The Black Lives Matter movement has officially crossed the Atlantic.
On Friday morning, 15 Black Lives Matter UK protesters were arrested for blocking traffic to both Heathrow and Birmingham airports.
Road get lock arff. #Shutdown lock arff pic.twitter.com/zRgFpnZ24x
— #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) August 5, 2016
^That’s in London. This is Birmingham. #Shutdown (via @MayaAnneEvans) pic.twitter.com/Xe1wJd12qB
— #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) August 5, 2016
Full #Shutdown in London. Motorway closed. Police have made at least 4 arrests pic.twitter.com/QyA7COd46p
— #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) August 5, 2016
WATCH:
Traffic has been halted as protesters are demanding to be listened to- that #blacklivesmatteruk pic.twitter.com/QBqwhs8nci
— Hannah (@hannahnuura) August 5, 2016
According to the Telegraph, the protest was held in honor of the five year anniversary of Mark Dugan’s death and just days after the group called for a “nationwide shutdown” of roads across the UK.
WATCH:
We call a nationwide #Shutdown because #BlackLivesMatter, because this is a crisis.
05.08016 pic.twitter.com/dLaqBcS9DJ
— #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) August 4, 2016
Dugan was killed while Metropolitan police carried out “Operation Trident,” a sting program targeting the sale of firearms, illegal in the UK.
Breitbart reports he was shot “15 minutes after taking possession of an illegal handgun.”
The group also pointed to the death of 24-year-old Leon Patterson.
This morning we #Shutdown major transport hubs because the conventional avenues to justice have been shutdown to us.
— #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) August 5, 2016
Friends & families of those killed in custody have been failed by police, the judiciary, the IPCC and the legislature. We stand with them.
— #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) August 5, 2016
A few hours wait in traffic is nothing compared to the 24 years Leon Patterson’s family have spent fighting for justice.
— #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) August 5, 2016
A pathologist admitted in court to fabricating evidence about Leon’s cause of death. Yet no one has been charged in relation to this case.
— #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) August 5, 2016
To be stuck in traffic is an irritation. To be denied justice for decades is a crisis.
— #BlackLivesMatterUK (@ukblm) August 5, 2016