In a major development, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has been nominated for Nobel Peace Prize, despite the unprecedented violence perpetrated by its supporters in the United States. Founded in 2013 by Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi, the movement came to the national limelight in May 2020 following the killing of an African-American man named George Floyd.
On Saturday, the official Twitter handle of Black Lives Matter informed, “We hold the largest social movement in global history. Today, we have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. People are waking up to our global call: for racial justice and an end to economic injustice, environmental racism, and white supremacy. We’re only getting started.”
While quoting a report published in The Guardian, BLM added, “The Black Lives Matter movement has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel peace prize for the way its call for systemic change has spread around the world.” The nomination papers were filed by a Norwegian MP, Petter Eide, who represents the Socialist Left Party.
He claimed that the BLM movement played a key role in raising global awareness and forcing other countries fight racial injustice. Lauding the BLM protests in the aftermath of the George Floyd killing, he claimed, “Studies have shown that most of the demonstrations organised by Black Lives Matter have been peaceful…Of course, there have been incidents, but most of them have been caused by the activities of either the police or counter-protestors.”
Any politician, serving at the National level in any country, is allowed to make nominations for Nobel peace prize. They have to present their cases in less than 2000 words. While the last date for submitting nomination papers is February 1, the winner of the coveted recognition will be announced in October. The award ceremony will be held two months later on December 10.
George Floyd Murder and violent BLM protests
On May 25 last year, a 46-year-old black man, George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, who knelt on the former’s neck for more than 8 minutes until his body became unresponsive. A shopkeeper had called the cops on Floyd for allegedly trying to pass a ‘potential counterfeit bill’. On being taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center, he was declared dead.
The incident provoked widespread protests, spearheaded by the Black Lives Matter, and riots across several parts of the United States of America. The worst-hit was Minneapolis, where the death of George Floyd took place. Police cars were vandalized and pelted with rocks. To pacify the situation, the cops resorted to firing tear gas and rubber bullets at the frenzied mob.
Windows of unmanned stores were broken. Many stores, boutiques were looted and destroyed by the violent rioters in various parts of the country. A woman protestor of the BLM movement had defecated on an overturned police car, the video of which had gone viral. Windows of unmanned stores were broken. Home goods such as rugs and coffee makers were stolen and stores were set ablaze. The mob also breached the security and reached for the police precinct in the neighborhood where Floyd died. The building was set of fire by the unruly mob, amidst slogans demanding justice for the victim.
