LGBT+ group insists ‘Black Lives Matter more than any building’ after its offices catch fire during Washington uprising
Demonstrators kneel in front of police officers in riot gear outside of the White House, June 1, 2020 in Washington DC. (JOSE LUIS MAGANA/AFP via Getty)
An LGBT+ group whose office went up in flames during the uprising in Washington has insisted that “Black Lives Matter more than any building”.
Across America, protestors have taken to the streets in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer on May 25, who used his knee to pin Floyd to the ground by his neck until he went limp.
The 46-year-old, who was unarmed, can be heard a widely-shared video gasping “please, I can’t breathe”, and “don’t kill me”, before he passed away.
The headquarters of LGBT+ workers’ organisation Pride At Work caught fire during riots in Washington, DC, on Sunday night, May 31.
No one was hurt in the fire at the offices, located two blocks away from the White House.
It unclear how extensive the damage is, but Pride At Work executive director Jerame Davis told LGBTQ Nation: “Black Lives Matter more than any building or its contents.
“While we are saddened that a building that symbolises the fight for working-class values was targeted during the unrest in Washington, DC, last night, our resolve is unwavering.”
“We will fix the broken glass and sweep away the ashes so we can continue to fight for racial, social, and economic justice.”
Davis added: “LGBT+ people are found in every community, including Black and brown communities and when our communities are under attack, like the rest of the labor movement, we stand up and fight back.
“We know there can be no peace without justice and that our rights weren’t won easily or peacefully.”
As protests spread across the US, Donald Trump has been fanning the flames rather than addressing the issues of institutional racism and police brutality.
On Twitter, he has blamed Democrats, liberals, ANTIFA and the “radical left” for the uprisings and threatened violence against protestors.
Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME! Liberal Governors and Mayors must get MUCH tougher or the Federal Government will step in and do what has to be done, and that includes using the unlimited power of our Military and many arrests. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2020
Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
He has not mentioned evidence that far-right white supremacists have trying to inflame tensions.
Trump was reportedly forced to hide in an underground bunker multiple times over the weekend.
