US protests: thousands march in Hollywood, with some demanding Trump’s removal
- President’s divisive rhetoric connected to concerns over racism and police brutality, activists say
- Human chain in Berlin, rally in Tokyo as protests sparked by death of George Floyd continue worldwide
Thousands of participants in an “All Black Lives Matter” demonstration rallied in front of TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday before marching to West Hollywood as part of global protests against racial injustice and police brutality. Marches were also held in Germany, Japan and New Zealand.
The Hollywood march was organised by the Black Advisory Board, made up of Black LGBT leaders and organisations. On the event’s website, the board posted a statement announcing a protest “in direct response to racial injustice, systemic racism, and all forms of oppression”.
Some activists gathered around US President Donald Trump’s star on the Walk of Fame, which has been defaced in the past, and demanded his removal from office because of his divisive rhetoric and insensitivity to racial justice issues.
Chantelle Hershberger, an organiser with RefuseFascism.org in Los Angeles, connected the swell of concern about police tactics and racism with the president’s rhetoric in office.
“Trump is not separated from what’s happening right now. There is a whole connection with this normalisation of police brutality,” she said, recalling a speech the president once made in which he jokingly encouraged rough treatment of people arrested by police. “It’s unbelievable that he’s in power. We can’t live another day in this nightmare.”
Thousands of protesters swelled along a stretch of Hollywood Boulevard, between North Highland and La Brea avenues, that had been painted with the words “All Black Lives Matter” in rainbow colours to represent the diversity of the LGBTQ community.