Two 14-year-old ballerinas pose in front of a monument of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam ordered its removal, on June 5, 2020.REUTERS/Julia Rendleman
- Across the US and Europe, anti-racism protesters have been tearing down and defacing monuments dedicated to colonialists and Confederate soldiers.
- Protesters have been reclaiming the monuments with messages to support the Black Lives Matter movement and to signify contempt for police, after the death of George Floyd sparked international protests against police violence and systemic racism.
- These photos show how protesters have altered statues and street signs in the US, UK, and Belgium.
In cities across the US and Europe, anti-racism protesters have been tearing down and defacing monuments dedicated to Confederate soldiers and colonialists.
The movement follows the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. For more than two weeks, protesters around the world have taken to the streets to demand justice for Floyd, and protest against police brutality and racism.
Protesters have been reclaiming the monuments with messages to support the Black Lives Matter movement and to signify contempt for the police.
These photos show how demonstrators have taken over statues and street names across the US, UK, and Belgium.