Anti-racism protest planned in Sheffield to mark next hearing in George Floyd murder trial

Mr Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American, died on May 25 after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck in Minneapolis, Minnesota while he was pinned to the floor.

Mr Chauvin, 44, has since been charged with murder, with three other officers charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

The next hearing in the officers’s case is set for 11 September, with protests planned nationwide to mark the proceeding. The Sheffield protest has been organised by Take The Knee Sheffield alongside Stand Up To Racism. Since June, Take The Knee have met every Wednesday at different locations across the city to kneel peacefully for eight minutes and 46 seconds – the same amount of time Chauvin knelt on Mr Floyd’s neck.

The group was set up by Yasmin Plews and Nicola Newman, both from Sheffield, “to protest against the systemic racism that exists in Britain as much as in the USA”.

The kneel will take place at 6pm, with everyone in support invited to the “peaceful protest”. Attendees are asked to arrive at 5.50pm and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

In June roughly 3,500 people attended a Black Lives Matter protest on Devonshire Green in the wake of Mr Floyd’s death.

More information about Friday’s protest can be found on Take The Knee Sheffield’s Facebook page.