The speakers for Newcastle's online protest in support of Black Lives Matter have been revealed.
Janet Alder, sister of Christopher Alder, will be taking part alongside MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy and representatives from Stand Up To Racism, Newcastle Unites, the National Education Union and the Angelou Centre.
The demonstration was due to take place at Grey's Monument in the city centre but it was moved online, after organisers said the Black Lives Matter movement does not endorse mass gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.
It is scheduled to take place on Facebook at 1pm on Saturday and follows demonstrations across the UK and worldwide sparked by the death of George Floyd in the United States.
Organiser Simon David, aged 25, said: "I would be the first to admit I'm white. I will never fully understand what it is like to live in the world as a black bodied person.
"But I just didn't see anything happening in Newcastle, and I haven't really had any backlash about being a white ally."
Ms Alder has been leading the Justice for Christoper Alder campaign since her brother, a 37-year-old Falklands War veteran, died in 1998 while in police custody in Hull.
In 2000 a coroner's jury ruled that he was unlawfully killed and in 2002 five police officers went on trial charged with Mr Alder's manslaughter and misconduct in public office before they were acquitted by a jury on the instructions of the judge..
The Government formally apologised to Mr Adler's family in 2011, admitting it had breached its obligation to "preserving life and ensuring no one is subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment".
To take part in Newcastle's online protest, go to the Stand Up To Racism - North East page on Facebook.
List of speakers
Janet Alder - Justice for Christopher Alder Campaign
Bell Ribeiro-Addy - MP for Streatham
Weyman Bennett - National Stand Up To Racism co-convener
Chantal Herbert - Young Women's Worker at The Angelou Centre
Daniel Kebede - Vice president of the National Education Union
Taj Khan and Shumel Rahman - Newcastle Unites
