Hundreds turn out for Black Lives Matter protest in Chepstow

Following similar events in Newport and Abergavenny this week, three Chepstow residents decided to stage a march in their home town.

Alexander Doig, Nadia Thomas and Luke Fletcher organised the event to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

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The protestors met at Dell Park, before taking a knee for eight minutes, the the length of time that Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck.

They then marched through the town to the riverfront, where speakers addressed the crowds from the bandstand.

Officials helped stagger the protestors as they walked through the town to make sure they adhered to social distancing, and masks and hand wash were shared out.

Protestors taking a knee at the Chepstow Black Lives Matter march.

Protestors taking a knee at the Chepstow Black Lives Matter march.

Mr Doig said more than 200 people joined the protest.

"It's nice Chepstow has come together in this way even though we are a predominantly white town," he said.

Protestors at the Chepstow Black Lives Matter march.

The Chepstow protest organisers Alexander Doig, Nadia Thomas and Luke Fletcher.

Micah Chudleigh was the first speaker to address the protestors.

"We are here today for something far bigger than George Floyd," he said.

"My whole life has been defined by the colour of my skin.

Micah Chudleigh addressing the protestors in Chepstow.

"It got to a point where we got quite angry as our school experience wasn't the same as everyone else's.

"I came home from school one day feeling like I didn't belong. I was very upset.

"I said to my mum: 'Why do we live here? Why don't we live somewhere where there are more people like me?'

"She said we are here, and we are showing people that black people are not criminals, that black people are human too. We are not just a stereotype."

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Miss Thomas said: "Our message is not divisive. It is all of us against racism. We have seen, at the moment, black lives don't really matter. We need to change that.

"The support today is absolutely overwhelming. All I ask is to keep this energy up. Things will only get harder before they get easier.

One of the protest's organisers Nadia Thomas addressing the crowds.

"A lot of you have heard the argument 'All lives matter'. That argument has now attracted a lot of racist connotations, which is unfortunate as all lives do matter. But until black lives matter, not all lives matter. We all need to help each other stand up for human kind. We need your help."

Judah Chudleigh, also addressed the crowds. He said: "This is still a problem. This is not going to be fixed in one day. It is a problem created over hundreds of years.

Protestors at the Chepstow Black Lives Matter march.

A banner on the bandstand at the Chepstow Black Lives Matter protest.

"It is not easy; it will be uncomfortable, but stand up.

"No matter how much progress has been made, there is still more to be done."