Thousands gather for Black Lives Matter rallies in Australia
Source: AP
By RICK RYCROFT
SYDNEY (AP) — Protests went ahead in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in far-flung parts of Australia on Saturday against the advice of government and health authorities but on a significantly smaller scale than the previous weekend, when tens of thousands rallied in cities along the east coast.
The biggest demonstration was in Perth, the Western Australia state capital, where the Australian Broadcasting Corp. estimated that 5,000 people gathered to honor George Floyd and remember indigenous Australian people who have died while in custody.
Floyd, a black man, died in handcuffs on May 25 while a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck. His death has prompted weeks of protests in the U.S. and around the world with the same theme: Black Lives Matter.
The threat of rain and and lack of a city council permit meant the Perth rally didn’t reach the expected 8,000-15,000 people organizers had hoped would attend.
A woman holds a sign as protestors gather in Sydney, Saturday, June 13, 2020, during a day of demonstrations across Australia in support of the Black Lives Matter and refugee rights. Protesters in Sydney, Adelaide and Perth were urged to stay away by government officials concerned about the risk of spreading the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Read more: https://apnews.com/dd4110016eec5681417b0d0df152aa4b
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