“France has not come to terms with its history, with slavery, with colonization,” she said. It’s an acknowledgment of four years of struggle. 406.5k Followers, 682 Following, 1,596 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Assa Traore (@assa.traore_) They may have the power and the money but the more they attack, the less I’m scared. Born in Paris in 1985, Ms. Traoré draws on a family history in both France and Mali. of Use. I’m determined because I said that “they won’t erase my little brother’s name”. Users can unsubscribe at anytime. “This award is an acknowledgment of four years of struggle. Her father married four women — two white Catholics whom he divorced and then two Malian Muslims with whom he lived at the same time, as permitted by Islamic law, despite the ban on polygamy in France. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. This movement started when my little brother died on his birthday. Assa's "fight" has taken flight with several American newspapers running profiles while music star Rihanna, who has over 84 million followers on Instagram, shared a post saluting the Frenchwoman. If we win this case, it’ll create a case law for all other victims of police brutality. aus oder wählen Sie 'Einstellungen verwalten', um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und eine Auswahl zu treffen. They assembled at least 20,000 protesters in front of a Paris courthouse early in June despite a police ban, then a crowd of 15,000 just 11 days later on the Place de la République. James Conley III says the employees never apologized after they realized their mistake. Conflicting autopsies pointed to heart failure or asphyxiation as the cause of the death, but after much investigation there is still no clear picture of what happened. “People now understand how my brother died,” she said. “Your faces have been seen all over the world!”. “We’re demanding acts of justice, not discussions” Assa Traore, Adama’s sister, told a press conference.”We’ll protest in the streets, every week, if necessary.” “I told myself that his death could not remain a minor news story,” Ms. Traoré said. “She took on an almost motherly role with my brothers and sisters,” said Lassana Traoré, 43, one of her oldest half brothers, who saw this experience as the foundation of her leadership today. By clicking submit, I consent to receiving BET Newsletters and other marketing emails. But who’s fighting, who’s defending our men?”.

Ms. Traoré said that helping boys in disadvantaged suburbs as part of her work in special education made her realize that Black and Arab men — whom she called “our brothers” — were targeted by the police when they became teenagers, a phenomenon that Human Rights Watch documented in a report last month.

Thank you very much for this award and thank you for keeping my brother’s name and our struggle alive. For four years, she has campaigned, organised demonstrations, spoken out publicly and given numerous interviews. Traoré’s sister Assa, a 35-year-old teacher, called for protests to take place on Tuesday in front of the courthouse of Paris’ 17th arrondissement. "She is a little bit like a mother who lost her son," he added, because she "took care of her little brothers, took the family in her arms" after their father had died in 1999. Assa Traoré had long demanded justice for her half brother, Adama, who died in police custody. There were a lot of emotions when we met. BET sat down with Assa Traoré to congratulate her on her award-winning achievement, her views on police brutality and violence, and the impact the Global Good award has left on her.

Adama Traoré is to her right. Ms. Traoré’s words have struck a chord among the younger generation, who have flocked to the protests. “We’re demanding acts of justice, not discussions” Assa Traore, Adama’s sister, told a press conference.”We’ll protest in the streets, every week, if necessary.”. "Black activism is built on a legacy of courageous people who fight injustice around the world," said Rihanna. 20,000 protesters in front of a Paris courthouse early in June. Describing the conditions in which Floyd died as “monstrous”, Philippe acknowledged that the worldwide outpouring of emotion “resonated with the fears and feelings of a part of the French population”.

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Accusations of brutality and racism against French police remain largely unaddressed, rights groups say. Julien Talpin, a sociologist at the National Center for Scientific Research, said that she had become “a central political figure” with whom many Black people, feeling neglected by French political parties, can easily identify. “We must keep fighting so that all women around the world can have the rights they deserve. Committee member Youcef Brakni puts her on an even higher plane, saying that an Assa Traore comes around "once every 50 years!". Assa Traoré has been touring French suburbs with large immigrant and minority ethnic communities, and organising activists across racial, geographical and economic lines to … But, she added, “If there hadn’t been this big organizational effort before, George Floyd’s death wouldn’t have made any difference.”. “Assa, we’re all fans of her with my friends. Adama Traore was celebrating his 24th birthday on July 19, 2016, when three police officers used their weight to restrain him. Assa Traoré, in pink, in a family photograph. What does it mean to have International support? We were more than 80,000 persons and we marched to ask Justice for George Floyd and Adama Traoré, fighting the same police brutality against our people.

A senior police officer gave a more nuanced picture last year admitting with grudging admiration that Assa Traore "embodies cleverly an anti-system movement that lacked a charismatic standard-bearer". Until the death of her brother Adama in French police custody four years ago, Assa Traore had never been someone who campaigned for a cause. Of course, I knew about police brutality, but I never imagined that my little brother could die in the hands of this system. In 2019, she co-wrote a book with the left-wing sociologist Geoffroy de Lagasnerie, won over by her "completely new way of speaking about society, racism, social classes".

In 2016, Assa Traoré’s brother Adama was asphyxiated to death in a police station on his 24th birthday. Mr. Traoré was pinned down by three police officers, one of whom later acknowledged placing “the weight of all our bodies” on him, during an identity check that went awry. Her "truth" is that her brother was "killed" by the police -- but the investigation is still going on. We felt that we would either embrace the fight or collapse. Wir und unsere Partner nutzen Cookies und ähnliche Technik, um Daten auf Ihrem Gerät zu speichern und/oder darauf zuzugreifen, für folgende Zwecke: um personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte zu zeigen, zur Messung von Anzeigen und Inhalten, um mehr über die Zielgruppe zu erfahren sowie für die Entwicklung von Produkten. Assa Traoré and the Adama Committee have likened their struggle to the Immigration and Suburbs Movement (MIB), a grassroots anti-racist organization founded in 1995 that has waned in recent years. For instance, a police union wants to erase a wall mural in honor of George Floyd and Adama Traore. Mr. Traoré reportedly said that he could not breathe and likely passed out during his transfer to the police station in Persan, a small town north of Paris, where he was pronounced dead two hours later. Yahoo ist Teil von Verizon Media. Girls in the neighbourhoods are getting politicised thanks to her," said 24-year-old Samira, in Paris for her first demonstrations. BET: Knowing systemic racism exists across the globe, how important is it for activists to be aware of injustice in other countries? On 29 May 2020, French legal authorities released a final report clearing the three officers involved of wrongdoing, triggering renewed protests. Serge Tenani/Avenir Pictures/Sipa, via Associated Press. Samantha Knowles Draws Attention to Black Hair Discrimination, Fans Will Not Be Happy About This Male R&B Singer Calling Out Beyoncé, SZA And Cardi B, Hip-Hop Reacts To The Tragic Death Of Leah LaBelle, Michelle Obama Hilariously Breaks Down Why Melania Trump's Inauguration Gift Exchange Appeared So Awkward, This 13-Year-Old Cheerleader Serving Some Serious Sassy Face Is Taking Over Twitter As Everyone's New Favorite Meme, Man Films Racist Old Navy Encounter Where Store Managers Accused Him Of Stealing The Jacket He Wore To The Store, Why Kobe Bryant’s Daughters Were Appointed New Guardians, After Joseline Hernandez Breaks Down Over Losing Custody, Stevie J Issues Petty Response, Pregnant Ciara And Her Family Crush 'Something New' Choreography In Adorable Tik Tok Video, Get Exclusive Tyler Perry Content and More With BET+, It's a Woman's World in American Gangster: Trap Queens, Saving Our Selves: A BET COVID-19 Relief Effort Special.

She said that she drew inspiration from “Les Misérables,” the Oscar-nominated movie of the French film director Ladj Ly that depicts police violence against Black and Arab teenagers in a Paris suburb. Through his name and BET, we will keep fighting for our Black brothers all over the world. Their father, of Malian origin, had 17 children by four different women - two white and two black, creating what Assa calls a family of "all colours, all religions". The Global Good Award is BET International’s recognition of public figures who use their platform for social responsibility and goodness while demonstrating a commitment to the welfare of the global Black community. The family and ‘Truth for Adama’ campaign group called for a mass protest in central Paris on Saturday.

His family demands that the officers involved be held to account and thousands marched in their support in Paris last Saturday. The name of my brother will be associated with the history of BET. “Collectively, we have not always necessarily been up to the challenge of the Republic’s principles.”. It is also great to have support on social media of artists like Rihanna, Diddy and Jamie Foxx. Ms. Traoré at a commemorative march for Lamine Dieng, who died in a police van in 2007, in Paris this month. BET: Why was it important to you that this movement fight for other victims of police violence as well? So yes, his name should make a change, our brothers have the right to be part of France. We didn’t even take 24 hours to cry, we chose to become soldiers against this system who had no mercy, no remorse and no pity. And on Sunday, Assa Traore, who has been dubbed the French Angela Davis, will receive a BET award, a prize awarded by an American television channel to African-American or minority figures. ", Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, A California college student says a professor told her not to breastfeed her baby during online class, Retailers are desperate to kick off holiday shopping early this year, and brands like Ulta, Kroger, and Guess are turning to a new shopping event to get consumers out to shop, France's Assa Traore emerges as global figure in anti-racism movement. French anti-racism and anti-police brutality activist Assa Traoré will be honored with the BET International Global Good Award during this weekend's international airing of the BET Awards.

"In Africa, they will overthrow a president, they will enter palaces. It happens like that in Africa, why should it not happen like that in France?

Traoré became a major symbol for anti-police brutality activists. The whole world needs to know that while France is viewed as a beautiful place, Black men are suffering, Black men are dying, Black men are incarcerated and when they die there is no justice. Her brother’s death has been compared to the recent police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which not only sparked protests across the nation but internationally including France. I met her because my brother died. For a long time, the "Adama fight" remained a local battle, unnoticed outside France.