The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called for a national day of action on Monday in solidarity with the African-Americans protesting police brutality in the United States.
The party is calling for peaceful protests and South Africans to kneel across the country. Parts of the United States (US) have been engulfed by protests after the murder of George Floyd.
The EFF says Floyd’s death and that of South Africa’s Collins Khosa, also allegedly at the hands of law enforcement agencies, reveals an anti-black attitude of law enforcement across the world.
EFF Gauteng Spokesperson, Delisile Ngwenya, says the protests must be in line with the Level 3 lockdown regulations.
“The demonstrations must be done in a safe and responsible manner considering the realities of the COVID-19 global pandemic, which still poses a risk to the lives of all people. Accordingly, the protests must be in accordance with Level 3 regulations that allow jogging in a proper social distancing form. We call on all South Africans to take to main roads and police stations across the country and take a kneel for 8 minutes 46 seconds,” says Ngwena.
Derek Chauvin, 44, was fired from the Minneapolis police force and charged with second-degree murder after being filmed in a widely circulated video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd gasped for air and repeatedly groaned, “Please, I can’t breathe.”
All four former Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd’s killing have been charged.
EFF Calls For National Day of Action in Solidarity With Black Lives Matter Movement. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/ZsClj3a87c
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 5, 2020
In the video below, US protesters march over George Floyd’s murder:
