The Diplomat
The US Embassy in Spain yesterday unfurled a large banner on its façade with the slogan ‘Black Lives Matter’ on the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by a US police officer.
According to the embassy, embassy workers observed nine minutes and 29 seconds of silence in remembrance of the time that officer Derek Chauvin knelt over Floyd in an act that ultimately cost him his life.
The Embassy said in a press release that the initiative was developed in solidarity with members of black communities in the United States and around the world “It is a statement,” it said, “that racism has no place in our world. It is also a public recognition of the injustices that people of colour have historically faced and continue to endure, and of our commitment to promote racial justice, equity and inclusion in our domestic and foreign policy.”
In placing the banner, Chargé d’Affaires Conrad Tribble stated: “Conversations about race are rarely easy, but they are important and necessary. On this sad anniversary, we must make a clear statement that every human being has the right to live freely and without fear of discrimination or violence. The United States has a long history of dealing with traumas like this by pushing for positive change. In doing so, we must acknowledge the reality that America is still a work in progress, and there is still much work to be done.
US President Joe Biden signed an executive order shortly after arriving at the White House to promote racial equality and support for underserved communities.
