A ‘PEACEFUL’ Black Lives Matter protest is due to go ahead in Worcester today.

The protest, following the death of George Floyd in the US, is set to begin at 1pm in Worcester city centre. Organisers have declined to give out the precise meeting point, saying ‘the location will be released closer to the day’.

We have previously reported how as many as 700 supporters are expected to attend and many will take the knee for nine minutes to represent the length of time Derek Chauvin knelt on Mr Floyd’s neck while he was in police custody. The former police officer now faces a second degree murder charge and his three sacked colleagues are charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder.

Organisers have stressed that the Worcester protest will be ‘peaceful’ and that the march element will no longer take place because of coronavirus.

Activists stressed that social distancing will be observed and that they will work to ensure all those attending are wearing masks. The protest will be stewarded by a large group of volunteers who will work to remind protestors about social distance guidelines.

Although organisers have maintained the protest will be peaceful, Worcester Memorial Volunteers will meet at the war memorial at noon. This is because, elsewhere in the UK, statues and memorials have been damaged by protestors. The Churchill statue and the Cenotaph in London have been boarded up ahead of more protests this weekend. The statue of slaver Edward Colston was thrown in the harbour at Bristol but has since been recovered.

A memorial volunteer said: “We are not counter protesting the BLM event, we hope to work closely with them to make sure everyone is safe and that they have a peaceful protest. This is an event to make sure the war memorials in Worcester city centre remain safe. Everyone is welcome.”

The memorial volunteers will meet at the statues in front of Worcester Cathedral at noon.

Former soldier and Worcester City councillor, Chris Mitchell, had contacted Black Lives Matter protest organisers with a view to taking part today. However, Cllr Mitchell, who is mixed race, pulled out after what he called the ‘mindless thuggery’ of protests elsewhere, including damage to war memorials.

Protests worldwide followed the death of Mr Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis on May 25.