ANTI-RACISM campaigners “took the knee” today in solidarity protests across Britain coinciding with the start of the US trial of the four police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd.

Mr Floyd died on May 25 after a police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his throat for eight minutes and 46 seconds while arresting him. Three other officers were involved in the arrest.

The killing prompted protests across the US and worldwide as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Seven demonstrations, organised by Stand Up to Racism (SUTR), took place in London today with more in Medway, Leeds, York, Sheffield, Coventry, Norwich, Oxford and Manchester.

SUTR co-convener Weyman Bennett said that the anti-fascist campaigners were standing in solidarity with those in the US facing racist harassment and violence at police hands. 

But he also warned of institutional racism in Britain, calling for an end to the “massively disproportionate” use of stop and search against black people.

He said: “We face a crossroads in fighting racism and discrimination that has killed thousands who are disproportionately killed by police in our communities and are disproportionately affected in Covid-19 deaths due to institutionalised racism.

“This is not a moment, this is a movement. No more black people killed by the police, no more inequality justified by racist lies, no more divide and rule by the rich and powerful who use racism as a tool to defend inequality in society. 

“We need change and we need it now. In fact we demand it.”