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Powerful Photos From Black Lives Matter Protests Around The World

The best photojournalism from the protests against police brutality and racial injustice

Headshot of The Esquire EditorsBy The Esquire Editors
protesters gather to demonstrate the death of george floyd on june 4, 2020 on top of the brooklyn bridge in new york on may 25, 2020, floyd, a 46 year old black man suspected of passing a counterfeit 20 bill, died in minneapolis after derek chauvin, a white police officer, pressed his knee to floyds neck for almost nine minutes photo by angela weiss afp photo by angela weissafp via getty imagespinterest
ANGELA WEISS//Getty Images

On 25 May, unarmed black 46-year-old George Floyd died by asphyxiation after a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. In the days since, protests have erupted in all 50 US states, as well as around the world. These powerful images capture the passion and anger being shown in demonstrations from Oakland to London, as people tell their governments that this time, things have to change.

1

Atlanta, Georgia

atlanta, ga may 31 a young boy raises his fist for a photo by a family friend during a demonstration on may 31, 2020 in atlanta, georgia across the country, protests have erupted following the recent death of george floyd while in police custody in minneapolis, minnesota photo by elijah nouvelagegetty images
Elijah Nouvelage//Getty Images
2

Minneapolis, Minnesota

topshot george floyds son, quincy mason floyd c r and family attorney ben crump c l pray on june 3, 2020, at the site where george floyd died in minneapolis, minnesota photo by kerem yucel afp photo by kerem yucelafp via getty images
KEREM YUCEL//Getty Images
3

Minneapolis, Minnesota

terrence floydc, the brother of george floyd, an unarmed black man who died while while being arrested and pinned to the ground by the knee of a minneapolis police officer, sits as people gather at the site where george floyd died on june 1, 2020 in minneapolis, minnesota thousands of national guard troops patrolled major us cities after five consecutive nights of protests over racism and police brutality that boiled over into arson and looting, sending shock waves through the country the death monday of an unarmed black man, george floyd, at the hands of police in minneapolis ignited this latest wave of outrage in the us over law enforcements repeated use of lethal force against african americans this one like others before captured on cellphone video photo by kerem yucel afp photo by kerem yucelafp via getty images
KEREM YUCEL//Getty Images
4

Houston, Texas

houston police chief art acevedo walks arm in arm with a woman during a justice for george floyd event in houston, texas on may 30, 2020, after george floyd, an unarmed black, died while being arrested and pinned to the ground by a minneapolis police officer clashes broke out and major cities imposed curfews as america began another night of unrest saturday with angry demonstrators ignoring warnings from president donald trump that his government would stop violent protests over police brutality cold photo by mark felix afp photo by mark felixafp via getty images
MARK FELIX//Getty Images
5

Washington, DC

washington, dc june 01 a demonstrator is doused with water and milk after being hit with pepper spray from law enforcement during a protest on june 1, 2020 in downtown washington, dc protests and riots continue in cities across america following the death of george floyd, who died after being restrained by minneapolis police officer derek chauvin chauvin, 44, was charged last friday with third degree murder and second degree manslaughter photo by drew angerergetty images
Drew Angerer//Getty Images
6

Trafalgar Square, London

london, england may 31 people hold placards as they join a spontaneous black lives matter march at trafalgar square to protest the death of george floyd in minneapolis and in support of the demonstrations in north america on may 31, 2020 in london, england the death of an african american man, george floyd, at the hands of police in minneapolis has sparked violent protests across the usa a video of the incident, taken by a bystander and posted on social media, showed floyds neck being pinned to the ground by police officer, derek chauvin, as he repeatedly said i can’t breathe chauvin was fired along with three other officers and has been charged with third degree murder and manslaughter photo by hollie adamsgetty images
Hollie Adams//Getty Images
7

Houston, Texas

topshot george floyds niece gabrielle thompson c cries as she hugs another woman during a justice for george floyd event in houston, texas on may 30, 2020, after george floyd, an unarmed black, died while being arrested and pinned to the ground by a minneapolis police officer clashes broke out and major cities imposed curfews as america began another night of unrest saturday with angry demonstrators ignoring warnings from president donald trump that his government would stop violent protests over police brutality cold photo by mark felix afp photo by mark felixafp via getty images
MARK FELIX//Getty Images
8

Central London

london, england may 31 people hold placards as they join a spontaneous black lives matter march through central london to protest the death of george floyd in minneapolis and in support of the demonstrations in north america on may 31, 2020 in london, england the death of an african american man, george floyd, at the hands of police in minneapolis has sparked violent protests across the usa a video of the incident, taken by a bystander and posted on social media, showed floyds neck being pinned to the ground by police officer, derek chauvin, as he repeatedly said i can’t breathe chauvin was fired along with three other officers and has been charged with third degree murder and manslaughter photo by hollie adamsgetty images
Hollie Adams//Getty Images
9

Long Beach, New Zealand

topshot a black man and a white woman hold their hands up in a front of police officers in downtown long beach on may 31, 2020 during a protest against the death of george floyd, an unarmed black man who died while being arrested and pinned to the ground by the knee of a minneapolis police officer protests sweeping the united states over the death of george floyd reverberated on the other side of the globe monday when thousands marched in solidarity on the streets of new zealand photo by apu gomes afp photo by apu gomesafp via getty images
APU GOMES//Getty Images
10

Downing Street, London

london, england june 03 national health service nurses protest against pay and working conditions, dominic cummings and show support for the black lives matter movement outside the entrance to downing street on june 3, 2020 in london, united kingdom the british government further relaxed covid 19 quarantine measures in england this week, allowing groups of six people from different households to meet in parks and gardens, subject to social distancing rules many schools also reopened and vulnerable people who are shielding in their homes are allowed to go outside again photo by chris j ratcliffegetty images
Chris J Ratcliffe//Getty Images
11

Atlanta, Georgia

atlanta, ga may 31 protesters lock arms during a demonstration on may 31, 2020 in atlanta, georgia across the country, protests have erupted following the recent death of george floyd while in police custody in minneapolis, minnesota photo by elijah nouvelagegetty images
Elijah Nouvelage//Getty Images
12

Miami, Florida

topshot protesters hold signs during a rally in response to the recent death of george floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody in minneapolis, in miami, florida on may 31, 2020 thousands of national guard troops patrolled major us cities after five consecutive nights of protests over racism and police brutality that boiled over into arson and looting, sending shock waves through the country the death monday of an unarmed black man, george floyd, at the hands of police in minneapolis ignited this latest wave of outrage in the us over law enforcements repeated use of lethal force against african americans this one like others before captured on cellphone video photo by ricardo arduengo afp photo by ricardo arduengoafp via getty images
RICARDO ARDUENGO//Getty Images
13

Minneapolis, Minnesota

a journalist is seen bleeding after police started firing tear gas and rubber bullets near the 5th police precinct following a demonstration to call for justice for george floyd, a black man who died while in custody of the minneapolis police, on may 30, 2020 in minneapolis, minnesota clashes broke out and major cities imposed curfews as america began another night of unrest saturday with angry demonstrators ignoring warnings from president donald trump that his government would stop violent protests over police brutality cold photo by chandan khanna afp photo by chandan khannaafp via getty images
CHANDAN KHANNA//Getty Images
14

Charlotte, North Carolina

charlotte, usa may 30 following the death of george floyd in minneapolis, protest in downtown charlotte turn violent in nc, united states on may 30, 2020 photo by peter zayanadolu agency via getty images
Anadolu Agency//Getty Images
15

Denver, Colorado

denver, co may 30 police officers pepper spray a woman next to the colorado state capitol as protests against the death of george floyd continue for a third night on may 30, 2020 in denver, colorado the city of denver enacted a curfew for saturday and sunday nights and governor jared polis activated the colorado national guard in hopes of stopping protests that have wreaked havoc across the city photo by michael ciaglogetty images
Michael Ciaglo//Getty Images
16

Washington, DC

topshot a man screams with emotion as he sees a policeman take a knee while hundreds protest the death of george floyd next to the white house on may 31, 2020 in washington, dc thousands of national guard troops patrolled major us cities after five consecutive nights of protests over racism and police brutality that boiled over into arson and looting, sending shock waves through the country the death monday of an unarmed black man, george floyd, at the hands of police in minneapolis ignited this latest wave of outrage in the us over law enforcements repeated use of lethal force against african americans this one like others before captured on cellphone video photo by roberto schmidt afp photo by roberto schmidtafp via getty images
ROBERTO SCHMIDT//Getty Images
17

St. Paul, Minnesota

st paul, minnesota may 31 demonstrators march on i 35 while participating in a protest against police brutality and the death of george floyd, on may 31, 2020 in st paul, minnesota protests continue to be held in cities throughout the country over the death of george floyd, a black man who died while in police custody in minneapolis on may 25 photo by scott olsongetty images
Scott Olson//Getty Images
18

Washington, DC

washington, dc may 29 demonstrators hold a protest in response to the police killing of george floyd in lafayette square park near the white house on may 29, 2020 in washington, dc across country, protests against floyds death have set off days and nights of rage as the most recent in a series of deaths of black americans by the police earlier today, former minneapolis police officer derek chauvin was taken into custody and charged with third degree murder and manslaughter photo by tasos katopodisgetty images
Tasos Katopodis//Getty Images
19

Minneapolis, Minnesota

topshot smoke rises near a demonstrator holding a sign and facing a row of police near the 5th police precinct during a demonstration to call for justice for george floyd, a black man who died while in custody of the minneapolis police, on may 30, 2020 in minneapolis, minnesota clashes broke out and major cities imposed curfews as america began another night of unrest saturday with angry demonstrators ignoring warnings from president donald trump that his government would stop violent protests over police brutality cold photo by kerem yucel afp photo by kerem yucelafp via getty images
KEREM YUCEL//Getty Images
20

Denver, Colorado

denver, co may 30 thousands of people march down the 16th street mall to protest the death of george floyd on may 30, 2020 in denver, colorado the city of denver has enacted a curfew starting saturday night and governor jared polis has called in the colorado national guard after two nights of protests wreaked havoc across the city photo by michael ciaglogetty images
Michael Ciaglo//Getty Images
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