BlackLivesMatter - Protests against racism and police violence

Following the violent death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a police officer, Black people, people of color and allies across the USA are protesting against racism and police violence under BlackLivesMatter. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world have shown solidarity with the uprisings and the movement in recent weeks. They are also drawing attention to the fact that racism, whether on an individual, structural or institutional level, and racist violence exist not only in the USA, but everywhere - including in Germany.

As a human rights organization, Deutsche Aidshilfe stands in solidarity with all Black people and people of color who demonstrate against racist violence and discrimination, and it is also part of our work to actively participate in this struggle. This violence also affects Black people and people of color in our communities, e.g. sex workers, trans* people, people in prison and HIV-positive people.

In the following, our migrant networks (AfroLebenPlus and the African Health & HIV Network in Germany (AGHNID)), other migrant self-organizations (MSOs) and activists have their say.

Statement from the migration section of Deutsche Aidshilfe

"Racism and police violence are also a brutal daily reality for the majority of our communities and clients - be it in the area of sex work, imprisonment, addiction support or in the context of HIV.

Racism also has a long history in Germany - starting with the colonial era and its cruel climax in Namibia (genocide of the Herero and Nama), through the National Socialist genocide of millions of European Jews to the present day. Although thinking in terms of 'race' has been officially avoided since the historical break in 1945, it is still present in the majority of society and has remained more or less untouched. This is demonstrated by the NSU victims, the racist attack in Hanau and thousands of attacks on refugees and refugee shelters.

Structural racism also manifests itself in the form of laws and institutions that prevent migrants from exercising their rights - including the right to health.

In Germany, too, racialized people are victims of racial profiling and police violence and people die in police custody: fr.de/rassistische-polizeigewalt-deutschland-george-floyd-oury-jalloh-kein-einzelfall. In the past, links between police officers and right-wing extremist networks have been uncovered time and again: deutschlandfunk.de/rechtsextremismus-bei-der-polizei-zu-viele-einzelfaelle.

We have always understood structural prevention as anti-discrimination and human rights work. That's why we stand in solidarity with black people, people of color and the #BlackLivesMatter protests everywhere!"

- Alphonsine Bakambamba & Tanja Gangarova (DAH)