June 3, 2020 4.51 pm This story is over 58 months old

University of Lincoln to kneel for Black Lives Matter

The kneel will be live-streamed on Thursday morning
George Floyd protest in Washington D.C. Photo: Victoria Pickering
By Local Democracy Reporter

The University of Lincoln is organising a “collective gesture of unity” on Thursday by kneeling for the Black Lives Matter movement.

The kneel will take place on Thursday, June 4 at 9.25am for five minutes, and will be live streamed across the uni’s website and social media pages.

In a social statement, supported by a black square image, the university said: “All of us have been profoundly shocked by the events in Minnesota and the wider United States.

“We know that, as a community, we want to stand together with the black community against the injustices that they continue to face every day.

“All of us, staff and students alike, need to stand firm against racism and intolerance. Universities need to be beacons for the community, representing all that is best in humanity and standing against its vulgarities.”

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Join us and kneel for black lives. George Floyd was pronounced dead at 9.25pm on 25 May. He had been pinned to the ground by a white police officer who kept his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. All of us have been profoundly shocked by the events in Minnesota and the wider United States and we know that, as a community, we want to stand together with the black community against the injustices that they continue to face every day. It would be easy to say that this problem is occurring on another continent, in another country, another city but we must acknowledge the central truth of this movement, that some people appear to be more valued than others, manifests itself everywhere, including here at the University of Lincoln. We are working hard to address these injustices but we know we need to do more, to reach out and to be more vocal about standing with the black community against injustice, wherever it appears. All of us, staff and students alike, need to stand firm against racism and intolerance. Universities need to be beacons for the community, representing all that is best in humanity and standing against its vulgarities. This Thursday, 4th June, at 9.25am the University of Lincoln and the Students’ Union will make a collective gesture of unity, support and solidarity and will Kneel for Black Lives for 5 minutes (link in bio). Join us, wherever you are in the world, and kneel and together we will make a statement that Black Lives Matter. We will be streaming on our website and social media channels so please participate in whatever way you choose. Please use your social media feed; whether Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and kneel with us.

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As well as this, Stand Up To Racism has asked for a nationwide kneel on doorsteps today (Wednesday, June 3) at 6pm as part of a solidarity protest.

The kneel comes as a response to the death of George Floyd on May 25, which has prompted riots and protests across the USA and beyond.

A peaceful protest in Lincoln has been organised for Thursday afternoon as well.