Black Lives Matter march to take place in Aylesbury this weekend

A Black Lives Matter march is planned to take place in Aylesbury this Saturday in solidarity with the movement in America following the murder of George Floyd.
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The protests in America began when 46-year-old George Floyd was arrested in Minneapolis on 25 May, accused of using a counterfeit $20 bank note.

White police officer Derek Chauvin subsequently knelt on Mr Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. Mr Chauvin has been charged with murder. Three other police officers who stood by and watched are under investigation.

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The march on Saturday, which begins in Watermead, is being organised by Aylesbury rapper Amari Jamz, 22, and local resident Hannah Lewis, 39, under the heading 'Together We Will Rise.'

Together We Will RiseTogether We Will Rise
Together We Will Rise

Ms Lewis told The Bucks Herald: "As a black woman I've suffered from racism and I've even suffered from some police brutality, not at the extent as what's been going on elsewhere but I have experienced it - a lot of us have. So we decided we needed to come together and make a stand."

Amari Jamz said: “Going to school here I was always drawn out for the colour of my skin and even when I'm walking around the streets, if I'm coming back from the gym or whatever and I have my hood up, people cross the road. But I'm just a normal person, I'm not an animal who's going to attack you, so I want to spread a message that this protest is something that's positive and peaceful and let people know that black lives do matter and the colour of my skin shouldn't define me as a criminal.”

The organisers were both keen to communicate that this is a peaceful protest and that anyone behaving otherwise will not be welcome.

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Ms Lewis said: "It's a peaceful protest and anybody who comes down there and causes trouble will be removed. We're not about that at all - it's a peaceful movement.”

Amari Jamz, organiser of the Black Lives Matter march in AylesburyAmari Jamz, organiser of the Black Lives Matter march in Aylesbury
Amari Jamz, organiser of the Black Lives Matter march in Aylesbury

Amari Jamz added: “If people are coming along with bad energy I suggest they stay at home because it will not be tolerated. You can't fight fire with fire – you have to spread peace to get the outcome you want.”

Regarding what they hoped to achieve, Amari Jamz said: “We hope that the outcome will be that the world becomes a better place and that positivity and love will be spread all over the world so we can be defined as one."

Ms Lewis agreed: “We want to bring the community together, to educate them about black history and racism. If we can help people to understand us better, that we're not all criminals, then I'll be happy with that."

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Hannah Lewis and Amari Jamz have asked people who attend the march to wear face masks and to try to maintain social distancing wherever possible due to the current coronavirus pandemic. For reasons not yet fully understood, statistics show that black people are more likely to get seriously ill with the disease.

Thames Valley Police provided the following statement: “Thames Valley Police is aware of the planned protests that are organised for this weekend.

“We are committed to facilitating a peaceful protest and the right to freedom of expression, while also keeping the community safe.

“We support the public’s right to peaceful protest, and will work constructively with organisers to protect those rights.”