Britons urged to 'take the knee' on doorstep tonight in George Floyd tribute

George Floyd died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes. (Photo: Getty). | Getty Images

People are across Britain are being urged to kneel on their doorsteps tonight to pay tribute to George Floyd and show solidarity with anti-racism protests in the USA.

Anti-racism campaigners are urging the British public to “take the knee” on their doorsteps at 6pm tonight to show support for demanding justice for the police killing of George Floyd.

Protests have engulfed the US in the wake of the 46-year-old African American’s death in Minneapolis police custody, after white officer Derek Chauvin dug his knee into his neck for eight minutes, despite Floyd’s pleas that “I can’t breathe”.

Donald Trump has vowed to send in the military to “dominate” his citizens unless the unrest ends, after threatening anyone who breached a makeshift wall erected around the White House with “the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons I have ever seen”.

Thousands of people have protested in solidarity in cities across the UK, including London, Liverpool, Cardiff and Manchester, also highlighting severe racial inequalities in the UK and racism and brutality within the country’s police forces.

Stand Up To Racism said: “Take the knee at 6pm because there is a boot on the neck of millions of people in the BAME community.

“Part of the cure for the virus of racism is to embrace anti-racism and anti-fascism.”

SUTR’s Sabby Dhalu added: “BAME communities are suffering disproportionately from Covid-19, economic decline and police brutality.”

“We call on people to ‘take the knee’ on their doorstep in solidarity with George Floyd, at 6pm, Wednesday 3 June. We stand for justice for George Floyd and say Black Lives Matter.”