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  BLM protests

  8 Debates

The reaction to the killing of George Floyd, a black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis on 25 May 2020 reached far beyond the US. People around the world took to the streets to demonstrate against racism and for equality. But taking stock one year after the events, many observers are disappointed.

The trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin has begun in Minneapolis. According to the prosecution Chauvin pressed his knee on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, for nine minutes and 29 seconds during an arrest in May 2020, as a result of which Floyd died shortly afterwards. If the court rules that Chauvin is guilty as charged, he faces up to 40 years in prison. Commentators highlight the public pressure under which the trial is taking place.

An incident occurred during the match between Paris St. Germain and Istanbul Başakşehir on Tuesday. After Istanbul's assistant manager Pierre Webó was shown a red card, a referee from Romania used the term "negru" to refer to Webó, who is from Cameroon, while talking to a fellow Romanian. Both teams left the pitch in protest, and the match was postponed to the next day. What does the incident reveal?

After several weeks of protests against racism and police violence in the US and Europe, protester numbers have begun to decline in many places. Has the movement already made a lasting impact, or has it lost momentum too soon? And what should we learn from it?

George Floyd's killing has sent shock waves around the world, driven hundreds of thousands onto the streets and sparked a major debate about racism. But racism has many faces, commentators explain - and voice annoyance at hypocritical expressions of solidarity.

Mass protests continue in the United States after the killing of George Floyd, an African American, by a policeman. While most rallies have been peaceful, some protestors have resorted to vandalism and looting. In reaction to the unrest 1,600 soldiers have been stationed near Washington. European media examine the structural causes for the racism which has brought the protesters onto the streets.

A debate has reignited in Switzerland over the use of the name "Mohrenköpfe", which means "Moors' heads" in English, for popular chocolate-coated marshmallow sweets. A well-known Swiss manufacturer has insisted on keeping the name for its product despite the controversy. Now the country's largest supermarket chain, Migros, has removed the product from its shelves. Commentators say the manufacturer and its defenders should rethink their position.

The streaming service HBO Max has temporarily removed the classic film Gone with the Wind from its programme. The company explained the decision saying that the 1939 film's glorification of slavery on US plantations and the racist prejudices it depicts meant that it would be irresponsible for the platform to continue offering it without comment. The film would return with a discussion of the 'historical context', a spokesperson said. Is the move long overdue or exaggerated?