrush Day and the end of Refugee Week.
The Shrewsbury event, organised by the Shropshire Ethnic Minority Alliance (SEMA), included talks by several people on the subjects of prejudice and migration, some of them prepared and some invited up from the watching crowd.
There were 70 to 100 people listening to the speakers in the Quarry park and after the talks, about 20 stood up and marched around the park chanting 'Black Lives Matter', 'No Justice, No Peace' and 'George Floyd, Say His Name'.
The Black Lives Matter movement and protesting about institutional racism have come into renewed prominence worldwide since the death of African American man George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May.
In Shrewsbury, people shared their own experiences of racism and prejudice in the UK.
One woman said that when she came to the UK she was subjected to racist slurs, and was dismayed when her own children were called the same names 21 years later.
She said that her children's school had not taken action but instead questioned her parenting methods.
Police liaised with the organisers, and officers could be seen nearby during the peaceful march.
Alex Holmes-Brown from SEMA said the aim of the demo was to "continue to raise the profile" of ongoing issues and highlight minority perspectives.
He said he was pleased with the turnout on the day, a Monday, which had been chosen to coincide with the 72nd anniversary of the Windrush emigration.
It comes two weeks after more than 200 people marched around the Quarry to show their support for Black Lives Matter.
