Two years on from the murder of George Floyd, what has changed?
The murder of George Floyd in the US and the collective revulsion and action led by Black people across the world will rightly be seen as a watershed moment. But as is the case with Stephen Lawrence here in the UK, what we cannot lose sight of is that a Black man lost his life and only a few of those responsible have been held to account. This matters because George Floyd and Stephen Lawrence and their respective families deserve justice to be done.
But this also matters because what has repeatedly been revealed is that law enforcement and all its institutions cannot be trusted to protect Black people and other minority communities.
All the public statements, action plans and working groups will amount to little if all communities do not trust that they will be treated fairly and protected equally. Unfortunately, there is much evidence that we are still too far from achieving that today, whether it is stories of children’s traumatic experiences in school, or problematic political narratives about the very existence of structural racism.
What is needed for meaningful change in the UK is a Government-led race equality strategy, a Cabinet-level Minister to deliver it in partnership with communities themselves, and a regulatory framework that can hold institutions to account and independently reports on progress.
Today we reflect on George Floyd’s death and the road ahead. We continue to work to shape a world where everyone is provided with the opportunities to flourish.
