Webinar (4): US protests and the global effect of the BLM movement
Webinar (4): US protests and the global effect of the BLM movement
For the fifth installment of “Meeting Points”, we interviewed Michael Foster of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Cyprus-based human rights activist Rawaa Ahmed in a wide-ranging discussion on the global effect of the Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. the BLM movement itself and the catalytic role of the death of George Floyd.
Webradio is broadcasting from central Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus at www.lemoniradio.com
Michael Foster is a security and training expert and Federal Law Enforcement Officer with US Homeland Security. In the course of his 30-year career of crisis and emergency management, he has served as a field training officer and acquired extensive leadership command experience in such fields as the tactics of crowd control as well as ISC fire department training. As a trainer, he helps companies and employees understand the benefits of emergency preparedness training as a means of overcoming safety and security fears while building up their personal resources and leadership abilities.
Rawaa Ahmed is an International Relations and Political Sciences graduate who is passionate about human rights work and community development. She is also the head of the gender equality committee of VOIS Cyprus (Voices of International Students), where she addresses and helps survivors of issues such as gender-based violence, domestic violence and sexual harassment.
In the course of the interview, the speakers went through the events leading up to the death of George Floyd, talked about how to improve police enforcement training, the importance of community outreach and involvement, and the need to modernise approaches to strengthen mutual trust and dialogue between communities and their respective law enforcement bodies.
We also talked about issues of discrimination, the use of violence, and problems related to communication and prejudice. In the last instance, the need for pre-emptive and ongoing dialogue, training and other appropriate measures was raised as being key measures in helping prevent or defuse practices and incidents that could lead to tensions. The discussion underlined how, when it comes to law enforcement, inequalities, racism and discrimination regarding social, ethnic and racial groups have provoked tensions and protests, making it all the more clear that there is urgent need for structural reforms in education and within the police.
The global reaction triggered by the BLM movement and protests in the US has inspired communities across the world to seek resolution of their own local issues, with regard to matters of inequality ranging from , access to protection to equal rights under the rule of law.
One example cited in the discussion was the case of African students in the northern part of Cyprus. The problems they have been facing in regards to protection and police discrimination have been presented previously by Rawaa and discussed; as well as the campaigns they organized.
