"Black Lives Matter" #blackouttuesday Movement Spreading Worldwide

On the 25th of last month (local time), a Black man died due to excessive force by US police officers
#blackouttuesday movement spreading on SNS in protest against racial discrimination

Amid nationwide protests against racial discrimination sparked by the death of African American man George Floyd, a "Black Lives Matter" demonstration is taking place in New York on the 2nd (local time). Photo by AFP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] "Silence is complicity.", "We have endured enough."

As protests against racial discrimination sparked by the death of Black man George Floyd due to excessive police force in the United States have spread to 21 states and over 140 cities across the country, voices protesting racial discrimination continue on social networks (SNS).

The incident occurred on the 25th of last month (local time) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where African American man George Floyd was being arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a restaurant. At that time, a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for about eight minutes, leading to his death, despite Floyd being unarmed and not resisting.

Passersby who saw Floyd struggling and saying "I can't breathe" tried to stop the police, but the officer ignored them.

When the video of the incident was released online, people in the United States and around the world expressed outrage.

The protests, which have now spread nationwide in the U.S., are being held under the slogan "BLACK LIVES MATTER," opposing violence against African Americans and systemic racism.

On the 25th of last month (local time), African American man George Floyd died due to excessive force by a police officer in the United States, sparking a growing movement protesting racial discrimination on social networking services (SNS). Photo by Instagram post capture

Additionally, on various SNS platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, the hashtag campaign #blackouttuesday is continuing to raise voices calling for the abolition of racial discrimination.

As of 11 a.m. on the 3rd, Instagram posts with the hashtag #blackouttuesday have exceeded 27.6 million. Posts with the hashtag #Blackoutday2020, which carries the same meaning, have also surpassed approximately 1.15 million. Instagram users protested systemic racism by attaching these hashtags to black screens or images symbolizing the abolition of racial discrimination.

One netizen participating in the hashtag campaign said, "While escalating protests may not be the right direction, the biggest problem is the secondary racial slurs directed at Black people," emphasizing, "All discrimination in the world must be eliminated."

Another netizen said, "I was so angry after watching the George Floyd video that I couldn't hold back," adding, "Excessive police force against Black people has been a problem for a long time, and it hasn't improved at all compared to the past," and expressed regret at not being able to join the protests, saying, "So I am showing solidarity through the hashtag campaign."

Another netizen expressed concern that "the looting by protesters might obscure the essence of the anti-racism movement," but also said, "I hope this becomes an opportunity to understand the oppression Black people have endured and the anger they have harbored," and added, "I hope it does not escalate into conflict."

In particular, Tiffany Trump, daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, drew attention by participating in this movement.

Tiffany posted on her Instagram, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." She also mentioned the name of the man who died in the incident and included the hashtag #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd.

U.S. President Donald Trump walking out of the White House in Washington on the 1st (local time) toward St. John's Church. On the wall of Lafayette Park located along the route, graffiti written by protesters against racial discrimination is visible. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Meanwhile, President Trump announced a tough stance on the protests spreading nationwide, calling them "riots and lawlessness."

At a press conference held at the White House on the 1st (local time), President Trump said, "We cannot allow angry mobs to swallow peaceful protesters," and warned of a strong response, stating, "We may deploy the military to suppress violent protests across the country."

He added, "If states and cities refuse to take action to protect the lives and property of residents, the federal government will deploy the military to quickly resolve the issue," and said, "We will mobilize all possible civilian and military personnel to stop riots and looting, end arson and destruction, and protect the rights of Americans under the Second Amendment (the right to bear arms)."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.