In recent weeks, millions of demonstrators worldwide have also called for an end to US police brutality and racial profiling against African Americans. Protests over the murder of unarmed African American George Floyd in the city of Minneapolis started nearly three weeks ago.
Protests have been held across the US in response to the killing of Floyd, who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis on May 25.
A video of the incident shows Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes as the 46-year-old was in handcuffs. "Please, please, I cannot breathe," Floyd can be heard in the video as Chauvin continues to kneel on his neck.
His death has reignited long-felt anger over police killings of African Americans and unleashed a nationwide wave of civil unrest unlike any seen in the United States since Martin Luther King Jr's 1968 assassination.
It has also posed Donald Trump with one of the greatest challenges of his tumultuous presidency. Trump called on states to crack down on the protests and warned he could use military forces if states did not quell protests.
Does ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement has deep roots in Imam Khomeini’s thought and ideals.
Imam on several occasions in this regard said as following:
Islam has invalidated racial discrimination and draws no distinction among races. The criterion is piety, not color, race, country or any other thin.
(Sahifeh-ye-Imam, Vol.18, page 354)
We hold dear the nation of Islam, whether it be Turkish, Arab, Iranian, or from any other part of the world, Africa, America, or wherever
(Sahifeh-ye-Imam, Vol.1, page 386)
The great Islam had rejected all sorts of discriminations and does not stipulate any special prerogative for any specific group. The only blessing for all people is piety and loyalty to Isla
(Sahifeh-ye-Imam, Vol.1, page 386)
The message of Islam is that all the races are equal, just like a person’s ribs. No race is superior to another. Whites are not superior to blacks, nor blacks to whites; neither of them is superior to the other. Real superiority is based on piety and dedication; dedication to Islam
( Sahifeh-ye-Imam, Vol.1, page 386)