The star made an emotional speech into a megaphone as thousands made their way through Hyde Park, marching in solidarity with U.S. protesters.
“Black lives are always important,” Boyega said at the rally. “We’ve always been important. We’ve always meant something. We’ve always succeeded no matter what. And now it’s time. I’m not waiting. I’m not waiting.”
“Every black person understands and understands when they first remind you that you are black,” Boyega added, pausing occasionally to prevent tears during the speech. “You remember. Every black man here remembers when another person reminded you that you were black.”
The British-Nigerian actor listed the names of several blacks killed by police in the United States, as well as the names of Stephen Lawrence – a black British teenager killed in a racially motivated attack in 1993 – and Mark Duggan, whose filming in 2011 sparked protests by police. and then riots across the UK.
“This is so vital,” Boyega said. “I need you guys to understand how painful this s ** t is.”
“It is very, very important to keep control of that movement and make it as calm as possible,” he added. “They want us to quarrel.”
He then addressed blacks in particular, urging them to “take care of our black women.”
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