Also in Munich, after the violent death of George Floyd against racism, people take to the streets. Top model Papis Loveday shares his experiences.
- Top model Papis Loveday performs at an anti-racism * demo in Munich .
- The occasion is the violent death of African American George Floyd * in the United States.
- In the interview Loveday talks about his racism experiences and the demo at Königsplatz .
- The Königsplatz was closed before the start due to the high number of participants, but is now open again.
7.43 p.m .: According to police, today's anti-racism demo saw around 25,000 people . That is even 5,000 more participants than previously assumed. As a reminder: Actually only 200 people were registered for the event.
As the police said, the demo went without a hitch . A total of around 600 police officers were deployed.
Anti-racism demo in Munich: 200 people were registered - in the end came 20,000
5.20 p.m .: After the death of the African American George Floyd, around 20,000 people demonstrated in Munich against racism and police violence. A police spokesman said the number of participants had continued to increase over the course of the event on Saturday. Initially, 7,000 demonstrators were initially counted by the police at Munich's Königsplatz. 200 people were registered.
In Munich there were repeated calls to “Black Lives Matter”. Most of the participants had come in black clothes. "We made permanent announcements to indicate compliance with the distance rules, which were often not adhered to at the beginning," said the police spokesman . The meeting area was finally expanded to make more space. In addition to Königsplatz, demonstrations were also allowed on neighboring Karolinenplatz.
Demo in Munich: Participants ignore distance rules
4.15 p.m .: After the death of the African American George Floyd , around 7,000 people gathered in Munich on Saturday to demonstrate against racism and police violence . The demonstration at Königsplatz was only approved for 200 participants. "The distance rules are currently not being observed," said a police spokesman for the German Press Agency. The head of operations must now decide how to deal with the situation further.
In Munich there were repeated calls to “Black Lives Matter”. Most of the participants had come in black clothes.
Anti-racism demo in Munich: Police speak of 7000 participants - hundreds ignore distance rules
3:44 p.m .: Now the Munich top model Papis Loveday (see origin report) also delivers his speech. "You only hate racists because you are afraid," he addresses his message to everyone who discriminates against other people.
Police spokesman Da Gloria Martins speaks of 7000 participants. The inflow to the Königsplatz is not over yet. "The distance rules are currently not being observed," said a police spokesman for the German Press Agency.
Protesters on the Königsplatz in Munich.
© tz / mm Photo: Hollenberger
15:28: The spokesman for the Afro-Germans in Munich is close to tears: "It is a miracle that as an Afro-German I can speak here on the Königsplatz ." The Nazis used to hold marches on the Königsplatz and Adolf Hitler gave speeches here.
The Königsplatz was just opened again. # muc0606 #BlacklivesMatter pic.twitter.com/UpMnCt6iKM
- #aushetzt - die Bündnis (@ausgehetzt_by) June 6, 2020Anti-racism demo in Munich: police lift the block - hundreds of demonstrators probably ignore distance rules
2:53 p.m .: The Königsplatz was closed again. As can be seen in photos, the place is crammed with people. The demonstrators do not seem to abide by the distance rules.
Protesters on the Königsplatz in Munich.
© tz / mm Photo: Hollenberger
2:25 p.m .: Due to the large number of participants in the anti-racism demo , the Königsplatz has already been closed by the police . We kindly ask you to stop traveling to ensure the safety distance in the side streets.
Protesters on the Königsplatz in Munich.
© tz / mm Photo: Hollenberger
1:11 p.m .: Due to the demo at Königsplatz, the police block some streets in the area from around 2 p.m. These are Briennerstrasse, Georgenstrasse, Luisenstrasse and Katharina-von-Bora-Strasse.
Update from June 6, 2020, 12:04 p.m .: The anti-racism demo starts at 3 p.m. at Königsplatz in Munich . Officially, 200 participants are registered. However, the police assume that significantly more will come.
The silent demonstrations take place all over Germany. The organizers are asked to adhere to the applicable rules due to the coronavirus pandemic . Everyone should adhere to the 1.5 meter distance rules and wear mouth and nose protection.
Top model Papis Loveday before anti-racism demo in Munich: "I experience discrimination every day"
Statement of origin from June 6, 2020:
Munich - He walked the catwalks for the big names in the fashion world, from Valentino to Thierry Mugler to John Galliano , but on June 6, model Papis Loveday runs in the fight against racism and in memory of George Floyd * , who May in Minneapolis * through a cruel act of police violence * , through Munich.
Check out this post on Instagram
No one is born racist. It's taught, stop teaching it. Enough is enough. Be thankful that we are not asking for revenge. We are only asking for equality, same rights. Silence it's an bad choice. Don't be silent #stopracism #blacklivesmatter #blackandwhite #dontbesilent
A post shared by Papis Loveday (@papis_loveday) on Jun 4, 2020 at 3:03 p.m. PDT
Loveday will give a speech at Königsplatz at 3 p.m. Attending the demonstration is a duty and a matter of the heart for the native Senegalese. Because despite the privileges that prominence * brings with it, Loveday is also not immune to discrimination . In the interview, the 43-year-old breaks his silence and talks about his personal racism experiences .
Where does discrimination start for you?
Discrimination does not always have to take the form of insults or physical violence. It can also be signaled without words, for example through an emphatically outward, rejecting attitude towards people whose external characteristics do not correspond to the mainstream within a larger, homogeneous group. It also works very subtly through body language and looks - and I tell you, I notice it immediately when someone is racist about me.
What were your thoughts as you watched the video of George Floyd's arrest?
I started to sweat and shiver because these cruel scenes were so close to me. Three guys kneel on a person until they lose consciousness. His pleading and cry for help to stop breathing were simply ignored. Why do some people become so inhumane as soon as they wear a uniform? Although the United States already had a black president in Barack Obama, hatred of black people persists in the minds of many white people around the world.
Check out this post on Instagram
#justiceforgeorgefloyd #georgefloyd
A post shared by Papis Loveday (@papis_loveday) on Jun 1, 2020 at 6:23 pm PDT
Why?
Possibly it is because of the envy of the white people about the "Joie de Vivre" of the black people. This joy of life given by God, which even the colonialists' lashes could not wipe out the slaves. In addition, the ability to maintain a positive attitude even under the most adverse circumstances, which frustrates the privileged, but nevertheless notoriously dissatisfied white man. Black people like to dance, sing and laugh. This swing in our DNA apparently fuels resentment among some whites, which in extreme cases can result in hatred.
As a model you have traveled a lot in the world, are there countries where racism is more pronounced than anywhere else?
Racism is everywhere in the world, but nowhere is it more pronounced towards black people than in the United States. Fortunately, here in Europe we are far from the conditions that black people have to fear for their lives during police controls. However, I have the feeling that with the increasing strengthening of right-wing parties, racism is becoming more socially acceptable again in Europe. As a result, people lose their inhibitions about making discriminatory statements.
Can you still remember your first negative experience due to your skin color?
Yes, I had to do it the first year after I arrived in France. I was a competitive athlete and was still aiming for a career as a runner when an older man snapped at me while training in a park in Paris: "You blacks all believe that you could become French as a professional athlete" and contemptuously at my feet spat.
How are you exposed to everyday discrimination?
I experience personal discrimination every day. In the supermarket, for example, when people in line keep a distance from me, and not just since Corona. On the way with friends, where I am always checked first and in a little more detail than the others in the event of a police check. Once there was even a scuffle in Munich when three young guys crossed my way on the way from the restaurant to the taxi and one of them said: "Hey dude, look at the nigger with his womens boots." I was wearing Overknee- Boots. Fortunately, the Uber driver intervened.
Check out this post on Instagram
#blacklivesmatter #stopracism #stopviolence #blackouttuesday @blacklivesmattermunich @ silent_demo_06.06.2020 @blackcommunitygermany @blacklivesmatterzurich @blacklivesmatterberlin_
A post shared by Papis Loveday (@papis_loveday) on Jun 2, 2020 at 12:30 pm PDT
Do you think that due to your prominence you are spared racist hostility?
Because of my work I am often in beautiful places where there is almost no social tension and surrounded by cosmopolitan, cool people. However, I cannot avoid virtual discrimination via social media channels such as Instagram. It often gets really nasty because haters can act anonymously with fake profiles. Celebrities actually have an adverse effect here. The more you reveal yourself, the larger the attack surface becomes.
How do you deal with such hate comments?
I want to entertain with my postings or impart fashion and style know-how. For this purpose, I put my heart and soul into my posts and always disclose something personal, so of course it hits me at first when someone insults me in the worst way. But I stopped trying to understand these people.
Black, dark-skinned or colored - which terms are okay for you?
Frankly, I find each of these descriptions stupid. Why do you have to put a color on me to describe me? I am dad, model and entertainer. I'm not saying that this is my friend Peter, white actor and singer. I find the term colored completely meaningless because it simply says nothing - it could mean any color.
Interview: Sven Barthel
* Merkur.de and tz.de are part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
List of rubric lists: © tz / mm Photo: Hollenberger