What do protesters want

They just wanted to be here, taking part. When they get to the courthouse, things take more shape. Dominique Alexander, leader of a group called the Next Generation Action Network, is leading the show.

He moves from a bullhorn to a microphone, calling out Mayor Eric Johnson for being black but not being there, calling for an emergency City Council meeting, calling for police reform.

And there is no denying his charisma or leadership. He tells them what to do if they are arrested. The speakers that he hands the mic to tell stories of ugly racism they have experienced in their lives, the sort of grinding, demeaning things that would draw anyone with pride into the streets.

We still live in this community. Be smart. Be strategic. Across the street, police, troopers and sheriffs are waiting. The 7 p. Then another hour.

The evening will end not long after when the group starts to march. Some walk to their cars. Others try to cross the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. Reporters are with them and will tell the story of how they are corralled there with smoke on one side and cops on the other.

They are forced to lie down and are arrested, booked and quickly released. It is, all told, a relatively easy night for all. On other nights, and in other parts of the country, the protests turn both uglier and more beautiful. In Fort Worth on the same night, the crowd dispersed after officers took a knee in unity against police violence.

Protesters left shaking hands and exchanging hugs with the cops they saw. In New York, scores of officers and protesters were hurt in clashes. Within days, protests were taking place in all fifty states and more than cities nationwide. Tens of thousands of people also gathered in countries around the world to support the protests and show solidarity. The impact of the protests is already evident in several cities where steps are being taken toward a broader set of law enforcement reforms.

Overall, these protests are focusing on Black Lives Matter, racial injustice in the criminal justice system and countering systemic racism in society at large. Black Lives Matter is an activist movement which began as a hashtag.

The movement was founded by three Black women in July Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi--when White civilian George Zimmerman was acquitted for shooting and killing Trayvon Martin, when he encoountered the African American teenager who was walking to his relatives' home. A protest is an event or action where people gather with others to publicly express their opinions about something that is happening in society. There are a variety of potential goals for a protest: influence public opinion, draw attention to and share information about a perceived injustice, gain a wide audience for the cause, push public policy or legislation forward, learn more about an issue, connect with others who feel passionate about the issue, speak one's truth and bear witness.

Protests can also provide inspiration and a sense of being part of a larger movement. The overarching purpose of protests is to demand change. Protests can take the form of marches, sit-ins, boycotts, and include speeches, music, chanting, performance art, poetry, using symbols, holding signs and confronting people, assembling near symbols and in places of significance to the cause e. Protests are among the many strategies people use to engage in activism and organizing, with the goal of enacting change.

Other ways to engage in activism include advocacy for legislation, public awareness campaigns, raising funds, gaining support through social media, among others. Non-violent resistance also called civil disobedience is a form of protest. This type of protest is characterized by people engaging in a symbolic protest or peacefully refusing to cooperate. An example of non-violent resistance are the sit-ins that began in as part of the Civil Rights Movement.

The sit-ins spread to other college towns in the South. Many of the protesters were arrested for trespassing, disorderly conduct or disturbing the peace. In the U. The government may limit the time, place and manner, but the restrictions must be reasonable and fair. The government cannot forbid you and others from assembling to discuss or protest issues.

Supporters have noted that most marches have been peaceful, but conservative US politicians and TV pundits suggested Black Lives Matter contributed to the deaths of police officers. The BLM organisation said this was untrue: "We're targeting the brutal system of policing, not individual police. In the UK, although there is an official BLM organisation, events are often organised by a number of smaller groups or individuals coming together under the banner of "Black Lives Matter".

Supporters of Black Lives Matter have also argued that critics who say "all lives matter" or "white lives matter" are dismissing the impact of slavery and racial inequalities. They say the phrase is a demand for equal treatment and an end to racism - because the lives of black people are just as important as those of others.

In the US, steps have been taken to tackle police violence and change the way laws are applied. Following the death of Mr Floyd, the term "defund the police" made headlines.

Cities including Minneapolis, Portland, Philadelphia and Seattle have started shifting budgets away from police and into areas like schools and housing. In the UK, demonstrations drew attention to the UK's colonial past and saw statues of people linked to the slave trade removed. Problems black people still face were highlighted, including being hit harder by coronavirus. The debate has also highlighted how employers sometimes fall short. Black history lessons will be mandatory in all Welsh schools from In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, teachers can now choose if they want to teach black history.

Books about issues affecting black people became best sellers. And, for some people, Black Lives Matter meant starting to have difficult conversations about racism with people they know. Why US protests are so powerful this time. What US black radio makes of this moment. How far have African Americans come since s? How BLM went from Facebook post to global movement. Image source, Reuters. What does Black Lives Matter mean?