Another Black Lives Matter protest rally is planned for tomorrow, Friday, June 26 from 12-5pm in Spinks Park, Lismore.

Widjabul Wybal woman Cindy Roberts said after the last protest in Lismore brought hundreds of people to the city streets on June 6, following social distancing protocols remains a priority at the rally.

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“We have a right to hold a non-violent, peaceful protest on Widjabul Wybal soil, but the police are worried about people not following the safety guidelines for Covid-19,” Cindy said. 

“So, the protest is going to go ahead and we are going to make sure we don’t give the police a reason to stop it.

“We will be there earlier in the morning putting markers on the ground where groups of 20 people can stand, with each group standing 1.5 metres apart.

“We will also have masks and hand sanitiser for people to use.

“Nurses and medical staff will be coming along and we have been speaking with the health to make sure we follow all the right guidelines.”

Cindy said the protest was important to call attention and speak out against injustice and racism across Australia – and the world – and called the people of Lismore to stand in solidarity with Aboriginal people.

The Black Lives Matter movement is growing across the world. The peaceful protest movement was triggered by the viral sharing of video showing the brutal death of George Floyd, 46 - an African-American man killed by police in Minneapolis recently.

While the police officers involved in the incident in America were charged with murder, Cindy said that was just to “silence the masses” and that Australia has an even bigger problem.  

“We’ve seen the same thing too many times in this country – and the perpetrators have walked free. That’s not justice,” she said.

“Aboriginal people make up 3% of the population, but 30% are incarcerated – they are in the highest rates highest of incarceration in the world.

“It’s not about black or white, it’s about stopping racism in the justice system - black lives matter.

“Black fellas are still suffering in an unfair justice system - we are still living under a white, oppressive government and being targeted is not new to us.

“Until we stand together and speak out, nothing will change.

For more information, visit the event Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1399720673554941/

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