'I saw a lot of smiling faces' - support for Bury Black Lives Matter march

Organisers, Bury St Edmunds for Black Lives, believe around 100 people, joined the march which made its way from the Ram Meadow car park, up Abbeygate Street and then through the town centre to West Suffolk College in Out Risbygate.

Chair of Bury St Edmunds for Black Lives, Stephen Higgins said: "It was a brilliant turnout, the people that were there made an important statement about how Bury St Edmunds feels about equality."

The Black Lives Matter march making its way up Abbeygate Street from the Angel Hill (Image: Archant)

Mr Higgins, who lives in a village near Bury added: "Most of our group is run online so we tend to come across quite strong comments about Black Lives Matter and about equality in general.

"This march proved that those people are in the minority because actually Bury is very open, very supportive."

Mr Higgins said a small element of negativity directed to those marching was "easily drowned out by our drums and our chanting". He added: "Those are the minds that we are trying to change.

"The majority of people were smiling, shouting support, waving and beeping their car horns - I saw a lot of smiling faces as we came through Bury.

Bury St Edmunds for Black Lives was set up in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd (Image: Archant)

"At least once a year we will be out on the streets until we have achieved equality for people of colour."

Set up in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Bury St Edmunds for Black Lives conducts weekly online meetings and Mr Higgins said anyone who wants to get involved with the group can get in touch with them via their Facebook page.

Around 100 people joined the march in Bury St Edmunds on Saturday afternoon (Image: Archant)

Bury St Edmunds for Black Lives are going to be involved in a 'Sounds of Colour' event later in 2021, where they will help communities in Suffolk celebrate artistry created by people of colour in the county.

Speaking about the important work the group do in the community Mr Higgins said: "We go into schools and speak to not just pupils but teachers about our experiences as people of colour and how we were treated."

You can find out more about what Bury St Edmunds for Black Lives does on their website.

Organisers of the march in Bury St Edmunds say they will keep marching every year until equality is achieved for people of colour (Image: Archant)