PROTESTS are planned across the region today to mark one year since the death of George Floyd. 

Thousands of people in the UK took part in protests prompted by Mr Floyd’s death at the hands of a white police officer on May 25 last year.

The Stand Up To Racism campaign group and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) are hosting a fresh crop of peaceful protests at locations across the country today.

People in County Durham, Darlington and Tyneside will take the knee to mark the continued fight for racial equality. 

Organisers will also bring posters with the names of those who have died due to policing and racism.

Stand up to Racism North East said: "Today is the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder.

"We stand in solidarity with George Floyd’s family, friends and the international movement for #blacklivesmatter

"And we continue to fight for justice for those in the UK

"Join us today at 6pm #TakeTheKnee wherever you are or join us at 6pm across the North East."

The killing of the African American man by a white police officer reignited the debate on the use of stop and search by British law enforcement, amid concerns people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds were being disproportionately targeted.

Now campaigners have warned against further sweeping powers proposed in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

But racial equality in the UK has worsened since Mr Floyd’s death in the US, activists have said.

Campaign group leaders have pointed to the controversial Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities Report and the policing bill as examples of where the Government has “undermined” progress over the past year.

Imarn Ayton, who founded the Black Reformist Movement (BRM) – a group which marched alongside Black Lives Matter and others last summer - said the UK has taken “one step forward and five steps back” in terms of progress for race relations since then.

Eradicating structural racism will be a “defining cause” for the next Labour government, Sir Keir Starmer said on the anniversary of Mr Floyd's death. 

The Labour leader, along with shadow cabinet ministers David Lammy and Marsha De Cordova, promised to continue campaigning to tackle racial injustice a year on from Mr Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis.

It comes after a black equal rights activist was shot in the head when a group of four men opened fire at a party in the early hours of Sunday, May 23.

Sasha Johnson was rushed to hospital with “very serious” injuries after the shooting in Peckham, south-east London. Metropolitan Police, however, have said there was nothing to suggest it was a targeted attack.

To find out more about action today, visit Stand Up To Racism - North East on Facebook.