Protest in Florence against George Floyd killing

Several hundred people gathered outside the American Consulate in Florence on June 6 for an hour’s protest.

Women’s March Florence and Indivisible TUScany organized the hour-long peaceful demonstration as a sign of “solidarity with Black Lives Matter” as the international community remains “outraged by the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer”, as stated on the Facebook event.

“Everyone was really peaceful; everyone was wearing their masks,” reported journalist Kamin Mohammadi. “It was quiet. Then suddenly everyone knelt down and there were about five minutes of silence. That was very moving. It’s really beautiful that people are coming together to protest, to show solidarity. You could feel the grief, sadness, and also love. It was small but powerful.”

“Florence, like many other cities, organized a sit-in for George Floyd,” said photographer Andrea Paoletti. “It was moving to photograph those minutes of silence. Some people prayed, others cried. It was a deafening silence that voices the terrible virus of racism and violence in the world.”

Tour guide and study-abroad instructor Elizabeth Butler added, “The protest was attended by a wide swathe of the Florentine community: students, Florentines, Americans and people from various political and social organizations.”

This rally was preceded by an anti-fascism march through Florence’s streets.

Peaceful protests have taken place in several Italian cities, including Naples, Rome and Turin, to denounce the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.