A national anti-slavery march has taken place through Birmingham City Centre to protest slavery in Libya.
The peaceful protest, organised by the Communist Party of Great Britain Marxist-Leninist (CPGB-ML), sought to raise awareness of the enslavement and torture of black Africans.
People from all over the country assembled at 12pm in Pigeon Park carrying placards that read ‘Death to Imperialism. African Lives Matter!’
Reuben Lawrence, a member of the CPGB-ML, said: “My concern is this country’s government and their involvement with Libya. This is imperialism. Slavery in the 21st century is disgusting.”
The political organisation, which was founded in 2004, seeks to ‘bring an end to NATO and British government support for Libya’s slave trading’.
Reuben, 26, who spent four years in the army, spoke of the ‘lack of power’ in Libya after the end of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime and said: “Under Gaddafi, Libya was a really progressive government and the standards of living at that time were one of the best on the African continent.
“Now because of British and NATO intervention, unfortunately we have this situation in Libya which is a complete mess.
“People are dying. People are being sold in the streets by mercenaries that are being funded and backed by NATO.”
The protesters gathered around Pigeon Park before marching through the snow-covered streets as they chanted “Black and white unite. African slavery is wrong.”
Reuben added: “What I hope for is to send the message to the government ‘no more interventionism in other countries’ affairs.
“This is what our government have caused.
They are complicit in what’s happening in Libya right now. The slavery, the tragedy, the humanitarian crisis”.
Information about The Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) can be found on their website www.cpgb-ml.org
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I like your article I went to a protest against the ongoing slavery in Libya. I find that slavery also exists in other parts of Africa like Sudan where the Arabs are selling black Africans.
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Thank you for your comment. I think a lot of what is known as the sub-saharan slave trade (arabs selling black africans) which dates back to 13th and 14th centuries has become overshadowed by the European trans-atlantic slave trade. Also because Britain continues to be complicit in the libyan slave trade, it doesn’t get the mainstream coverage it deserves.
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Slavery was huge it happened in most countries yet modern day slavery also persists in other countries like Kuwaiti, Britain and all over the world. Have you seen the movie I am slave? It highlights anti- blackness in Arab culture.
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