Jeremy Corbyn offers his support to Doncaster's Black Lives Matter protest

On Sunday, June 7, the protest was held in Sir Nigel Gresley Square.

Organiser Olivia Jones says that more than 1,000 protesters came to show their support of the movement.

She said: “I felt such a surge of pride for Doncaster on Sunday.

“Everyone conducted themselves well and wore PPE and stood two meters apart.

“Protesters were so respectful of the space, the square was cleaner than when we arrived.”

Social distancing was very important to Olivia and her team who handed out facemasks to those who didn’t bring them and who had volunteers in the crowds to ensure that people respected the guidelines.

On the day there were several speakers including Lamour White, Ryan Harston, Niomi Carter, Rumbi Tauro, and Rev Kudzie Mandihza.

They expressed their thoughts about the Black Lives Matter movement through song, spoken word poetry, and speeches.

There was a nine-minute silence during the protest to represent the amount of time George Floyd was held down by police in America.

Olivia said: “It was a really powerful moment.

“Everyone kneeled even an older gentleman who struggled to get down on the ground - that brought a tear to my eye.”

Olivia organised this protest in a matter of days and unlike many of the Black Lives Matters protests up and down the country the Doncaster protest did not have a police presence.

“I’m so proud of what my team put together in such a short space of time,” she continued.

“I’ve been getting a lot of messages from people of colour saying that the protest was what they needed.”

Olivia was surprised to receive an email from Jeremy Corbyn expressing his support for the protest in Doncaster.

His email read: “I think what you are doing is excellent and will encourage others.

“The killing of George Floyd has provoked anger not just in the USA but all around the world.

“Black Lives Matter has united people in the determination that we shall live in a world free of all forms of racism and where all lives are valued.”

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