Voices of the protesters from around the world
Protests over the death of George Floyd and ongoing discrimination against minorities took place in many global capitals Saturday including Berlin, London, Paris, Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea, as well as U.S. cities.
Voices of some of the protesters:
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"People are sick and tired of being sick and tired. I know that´s a cliche, but now you can finally see it."
- Carl Sirls, 26, an airline employee who is black, joined thousands of other protesters on the streets of Washington D.C.
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Clenched fists are raised during a demonstration in Paris, France, Saturday, June 6, 2020, to protest against the recent killing of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, U.S.A., after being restrained by police officers on May 25, 2020. Further protests are planned over the weekend in European cities, some defying restrictions imposed by authorities because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
"There are no words to capture the level of disgrace that I feel about these senseless killings."
- Danielle Chetrit, a 22-year-old who is white and marched near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
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"It could have been me. Could have been my brother, my father, any of my friends who are black."
- Erik Carlos, who was among the mourners gathered outside a church before a Saturday morning service in Floyd´s hometown of Raeford, North Carolina.
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"Being black is not a crime."
- Fourteen-year-old Marie Djedje in Paris, who said she is bracing for obstacles in life because she is black. She was among several thousand people gathered within sight of the U.S. Embassy; they were kept back by barriers and police.
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"We as a society don't tolerate racism."
- Amina Koss in Berlin, who said she´s concerned some politicians, including in Germany, are making racism acceptable again.
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"If a society is not worth preserving, then what are you doing? You´re perpetuating a nonsense."
- Bob Jones, 75, who attended a Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney, saying it was worth the risk to rally for change despite the state´s chief health officer saying the event could help spread the coronavirus.
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"Many of us are angry, and I want to help create a situation where we can start a conversation."
- Literature graduate student Shunichiro Kabayashi, who joined dozens of protesters in the Shibuya district of Tokyo.
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"I urge the U.S government to stop the violent suppression of (U.S.) protesters and listen to their voices."
- Jihoon Shim, one of the organizers of a rally in Seoul, where dozens of people carried signs such as "George Floyd Rest in Peace" and "Koreans for Black Lives Matter."
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"We´re tired. I´m tired of, on my timeline, seeing black men and women and saying Rest In Peace for another black life that should still be here."
- Maiya Mack, a 19-year-old student at the historically black Clark Atlanta University, who joined protesters outside the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.
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Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.
A woman takes a picture during a demonstration in Paris, France, Saturday, June 6, 2020, when protesting against the recent killing of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, U.S.A., after being restrained by police officers on May 25, 2020. Further protests are planned over the weekend in European cities, some defying restrictions imposed by authorities because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
A man holds a sign in solidarity with thousands of people marching during a Black Lives Matter protest in Brisbane on Saturday, June 6, 2020. Black Lives Matter protests across Australia proceeded mostly peacefully Saturday as thousands of demonstrators in state capitals honored the memory of Floyd and protested the deaths of indigenous Australians in custody. (AP Photo/John Pye)
Queensland state police community liaison officers hand out face masks to people gathering for the Black Lives Matter protest in Brisbane on Saturday, June 6, 2020. Black Lives Matter protests across Australia proceeded mostly peacefully Saturday as thousands of demonstrators in state capitals honored the memory of Floyd and protested the deaths of indigenous Australians in custody. (AP Photo/John Pye)
People march to protest during a solidarity rally for the death of George Floyd and against racism Saturday, June 6, 2020, in Tokyo. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A police officer stands near people gathering to protest during a solidarity rally for the death of George Floyd Saturday, June 6, 2020, in Tokyo. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
People kneel to protest during a solidarity rally for the death of George Floyd in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, June 6, 2020. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
People march to protest during a solidarity rally for the death of George Floyd in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, June 6, 2020. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Mounted police faces demonstrators after scuffles during a Black Lives Matter march in London, Saturday, June 6, 2020, as people protest against the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, USA. Floyd, a black man, died after he was restrained by Minneapolis police while in custody on May 25 in Minnesota. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Police faces demonstrators after scuffles during a Black Lives Matter march in London, Saturday, June 6, 2020, as people protest against the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, USA. Floyd, a black man, died after he was restrained by Minneapolis police while in custody on May 25 in Minnesota. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
