Thousands stage peaceful protest in Dublin over Floyd death
Thousands of people marched through Dublin city centre in a peaceful protest in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States.
People gathered on Monday afternoon at the GPO on O'Connell Street and marched to the US Embassy in Ballsbridge, protesting the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week.
Protests have taken place across the world in the wake of Mr Floyd's death after a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck last Monday.
Video footage showing Mr Floyd, a black man, pleading for air, has sparked outrage across the world.
Derek Chauvin, the police officer involved in the incident who has since been fired, has been charged with third-degree murder.
In Belfast, a vigil took place at Writers' Square on Sunday before a demonstration at City Hall on Monday during which protesters held aloft signs which read "Black Lives Matter" among others.
Hours later in Dublin the streets around the US Embassy were filled by protesters who chanted 'No Justice, No Peace', 'Silence is Betrayal' and 'Black Lives Matter'.
At the US embassy, people kneeled during a minute's silence.
Irish woman Erica Cody told RTÉ's News at One that she has experienced racism since the day she was born.
Ms Cody, a singer from Baldoyle, said it is sad that it takes something so tragic to realise racism is not exclusive to the United States but that it exists everywhere.
She said the protest is about standing in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement because it doesn't just exist in the United States, but everywhere, and that we must have uncomfortable conversations in order to bring about change and sitting on the fence just adds to the problem.
Monday's protest followed other large events over the weekend, including a protest at the US Ambassador's Residence in the Phoenix Park.
Some of the American protests were marred by violence in cities from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and close to the White House in Washington.
US President Donald Trump was rushed to a White House bunker by Secret Service agents as hundreds of people protesting the death of George Floyd gathered outside the executive mansion.
