British-Nigerian actor John Boyega has broken down in tears while delivering an impassioned speech at the Black Lives Matter demonstration in London’s Hyde Park, UK.
The Star Wars actor joined a group of celebrities and other protesters for the 15,000 person-strong protest on Wednesday afternoon.
Boyega taking the stage at the demonstration spoke out against the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25 and how blacks have been marginalised for years.
During his emotive speech, Boyega expressed;
We are a physical representation of our support for George Floyd. We are a physical representation of our support for Sandra Bland. We are a physical representation of our support for Trayvon Martin. We are a physical representation of our support for Stephen Lawrence. I’m speaking to you from my heart. Look, I don’t know if I’m going to have a career after this, but f*** that.
He went on to say;
Today is about innocent people who were halfway through their process, we don’t know what George Floyd could have achieved, we don’t know what Sandra Bland could have achieved, but today we’re going to make sure that won’t be an alien thought to our young ones.
I need you to understand how painful this s**t is. I need you to understand how painful it is to be reminded every day that your race means nothing and that isn’t the case any more, that was never the case any more.
The actor urged protesters to remain peaceful as they demonstrated over the death of Floyd, adding that;
It is very, very important that we keep control of this moment. That we make this as peaceful and as organised as possible. Because they want us to mess up, they want us to be disorganized, but not today. This message is specifically for black men, black men we need to take care of our black women. They’re ours. They are our future. We cannot demonize our own. We are the pillars of the family.
Boyega speaking loudly into a megaphone said;
Imagine this, a nation that is set up with individual families that are thriving, that are healthy, that communicate, that raise their children in love have a better rate of becoming better human beings. Black men, it starts with you. It’s done man, we can’t be trash no more. We have to be better.
He added;
You lot came today, you left your kids, and when you see your kids they’re aimlessly playing, they don’t understand what’s going on. Today’s the day that we remind them that we are dedicated and this is a lifelong dedication.
George Floyd, 46, an African-American man, died on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
His death has sparked days of demonstrations across the nation over police brutality against African-Americans.
Read Also: Crowds Protest Outside White House Against George Floyd’s Killing
The Minneapolis policeman accused of killing Floyd, Derek Chauvin, was taken into custody on Friday and charged with third-degree murder.
Watch John Boyega’s demonstration speech;
if i don’t see yall supporting john boyega, especially after this, it’s on sight pic.twitter.com/AmnakgBEeU
— molly ✿ (@mandospoe) June 3, 2020
See photos of celebrities who attended the demonstration below;
