Two 18-year-old organisers of the London Black Lives Matter protest are revealed - Daily Mail

'The police will kill me before corona kills me': Two 18-year-old organisers of London Black Lives Matter protest say they 'risk their lives on a daily basis' living in 'so racist' UK

• EXCLUSIVE: 18-year-olds Aima and Tash are revealed as organising the London protests over the killing of George Floyd 
• They have posted a series of hard hitting social media messages slamming Britain for being a 'racist country' 
• Aima defended the decision to defy ban on mass gatherings, saying police brutality will kill black people before coronavirus does  
• Chants of, 'I can't breathe,' rebounded across the Thames, the words George Floyd was heard gasping before his death as a white police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a week ago
• Thousands had earlier gathered at Trafalgar Square before making their way to the gates of Downing Street and then south of the river towards the US Embassy 
• They have defied the ban on mass gatherings due to coronavirus to show their solidarity with US citizens 
• Dozens of US cities have been set ablaze over the last week amid deadly clashes with police officers over the killing of Floyd, whose death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans
• Do you know Aima and Tasha? Email: tips@dailymail.com 

By Vivek Chaudhary and Ross Ibbetson For Mailonline

Published: 00:14 BST, 2 June 2020 | Updated: 04:49 BST, 2 June 2020

Advertisement

Two 18-year-olds have been revealed as organising the London protests over the killing of George Floyd which sparked violence on the capital's streets.

Thousands of Black Lives Matter protestors defied a ban on mass gatherings to rally at Trafalgar Square on Sunday before making their way to the gates of Downing Street and then south of the river towards the US Embassy.

Today teenagers Aima and Tash were named as posting a series of hard hitting social media messages slamming Britain for being a 'racist country' and claiming that 'police brutality' will kill black people before coronavirus does.

Two 18-year-olds Aima (left) and Tash (right) have been revealed as organising the London protests over the killing of George Floyd which sparked violence on the capital's streets. They've posted a series of hard hitting social media messages slamming Britain for being a 'racist country' and claiming that 'police brutality' will kill black people before coronavirus does

TRAFALGAR SQUARE, LONDON, ENGLAND: Hundreds of demonstrators were packed into Trafalgar Square on Sunday, chanting 'I can't breathe,' the words Floyd was heard gasping as a white police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis

On her website, Aima, who is believed to have spent part of her childhood growing up in the US, describes herself as 'teenage creative,' adding: 'I am a 18-year-old girl who lives just outside of London. I have a passion for photography and content creating as a whole.'

In a Twitter video, posted after Sunday's demonstration, she declared: 'You guys are saying that the corona pandemic will kill us, but police brutality will kill us first. I'm already risking my life on a daily basis. Corona's not going to kill me before the police kill me.'

In a video of her addressing the crowd at Sunday's demonstration, which was captioned 'A young black queen' Aima declares: 'The reason that I'm out here is that I'm scared for all my brothers and sisters. I want us all to spread the message that our lives bloody matter, black lives matter. And I'm tired of all the abuse and harassment and brutality from the police.'

Demonstrators block the road as they gather outside the US Embassy to protest the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis, USA

A man wearing a protective face mask kneels in front of police officers during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of African-American man George Floyd near the U.S. Embassy

Armed police officers guard the gates of Downing Street where hundreds of protesters were seen holding placards, as well as an Antifa (anti-fascist) flag 

Protesters react as a woman screams in pain as she is arrested and led off by police near the US embassy in London on Sunday

Tash, a student from London, told MailOnline that neither her nor Aima are willing to divulge any personal details about themselves.

In response to a Twitter post criticising protestors for not socially distancing, she said: 'The UK is so racist it's blaming activism on something the government has failed to protect us from since March.'

In another post, she wrote: 'When I was growing up, it was all my wh*te friends shoplifting and that… we learned violence from you.'

The teenagers have been described as 'the amazing sisters of this protest' who have been using social media to help build a supporter base across the UK.

The two young women have organised another demonstration outside the US embassy for this weekend while others they are involved in are taking place in other British cities this week.

One supporter tweeted to Tash: 'I am so f***ing proud of you, you are leading a revolution. A proud black young woman is leading the f***ing UK protests, you are creating history and I will be here to support you in any way I can.'

Sunday's demonstration was largely peaceful but led to scuffles between police and protestors. One group of officers were seen tackling protesters on Kensington High Street, with reports some activists threw traffic cones at police.

People carrying banners gather during a protest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after being pinned down by a white police officer in USA

Dozens of American cities have been set ablaze over the last week amid deadly clashes with police officers over the killing of Floyd, whose death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans.

A source close to protests that are being organised in Britain said: 'Aima and Tash have done an incredible job. They are only young, but they've kicked off this whole movement and really tapped into people's anger.

'They've made it clear that they just want peaceful protest and that everybody needs to maintain social distance. That's not quite happened because people get very passionate at these demonstrations, but you can't blame the two of them for that. They are both amazing women.'

Following Sunday's protest, Aima was also interviewed by the BBC World Service claiming that she never expected so many people to attend.

'It was quite incredible the amount of people that came. There were all kinds of people there and that shows me that people in the UK are united,' she said.

She also accused the Metropolitan Police of being 'institutionally racist' claiming that she had decided to organise the protest because she wanted to 'take a stand.'

Aima claimed that British police 'looked at her differently' compared to her white friends and that it 'dehumanised' many young black men in particular.

Referring to the killing of George Floyd she said: 'I think it really made me take a look at the police system all around the world. I have always been focusing on institutional racism in America but it really made me look in the UK. I have realised that there's so much institutional racism in the UK police.'

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMie2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtODM3ODIzMy9Ud28tMTgteWVhci1vbGQtb3JnYW5pc2Vycy1Mb25kb24tQmxhY2stTGl2ZXMtTWF0dGVyLXByb3Rlc3QtcmV2ZWFsZWQuaHRtbNIBf2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtODM3ODIzMy9hbXAvVHdvLTE4LXllYXItb2xkLW9yZ2FuaXNlcnMtTG9uZG9uLUJsYWNrLUxpdmVzLU1hdHRlci1wcm90ZXN0LXJldmVhbGVkLmh0bWw?oc=5

2020-06-02 04:03:48Z
CAIiEBjzahk5aHz7OfIgWyh-zkQqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowzuOICzCZ4ocDMN6YowY

G7 leaders reject Russia's return after Trump summit invite - BBC News

The UK and Canada have opposed Russia's return to the G7, deepening a rift over US President Donald Trump's wish for the country to rejoin.

Mr Trump said on Saturday he would postpone the G7 summit scheduled to take place this month until September.

The president said the G7's "outdated group of countries" should be expanded to include others, including Russia.

On Sunday, Mr Trump told Russian President Vladimir Putin of his plan to invite him to the summit.

The White House said making "progress toward convening the G7" with Russia was among the topics the leaders discussed in a phone call.

• Trump delays 'outdated' G7 leaders' summit
• What is the G7 summit and what does it do?

The G7 summit, which the US hosts this year, convenes the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK to discuss matters of co-operation.

But Mr Trump's invitation to Mr Putin has drawn the ire of the UK and Canada, whose leaders said on Sunday they would not support Russia's readmission to the group.

Russia was expelled from the group - previously known as the G8 - in 2014 in response to its annexation of Crimea.

"Russia was excluded from the G7 after it invaded Crimea a number of years ago, and its continued disrespect and flaunting of international rules and norms is why it remains outside of the G7, and it will continue to remain out," Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference.

Earlier, a spokesman for the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would veto any proposal to allow Russia to rejoin the group.

Unless Russia ceases its "aggressive and destabilising activity", the UK would not support the country's readmission to the group, Mr Johnson's spokesman said.

"Russia was removed from the G7 group of nations following its [2014] annexation of Crimea and we are yet to see evidence of changed behaviour which would justify its readmittance," the spokesman told reporters.

Neither the UK or Canadian position rules out Mr Putin's attendance of the summit in the US.

Though representatives of non-G7 members have attended the group's summits before, Mr Putin's presence could prove contentious.

In recent years, the UK has had an acrimonious relationship with Russia, which it blamed for a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Salisbury, England in 2018.

• G7 will act over Russia's 'malign activity', UK says

Despite opposition from other G7 members, Mr Trump has repeatedly expressed his support for Russia's return to the group.

At a G7 summit in 2018, Mr Trump said he thought it "would be an asset to have Russia back in".

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Announcing the delay of this year's G7 summit on Saturday, Mr Trump echoed that sentiment.

He said he did not feel the group "properly represents what's going on in the world", suggesting Russia, South Korea, Australia and India should be invited.

The leaders of South Korea and Australia have expressed interest in attending the summit in the US.

Last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected the president's invitation to attend a summit in person because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The G7 (or Group of Seven) is an organisation made up of the world's seven largest so-called advanced economies.

The leaders of these countries meet annually at summits to discuss issues of global governance, including climate change, security and the economy.

The group regards itself as "a community of values", with freedom and human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and prosperity and sustainable development as its key principles.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiM2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLXVzLWNhbmFkYS01Mjg4NTE3ONIBN2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FtcC93b3JsZC11cy1jYW5hZGEtNTI4ODUxNzg?oc=5

2020-06-02 03:25:35Z
52780826026463

George Floyd death: Trump vows to send in troops to end unrest - BBC News

US President Donald Trump has threatened to send in the military to quell growing civil unrest over the death of a black man in police custody.

He said if cities and states failed to control the protests and "defend their residents" he would deploy the army and "quickly solve the problem for them".

The death of George Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis on 25 May triggered an outpouring of anger across the country.

Major cities have implemented curfews as the unrest enters its seventh day.

New York City has imposed a citywide lockdown until 05:00 on Tuesday. Washington DC, meanwhile, has extended its curfew for another two nights.

But the demonstrations are expected to continue. They began after a video showed Mr Floyd being arrested and a white police officer continuing to kneel on his neck even after he pleaded that he could not breathe.

The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter and will appear in court next week. Three other police officers have been fired.

On Monday, an official post-mortem examination declared Mr Floyd's death a homicide.

What did Trump say?

The president delivered a brief address from the White House Rose Garden on Monday evening, and it was marked by the sound of a nearby protest being dispersed with tear gas and rubber bullets.

He said "all Americans were rightly sickened and revolted by the brutal death of George Floyd" but said his memory must not be "drowned out by an angry mob".

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Mr Trump described the scenes of looting and violence in the capital on Sunday as "a total disgrace" before pledging to bolster the city's defences.

"I am dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults and the wanton destruction of property," he said.

Mr Trump then turned his attention to the national protests, which he blamed on "professional anarchists" and the anti-fascist group Antifa. On Sunday, he designated Antifa as a terrorist organisation.

He called on cities and states to deploy the National Guard, the reserve military force that can be called on to intervene in domestic emergencies, "in sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets". About 16,000 of its troops have been deployed to deal with the unrest so far.

Mr Trump added: "If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary... then I'll deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them."

"I want the organisers of this terror to be on notice that you'll face severe criminal penalties," he said.

His comments were met with swift criticism from senior Democrats. Joe Biden, the party's presumptive presidential candidate, said Mr Trump [was] using the American military against the American people".

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: "How low can this president go?... His actions reveal his true nature."

An escalation of force?

Throughout Monday, pressure grew on Donald Trump to take action to address the rising unrest in major cities across the US. As the sun set in Washington DC, in a hastily arranged Rose Garden address, the president outlined what that action would be.

Governors were warned that if they did not effectively secure property and safety on the streets, the president would cite a centuries-old law to dispatch the US Army on American soil. And in the District of Columbia, which is under federal authority, the president had already ordered the military to deploy in force.

Moments before the president spoke, promising he was on the side of peaceful protesters, those armed soldiers cleared out peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House.

It set the stage for the president to walk with his senior staff across the park to St John's Church, which was lightly damaged in a fire set by rioters the previous evening - an important symbolic gesture or an unnecessary photo opportunity, depending on one's perspective. Posing in front of the building with a Bible, he promised that America was "coming back strong" and "it won't take long".

There was no talk of police reforms or the root causes of the protests that began last week at any point in the evening's proceedings. Instead, he said he was the "president of law and order" - a sign, it seems, that his solution to the ongoing crisis will be an escalation of force.

What's the latest with the protests?

More than 75 cities have seen protests over what happened to George Floyd. Streets that only days ago were deserted because of the coronavirus pandemic have filled with demonstrators marching shoulder to shoulder.

Protests kicked off for another evening on Monday. More than 40 cities have imposed or extended their curfews.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

On Sunday, mostly peaceful demonstrations once again gave way to violence in many cities, with clashes erupting between police and protesters.

Police cars were burned, buildings were torched and shops looted in several places. Dozens of cities imposed curfews but they were defied.

• How are African-Americans treated by the law?

Many videos shared on social media from across the US appeared to show riot police responding disproportionately to demonstrators. Dozens of attacks targeting journalists have been reported.

And the chief of Louisville Police in Kentucky was fired after law enforcement shot into a crowd, killing the owner of a nearby business.

Mayor Greg Fischer said officers and troops involved in the shooting failed to activate body cameras. "This type of institutional failure will not be tolerated," he said.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiM2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLXVzLWNhbmFkYS01Mjg4NjczNtIBN2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FtcC93b3JsZC11cy1jYW5hZGEtNTI4ODY3MzY?oc=5

2020-06-02 02:03:29Z
CBMiM2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLXVzLWNhbmFkYS01Mjg4NjczNtIBN2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FtcC93b3JsZC11cy1jYW5hZGEtNTI4ODY3MzY

George Floyd death homicide, official post-mortem declares - BBC News

The death of George Floyd, which triggered widespread protests across the US, has been declared a homicide in an official post-mortem examination.

The 46-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest while being restrained by Minneapolis police, the report found.

It listed Mr Floyd's cause of death as "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression".

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump vowed to use the military to end the unrest.

A video showing a white police officer continuing to kneel on Mr Floyd's neck even after he pleaded he could not breathe has reignited deep-seated anger over police killings of black Americans.

It has led to six consecutive days of protests around the United States and a level of civil unrest not seen in decades.

The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter and will appear in court next week. Three other police officers have been fired.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

What did the reports say?

The official post-mortem examination of Mr Floyd by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office also recorded evidence of heart disease and recent drug use. It said he suffered the cardiac arrest "while being restrained by a law enforcement officer" on 25 May.

The findings were released shortly after those of a private examination that was carried out by medical examiners hired by the Floyd family.

This report said Mr Floyd died from asphyxia (lack of oxygen) due to a compression on his neck and also on his back. It also found the death was a homicide, a statement from the family's legal team said.

"The cause of death in my opinion is asphyxia, due to compression to the neck - which can interfere with oxygen going to the brain - and compression to the back, which interferes with breathing," Dr Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said at a news conference on Monday.

Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for the Floyd family, said: "Beyond doubt he would be alive today if not for the pressure applied to his neck by officer Derek Chauvin and the strain on his body by two other officers."

He added: "The ambulance was his hearse."

What did Trump say?

Also on Monday, during a brief televised address from the White House's Rose Garden, President Trump threatened to send in the military to end the protests if cities and states failed to control them.

Speaking as the sounds of a nearby protest could be heard in the background, Mr Trump said "we are ending the riots and lawlessness" which he blamed on "professional anarchists" and anti-fascist group "Antifa".

"I have strongly recommended to every governor to deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets," Mr Trump said.

The National Guard is the reserve military force that can be called on to intervene in domestic emergencies. About 16,000 of its troops have been deployed to deal with the unrest so far.

Mr Trump added: "If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary... then I'll deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them."

"I want the organisers of this terror to be on notice that you'll face severe criminal penalties," he said.

Earlier, President Trump told state governors they had been "weak" and had to get "much tougher" and utilise troops from the National Guard.

"You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again," Mr Trump said in a video conference call, according to US media.

What's the latest on the protests?

More than 75 cities have seen protests over what happened to George Floyd. Streets that only days ago were deserted because of the coronavirus pandemic have filled with demonstrators marching shoulder to shoulder.

The case follows the high-profile cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York and others that have driven the Black Lives Matter movement.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

On Sunday, mostly peaceful demonstrations once again gave way to violence in many cities, with clashes erupting between police and protesters.

Police cars were burned, buildings were torched and shops looted in several places. Dozens of cities imposed curfews but they were defied.

• How are African-Americans treated by the law?

Many videos shared on social media from across the US appeared to show riot police responding disproportionately to demonstrators. Dozens of attacks targeting journalists have been reported.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiMWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy93b3JsZC11cy1jYW5hZGEtNTI4ODY1OTPSATVodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYmMuY29tL25ld3MvYW1wL3dvcmxkLXVzLWNhbmFkYS01Mjg4NjU5Mw?oc=5

2020-06-02 01:53:16Z
52780811678261

LIVE: Protests continue across US following death of George Floyd - Sky News

'A photo op at a church'

Following his White House statement, Mr Trump walked to the St John's Episcopal Church, known as The Church of the Presidents, which suffered fire damage in a protest this week.

Holding a Bible, he said: "We have the greatest country in the world. We're going to keep it safe."

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZGh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2xpdmUtcHJvdGVzdHMtY29udGludWUtYWNyb3NzLXVzLWZvbGxvd2luZy1kZWF0aC1vZi1nZW9yZ2UtZmxveWQtMTE5OTg5MzPSAWhodHRwczovL25ld3Muc2t5LmNvbS9zdG9yeS9hbXAvbGl2ZS1wcm90ZXN0cy1jb250aW51ZS1hY3Jvc3MtdXMtZm9sbG93aW5nLWRlYXRoLW9mLWdlb3JnZS1mbG95ZC0xMTk5ODkzMw?oc=5

2020-06-02 00:48:20Z
52780811678261

Trump threatens to deploy military against protesters - Guardian News

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

1. Trump threatens to deploy military against protesters  Guardian News
2. Donald Trump threatens to deploy military to end George Floyd riots and 'dominate' streets  Metro.co.uk
3. Donald Trump rushed to 'terror attack' bunker as violent George Floyd riots rage near White House  The Sun
4. Trump threatens to deploy military against protesters as teargas fired outside White House – live  The Guardian
5. President Trump demands tougher response as protests escalate across America - BBC News  BBC News
6. View Full coverage on Google News

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiK2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL3dhdGNoP3Y9QnRqazBfV1JJUTTSAQA?oc=5

2020-06-02 00:02:15Z
52780825896929

George Floyd death: Donald Trump will send in the army if cities fail to deal with protests - Sky News

The US president has vowed to deploy the military unless states halt violent protests following the death of George Floyd.

Donald Trump was speaking as tear gas was fired on demonstrators close to the White House in Washington DC.

He said he was mobilising all federal resources to suppress protests that have erupted since the death of Mr Floyd in Minneapolis.

"First, we are ending the riots and lawlessness that has spread throughout our country. We will end it now.

Image: 'We have the greatest country in the world'

"Today I have recommended to every governor to deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets.

Advertisement

"If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them."

Terrence Floyd: If I'm not blowing up stuff, or destroying my community, why are you?

Following his statement, Mr Trump walked to the St John's Episcopal Church, known as The Church of the Presidents, which suffered fire damage in a protest this week.

More from Donald Trump

Holding a Bible, he said: "We have the greatest country in the world. We're going to keep it safe."

Mr Floyd, aged 46, died after a police officer was filmed kneeling on his neck for almost nine minutes during his arrest for allegedly using a fake $20 note in a shop, despite him warning that he could not breathe.

Earlier, the family of Mr Floyd urged people to go out and vote rather than turn to violence over his death.

Demanding justice for his brother, Terrence Floyd told a crowd at a makeshift memorial in Minneapolis, that the riots of the past few days across America "will not bring my brother back".

And he pleaded: "Stop thinking your voice don't matter, and vote."

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMifmh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2dlb3JnZS1mbG95ZC1kZWF0aC1kb25hbGQtdHJ1bXAtd2lsbC1zZW5kLWluLXRoZS1hcm15LWlmLWNpdGllcy1mYWlsLXRvLWRlYWwtd2l0aC1wcm90ZXN0cy0xMTk5ODkyOdIBggFodHRwczovL25ld3Muc2t5LmNvbS9zdG9yeS9hbXAvZ2VvcmdlLWZsb3lkLWRlYXRoLWRvbmFsZC10cnVtcC13aWxsLXNlbmQtaW4tdGhlLWFybXktaWYtY2l0aWVzLWZhaWwtdG8tZGVhbC13aXRoLXByb3Rlc3RzLTExOTk4OTI5?oc=5

2020-06-01 22:58:37Z
52780825896929