Black Lives Matter demonstration an ‘awesome’ event but did it conform to rules on social distancing?

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

And he felt “social distancing was adhered to, we had plenty of PPE to hand out. The marshals had zero litter to clean up afterwards”

It was a view generally shared among many who attended or saw social media images of the rally attended by some 800 to 900 people in Cathedral Square.

Marshals were on hand to remind people about social distancing guidelines while they listened to the passionate speeches being made at the Guildhall. They also provided face masks, gloves and hand sanitiser to attendees.

The Black Lives Matter movement is one that calls for equality for people of all races and has become a worldwide movement since its founding in 2013.

Drone footage of 700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

Huge crowds gathered jn the centre of Peterborough – and many other cities in the UK - to show solidarity and support for a 46- year-old black American George Floyd.

He was the African - American who died in Minneapolis after being held down by police. His dying cry ‘I can’t breathe’ has been echoed in hundreds of protests not simply across the USA but across the world.

‘It is time to change –time to change the way society looks at us” said one of the organisers.

It was a sentiment which the Cathedral Square gathering in Peterborough concurred with.

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

With Covid-19 they hope and believe those taking part will continue to observe social distancing.

The officers involved in Mr Floyd’s death have all been charged - one with second degree murder and the other three with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

As demonstrations continued across the United States, people in other countries, including the UK, took to the streets to speak out against racism, social injustice and police brutality.

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)

700-800 at the BLM Black Lives Matter Rally Peterborough.City Centre, PeterboroughSaturday 06 June 2020. Picture by Terry Harris. (Image: © Terry Harris)