Zeman said that society in the Czech Republic and the United States is currently facing attacks on the independence of its citizens. “We can’t ignore this danger, we have to face it,” he said. He criticized the riots in the streets, the destruction of statues and the burning of cars. He added that he is at the event as an independent citizen and as a friend of the USA. “And from both of these roles, I say that the Black Lives Matter slogan is racist because it matters in all lives,” he said.
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Representatives of the Black Lives Matter movement have explained many times that the slogan is not intended to imply that anyone else’s lives matter, but that it is a response to the specific problem of blacks in the United States, who are more often than whites the target of police violence. According to Alia Garz, co-founder of the movement, rejecting the Black Lives Matters slogan, pointing out that all lives matter, is a misunderstanding of the nature of structural racism in the United States and the problems facing the black community alone.
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The protests were provoked by the murder of a black man by a police officer
At the celebration, Zeman announced that his speech this time would be slightly rude and not as warm as usual. He cited verses from the song Old Time Religion to criticize opinion leaders and the behavior of American protesters. “What was good enough for my father, what was good enough for my mother, is good enough for me,” he said.
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According to him, companies in the USA and the Czech Republic need to maintain their freedom to form opinions and common sense. “The same goes for so-called opinion leaders. I don’t need any new big brothers, I don’t need any new opinion leaders,” Zeman said.
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The Black Lives Matter movement is involved in organizing protests against racism and police brutality caused by George Floyd’s death in May after a disproportionate police operation. The policeman knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes, though Floyd complained that he could not breathe. He was charged with second-degree murder. Protests have taken place in a number of other countries after the United States.
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The ambassador praised the Czech Republic
In his speech today, US Ambassador Stephen King described the USA as an ally and friend of the Czech Republic. He evaluated especially the last months in the sign of the covidu-19 pandemic. “We have made great sacrifices, but I already feel that the worst is over and the reconstruction process has begun,” he said. According to him, the Czechia was united during the pandemic and acted quickly. “Now I feel optimistic in the air,” he said.
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The celebrations at the residence of the US Ambassador were attended by, among others, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (YES) and his wife Monika, Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček (for YES), Senate Chief Miloš Vystrčil (ODS), Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates), Cardinal Dominik Duka and Chief of General Staff Aleš Opata.
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