Police surround protesters blocking the road to Heathrow Airport. (Screen shot via Novara Media)

The United States’ Black Lives Matter movement has been making headlines for its protests in response to recent killings by police, but many Americans don’t realize that the United Kingdom has its own growing Black Lives Matter movement.

Five years ago, Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old black man, was shot and killed by police in London. His death prompted widespread riots throughout the U.K. In recognition of the anniversary of his death, BLMUK staged protests in five cities Friday.

In the days leading up to the protests, BLMUK posted a video outlining its reasons for action. Speakers in the video name those killed by police in the past eight months. Many of their statements echo problems of racial injustice in the U.S. “Black people face far more severe sentencing than white people for the same offense,” one man notes.

The video also raises concerns over Britain’s colonialist history. “This movement is for those who die daily trying to find safety fleeing conflict Britain is responsible for,” says a woman. The activists urged protests in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham:

In London on Friday, protesters blocked the freeways to Heathrow Airport. People lay in the streets, chanted and held signs. Many protesters wore “lock boxes,” metal tubes filled with concrete or chains used to link their arms together and hinder arrest. “I reckon we’re going to see a lot more protests of this kind,” says reporter Ash Sarkar. Watch the full video below:

Wail Qasim, a journalist and BLMUK spokesman, shared moments from the London protests on Twitter and explained why the protesters were obstructing Heathrow:

According to CNN, 10 people were arrested attempting to block Heathrow. In Manchester, a large group of activists chanted the names of those slain by police:

Police were also present in Birmingham, as protesters marched and chanted “No justice, no peace!” CNN reports that these protesters were attempting to block the Birmingham airport:

Finally, protesters caused traffic delays and blocked public transportation outside the Theatre Royal in Nottingham:

CNN reports that four people were arrested in Nottingham.

The U.K. Black Lives Matter movement is not affiliated with the United States’ movement, although that may change. “At the moment, we’re in conversation about how we might work together in the future,” BLMUK spokesperson Shanice Octavia said.

—Posted by Emma Niles

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#activism#black lives matter#england#police brutality#politics#protest#racial justice#racism#uk#united kingdom