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George Floyd Reverberates Globally: Thousands Protest In Germany, U.K., New Zealand

By Hannah Hagemann,
Lynsey Jeffery
Published May 31, 2020 at 9:54 PM EDT
People protest against police brutality in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. The protest was interrupted when police used tear gas to disperse people.
Silvia Izquierdo
/
AP
People protest against police brutality in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. The protest was interrupted when police used tear gas to disperse people.

Updated at 8:29 p.m. ET

U.S. protesters rallying against the killing of George Floyd and countless other black Americans are being heard around the world as demonstrators launched their own protests in the countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Iran and New Zealand.

Syrian artists Aziz Asmar and Anis Hamdoun paint a mural depicting George Floyd in the town of Binnish in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on June 1, 2020.
Omar Haj Kadour / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Syrian artists Aziz Asmar and Anis Hamdoun paint a mural depicting George Floyd in the town of Binnish in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on June 1, 2020.

The Netherlands

A large peaceful protest against George Floyd's killing and police brutality, filled Dam Square in central Amsterdam in solidarity with American protesters on Monday.

Demonstrators carried signs that read "Police violence is not an accident," "Racism is a pandemic" and "My skin ain't a crime."

Thousands of protesters gathered on Monday, from various different Amsterdam anti-racism organizations, including Black Lives Matter.
Peter Dejong / AP
/
AP
Thousands of protesters gathered on Monday, from various different Amsterdam anti-racism organizations, including Black Lives Matter.

Naomie Pieter, an Amsterdam based anti-racism activist, called out to the crowd from a stage, "Black women's lives, black trans lives, black disabled lives," with demonstrators responding "Matter!" to each exclamation.

Protestors gathered Monday in Amsterdam, Netherlands, at Dam Square.
Peter Dejong / AP
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AP
Protestors gathered Monday in Amsterdam, Netherlands, at Dam Square.

The majority of protesters wore masks, and there were no immediate reports of violence or arrests.

Germany

People sit at a protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin on Saturday.
Odd Anderson / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
People sit at a protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin on Saturday.

In Berlin, protesters gathered Sunday outside the U.S. Embassy, demonstrating for a second day.

Hundreds of German demonstrators marched in solidarity with American protesters Saturday and Sunday, chanting "Stop killing us," "Black lives matter" and "No justice, no peace."

On a former section of the Berlin Wall, in Mauerpark, a memorial popped up over the weekend depicting Floyd and "I can't breathe," some of his last words.

George Floyd and his last words depicted in a mural by graffiti artist EME Freethinker on a section of the former Berlin Wall.
Markus Schreiber / AP
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AP
George Floyd and his last words depicted in a mural by graffiti artist EME Freethinker on a section of the former Berlin Wall.

Beyond protests that gathered thousands at the capital over the weekend, four soccer players in Germany's Bundesliga league addressed Floyd's killing during games. One player took a knee on the field. Another exposed a shirt underneath a jersey that read "Justice for George Floyd."

U.K.

Demonstrators carry placards as they march in the road near the U.S. Embassy in central London on Sunday to protest the death of George Floyd.
Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Demonstrators carry placards as they march in the road near the U.S. Embassy in central London on Sunday to protest the death of George Floyd.

Thousands demonstrated on Sunday in London, according to the BBC, to protest Floyd's death and police brutality.

The protest was concentrated in central London, with hundreds taking a knee in Trafalgar Square for nine minutes, signifying the amount of time the former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd to the ground.

Demonstrators block the road as they gather outside the U.S. Embassy in London on Sunday.
Justin Tallis / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Demonstrators block the road as they gather outside the U.S. Embassy in London on Sunday.

They marched along the Thames and to the U.S. Embassy, chanting "Black lives matter" and carrying signs with slogans such as "Racism is a global issue," "Your silence is deafening" and "How many more?"

According to the Metropolitan Police, 23 demonstrators were arrested in central London on Sunday.

Elsewhere in the U.K., demonstrations also took place in Manchester and Cardiff.

Canada

Thousands of demonstrators march in central Montreal against racism and police violence on Sunday.
Eric Thomas / AFP via Getty Images
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AFP via Getty Images
Thousands of demonstrators march in central Montreal against racism and police violence on Sunday.

In Canada, people in Toronto gathered in protest against injustice toward black people globally and against the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a 29-year-old black woman who lived in Toronto, and the circumstances surrounding her death.

Korchinski-Paquet fell from her balcony while police officers were responding to a domestic incident in her home.

New Zealand

Despite coronavirus-related restrictions on large gatherings, thousands took to the streets to protest police brutality in Auckland, sparking criticism from some political leaders.

Demonstrators hold placards during a march in central Auckland, New Zealand, on Monday to protest the death of George Floyd.
Dean Purcell / AP
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AP
Demonstrators hold placards during a march in central Auckland, New Zealand, on Monday to protest the death of George Floyd.

Organizers tried to encourage social distancing, The New Zealand Herald reported, but the large turnout forced demonstrators close together. Protesters marched and chanted "No justice, no peace" and "Black lives matter."

Toward the end of the march, video posted on social media showed demonstrators participating in an impromptu haka, a ceremonial dance of the Maori people.

Demonstrators also gathered in the smaller cities of Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

Iran

And in the Iranian city of Mashhad, a candlelight vigil was held in Floyd's honor, with Black Lives Matter posters and illustrations of Floyd posted.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

National News
Hannah Hagemann
Hannah Hagemann is a 2019 Kroc Fellow. During her fellowship, she will work at NPR's National Desk and Weekend Edition.
See stories by Hannah Hagemann
Lynsey Jeffery