This afternoon, Bell Ribeiro-Addy joined Labour colleagues to take to one knee outside Parliament in a show of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protest movement.

This gesture originated with American football player Colin Kaepernick, who took to one knee as a show of defiance during the US National anthem to highlight the issue of police brutality against the black community.

With the death of George Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes, the gesture has taken on new resonance.

Last Wednesday, people in the UK came out onto their doorsteps for the first time to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Bell-Ribeiro Addy, Member of Parliament for Streatham, said:

“I was pleased to join my Labour colleagues in a show of solidarity with everyone fighting racism across the world. Racism and police violence have never been the sole preserve of the USA with Black people in the UK suffering disproportionately at every stage of the justice system.

“Another reason that the American Black Lives Matter protests have resonated with the Black community here is because of the Government’s failure to protect Black people during the current pandemic.

“These tragedies must be a catalyst for systemic change. For change to happen, it’s vital that we see some leadership from the top. As Labour Party representatives, we must wear our anti-racist credentials on our sleeves, coming out in full solidarity with the black community.”

ENDS

For further information about this press release, please contact Ollie Collard, Communications Officer, Office of Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP at oliver.collard@parliament.uk.