UK: Protests put many UK black officers in tough spot

A black police officer in the UK told British broadcaster Sky her uniform "feels heavier" since the killing of George Floyd and the wider demonstrations which have followed.

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests against police brutality around the world have left many black officers in a difficult position.

DCI (detective chief inspector) Karen Geddes expressed her "hurt" having watched the video of a white police officer press his knee into Floyd's neck for several minutes before his death, adding "to be able to put this on, this is a heavy jacket, but it feels heavier at the moment".

While many black officers have been unable to publicly speak out during demonstrations, some have knelt with protesters to show their support.

"Taking the knee against police brutality, I'll do it, even if I'm in uniform," said PC Steven Mason who went viral after a video of him kneeling with demonstrators at a BLM protest in Birmingham was shared on social media.

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