Peaceful protests have been organised up and down the country this weekend with thousands of people pledging to show solidarity and support to the Black Lives Matter movement.
It comes after the death of an unarmed black man in the US, named George Floyd, who died in the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been arrested and charged in connection with the death.
In Glasgow, a peaceful protest is scheduled to be held this Sunday afternoon in Glasgow Green.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned that although she supports the Black Lives Matter Movement, large gatherings of people pose a risk to lives as the country continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking today, she pleaded with the people of Scotland to make their voices be heard behind the movement, but to do so safely.
She said: "I want to urge you to make your voices heard, we all feel very strongly about this.
"But I want to ask you to do so safely.
"In normal times I may well have been planning to join a gathering of support this weekend. But coming together in mass gatherings is simply not safe it poses a real risk to health and to lives."
Here are four ways that you can protest safely this weekend:
1. Sign a petition
Thousands of petitions have started across the globe in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement and anti-racism.
By signing a protest, you are pledging your support for reformation calls and change.
Many petitions behind the cause can be found on change.org, however, here are some to consider:
- Sign the Justice for George Floyd petition here.
- Sign the petition for #WeCantBreathe here.
- Sign the Justice for Belly Mujinga petition here.
- Sign the Justice for Breonna Taylor petition here.
- Sign the Justice for Tony McDade petition here.
- Sign the petition to raise the degree for Derek Chauvin's murder charge here.
- Sign the petition to prosecute the Minneapolis Police Department's officers who killed George Floyd here.
- Sign the petition for the UK government to condemn President Trump's response to BLM protests here.
- Sign the petition for British schools to implement teaching British children about black history here.
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2. Donate to an anti-racism charity
By donating to an anti-racism charity or fundraiser, you are actively and directly financially supporting a cause that is calling for change.
- Here are some US charities and fundraisers to consider: The Movement For Black Lives, North Star Health Collective, The Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund, George Floyd’s Memorial Fund and many more.
- Here are some UK charities and fundraisers to consider: Black Lives Matter UK, Charity So White, Resourcing Racial Justice Fund and many more.
3. Take time to learn
The death of George Floyd made many people realise they don't fully understand what being anti-racist is and what racism means.
Reading, listening and watching will allow you to learn more about how we can better our knowledge around racism.
Penguin have listed nine books to help you understand race and dismantle the problem. They can be found here.
The Black Lives Matter website has also included watch and listen section with videos from activists around the world speaking about their work. They can be viewed here.
Several podcasts and talks will also give you a better insight on how we can tackle racism and how we can become better allies.
Here are some to consider:
- All My Relations
- An interview with the Black Lives Matter founders
- The New York Times’s video, A Conversation With Black Women on Race
- The Groundings
4. Lobby your local MSP
By contacting your MSP via email or by letter, you can ask them to support the Black Lives Matter Movement in Scotland.
If you are unaware of who your local MSP may be, visit the Scottish Parliament's website and use their tool to find out. That can be found here.
Alternatively, most of them can be found on social media such as on Facebook and on Twitter.
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