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| London in Solidarity |
From North Korea to Palestine, London to France, the world has been and continues o watch the events in Ferguson and the United States in general. It is easy to forget for many who live in the U.S. that the rest of the world does watch and recieve news from the U.S. through their own local news programs and international news network ie Al Jazeera, CCTV from China, Japan International News, Zee Tv (India), CNN International and BBC. The mentioned channels can be viewed in the US through special satellite TV programing or online. As much as the U.S. would like to look inward when talking about the world, the world is also looking in at the United States.
The UN Torture Committee condemned Michale Brown's shooting as "excessive force and a tragedy." Of all the condemnation, North Korea came as a surprise critique of U.S. record on Human Rights. N. Korean Foreign Minister denounced the U.S. as a "tundra of human rights," rightfully pointing out that discrimination is openly practiced. Russia too also added its condemnation of the excessive use of force by police.
The French Justice Minister Christaine Taubira, the first Black woman to become Justice minister was slammed by the French media and other ministers after condemning police brutality and violance against African Americans in the United States. She has also experienced discrimination and racism, being caricatured with bananas and references equating her with a monkey. Right wing and moderate cartoonists and pundits in France and across Europe have been reviving negative stereotypes from colonial images of African women as monkeys in subtle but direct ways and Africa is still portrayed in comedy as a tarzan like chaotic place. Stereotypes and jokes do have a real affect on people and it is these same stereotypes that have made many American police officers disregard African American children both boys and girls as lesser human beings. Nevermind the fact that officers would see a 12 year old kid with a toy gun as an automatic threat to adult men even when the kid is playing around.
No one knows the tribulations that Ferguson is going through like Palestinians who have also protested against violence in Ferguson and history of violence across the United States. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine recently denounced the racist injustice and supported resistance via protests by the people of Ferguson and United States. In London, hundreds of British youth and parents of all colors protested outside the United States Embassy to show solidarity and protest against police brutality in London and across the UK against Britons of color. The protesters held signs and chanted that "Black lives matter" to remind people that African people are part of humanity too.
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