Call for justice for George Floyd is a howl against oppression

It is only by cleansing hatred from our society now that we can build a future fit for our children.

Hatred perverts humanity. When racist cops go on the rampage against African-Americans they are putting the boot into democracy itself.

The call for justice for George Floyd is a howl against oppression in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York; Mexico City, Lima, Santiago; Palestine, Hong Kong and Myammar; Sudan and Chechnya; Direct Provision Centres, Travellers’ encampments. And all the other hate-spots of savagery, of which the list never ends.

George Floyd will be remembered forever for a life of triumph, which was not snuffed out by racism, but which instead has flared up into a new flame of freedom to light our way forward.

Americans are far better than Trump gives them credit for. In the midst of the onslaught of his stormtroopers against innocence, we have also seen solidarity, kindness and love.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” the plinth of the Statue of Liberty proclaims. White Power threatens to make this inscription a meaningless scribble on a lump of stone.

It is only by vindicating the life of George Floyd that we can make Liberty live in America again.

For George Floyd, brothers and sisters, for the unassailable truth that Black Lives Matter, for finding our way by following in the footsteps of those who have borne the brunt of bigotry down through the ages - only thus will we ever see the new world we search for in all its naked wonder.

We must take our place in the ranks of rebellion and walk forward, heads high, towards truth, justice, freedom.

The name on our banner will shout out – “George Floyd!”