Nonhlanhla Mkhonto and Babalwa Mathulela: The EFF’s new MPs

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The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has welcomed its newly sworn-in Members of Parliament Nonhlanhla Mkhonto and Babalwa Mathulela who are replacing Godrich Gardee and Thilivhali Mulaudzi who both resigned from the national assembly.

Both Mkhonto and Mathulela serve in the national leadership of the EFF, the Central Command Team, as members of the Standing Committee on Appropriations and Small Businesses respectively.

According to the red berets, Mkhonto, has been involved in a number of structures in her activism, including working as a secretary for the Civic Organisation in Mpumalanga. Mkhonto also served in the EFF Regional Interim Committee in the province between 2015 and 2018 before eventually being elected to national leadership in 2019.

She has held various posts including being executive mayor of Ehlanzeni District Municipality, Manager in Mpumalanga’s House of Traditional Leaders  and as a teacher.

Meanwhile Mathulela also has a long history of activism under other organisations including LoveLife.

“She has worked as a domestic worker, cashier and a  monitoring practitioner for the Provincial Department of Transport in the Eastern Cape. Before she was elected into the Central Command Team at the 2nd NPA in December 2019, she served as a branch chairperson and an additional member of Alfred Nzo Regional Command Team. She further holds a diploma in monitoring and evaluation and computer”, said party spokesperson Vuyani Pambo in a lengthy statement on Saturday, 13 June 2020.

The EFF assured in their abilities

“The EFF is confident that both Commissars will add to the quality of its parliamentary work and the advancement of the agenda of economic freedom through the revolutionary parliamentarism as reaffirmed by the EFF 2nd NPA”, Pambo concluded.

Gardee and Mulaudzi’s exit

Godrich Gardee, the EFF’s former secretary-general, left the party in March after graduating with law degree and is now the head of international relations.

“Mr Gardee is currently a candidate attorney under the employ and tutelage of Mabuza Attorneys persuing his articles. It is clear that the battle with reactionary forces have extended to the courtroom”, Pambo said at the time.

“Godrich Gardee remains a member of the central command team and a member of the war council charged with heading the international relations portfolio. These are huge responsibilities which the organisation has entrusted him with”



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Summer Game Fest: Watch the ‘Future Game Show’ event here [live stream]

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We are spoilt this weekend with one gaming event after the after, quite literally. The Future Game Show is a four-hour long event that follows right after the PC Gaming Show 2020. Fun times!

Future Games Show 2020: All the facts

Tonight’s event will be packed to the brim with exclusive trailers, announcements, and deep dives on existing AAA and indie games. The event comes to us courtesy of GamesRadar.

When will the show start

At 23:00, right after the PC Gaming Show. According to GamesRadar, publishers in the limelight tonight include Square Enix, Devolver Digital, among many others.

The show was initially planned for 6 June 2020 but was postponed to 13 June in support of the protests demanding justice and change over the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police.

Watch: Future Games Show 2020

Future Games Show hosts

In addition, Nolan North and Emily Rose will be hosting the event. If, for some reason, you don’t know who Nolan North is, then you have to watch the event purely for educational purposes.

Nolan is the voice behind the Assassin’s Creed franchise most-beloved character, Ezio Auditore da Firenze; Iron-Man too. I had the privilege of meeting Nolan (and Troy Baker) back in 2019.

We talked about Assassin’s Creed, Catherine (a super strange puzzle video game developed by Atlus for console) and their time in South Africa. They’re good people; watch the show, you’ll see.

What is the Summer Game Fest?

Quite simply, it’s a season of digital video game event from publishers and will feature playable content, in-game events, and plenty of special announcements and mystery reveals.

Check back regularly using the Summer Game Fest tag as more events and live streams will be added each week. Enjoy! Keighley is the genius behind the Summer Game Fest. He explains:

“We are figuring this thing out as we go! One man army here editing, streaming and interviewing but love your suggestions and ideas as we build. Best part is we have 4 months to tweak and play with the format.”

Geoff Keighley

The lineup for this week includes:

  • Star Wars: Squadrons Announcement – 15 June 2020
  • Steam Game Festival: Summer Edition – 16 June 2020
  • Upload VR Showcase – 16 June 2020
  • EA Play – 18 June 2020



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India’s negative response to PM’s offer condemned

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ISLAMABAD – Pakistan yesterday condemned India for responding negatively to Islamabad’s positive offer to counter the coronavirus pandemic.

A Foreign Ministry statement said Pakistan “regrets negative remarks by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ spokesperson regarding a goodwill suggesti 7on by the Prime Minister of Pakistan (Imran Khan) to share Pakistan’s successful experience in ameliorating impact of COVID-19 on the poorest sections of the society.”

It added: “remarks by the MEA’s spokesperson reflect an unprofessional attempt at point-scoring over a serious issue that involves lives of millions of poor people in the sub-continent, worst affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Earlier, India refused Prime Minister Imran Khan’s offer to share experience of his government’s cash transfer scheme.

India boasted that the size of its economic stimulus package to deal with the coronavirus pandemic was as large as Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Product.

PM Khan, in a series of tweets, had offered to share Pakistan’s experience of implementing its successful cash transfer programme with India amid reports of how poor people in India were battling poverty in view of the coronavirus lockdown.

The international agencies have appreciated positive impact of the government of Pakistan’s direct cash transfer of Rs. 120 billion to 10 million poor families in Pakistan in most transparent manner.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the Prime Minister’s offer at this challenging time of a global pandemic was in consonance with the initiative for sharing national experiences among SAARC member countries in dealing with the impact of Covid-19.

“If that intent was serious, then the MEA’s response to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s suggestion is inconsistent with the stated position of their own leadership,” said the statement.

Pakistan, it said, emphasises that the “global pandemic is a common challenge demanding serious efforts and honest sharing of national experiences among countries while rising above petty point-scoring.”



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Anti-Trump protest as US cadets graduate

Protesters staged a demonstration at West Point on Saturday as America’s newest officers graduated from the military academy. The protesters chanted slogans against President Donald Trump who attended the graduation ceremony. (June 13).

       

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Bidvest Wits sell PSL status to first division outfit

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The oldest club competing in South Africa’s top-flight could soon cease to exist after Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandzila (TTM) claimed to have purchased the PSL status belonging to Bidvest Wits on Saturday.

The Clever Boys have been the subject of widespread reports regarding a fragile financial status throughout the pause in competitive action, with some of the bigger sides in the country vying for some of their top players.

Tshakhuma and Bidvest Wits agree deal 

According to Tshakhuma, the Limpopo outfit now stands to compete in the country’s top tier after completing a deal with the Braamfontein-based outfit.

The agreement between the two entities involves the transfer of players to the Premiership’s new kids on the block.

From 1921 ’til bust

The closest TTM have come to competing in the big time was during the playoff phase which followed the 2018/19 season.

During then, the club failed to make it through the offseason competition as Maritzbutg United maintained their status in the top flight.

They could still be without a few big names from the 2016/17 PSL champions, who have reportedly sold a few big names before entering into the contriversial deal.

According to reports, Bafana Bafana captain Thulani Hlatshwayo has competed a deal to Orlando Pirates, along with Namibian winger Deon Hotto.

Other players rumoured to be on their way out of Braam include Thabang Monare, who has long been linked with the Buccaneers’ rivals Kaizer Chiefs,, while Haashim Domingo is said to be on his way to joining defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Wits stand to become the latest in a long string of clubs who have sold their rights of competing in the top flight.

Cape Town City, a name which first appeared in the local soccer fraternity over half a decade ago, was revived in 2016 when its new owners purchased the status of Mpumalanga Black Aces. The club has since gone on to win two trophies in its short existence, and was in among the league contenders in the last two completed seasons.

Also entering the Premiership via financial muscle was AmaZulu, who purchased the status of fellow KZN club, Thanda Royal Zulu, who had just gained promotion into the top flight.

Bloemfontein Celtic were another club rumoured to be considering a move similar to that of Wits, with TS Galaxy owner, Tim Sukazi said to be the main owner.

Wits were formed in 1921, making it the oldest of the 16 clubs who competed in the 2019/20 PSL season.



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How to turn an old phone into a security camera

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There is a lot of cool stuff you can do with an old Android phone. This includes everything from making your own Google Home to a frame. You can even use your old Android phone to make a custom security camera system. It’s not as difficult as you might think.

HOW TO TURN YOUR OLD PHONE INTO A CAMERA: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

To begin with, you will need to choose a security camera app for your phone.

Once you are set up you will be able to monitor your living space and control your security camera from anywhere straight from your new phone.

WHY USE THE ALFRED APP?

Alfred is one of the most popular security camera apps by a long shot with over 10-million downloads and a solid 4.7-star rating on the Google Play Store.
Alfred app is one of the best options for setting up your phone as a security camera. It’s a cross platform so it does not matter if your old phone was an Android phone or iPhone. The same applies to your new phone.

ALFRED APP FEATURES

Alfred is free to use and gives you a remote view of your live feed, motion detection with alerts, free cloud storage, a two-way audio feed and use of both the front and rear cameras. To unlock additional features, like higher-resolution viewing and recording, zoom capabilities, ad removal and 30-day cloud storage, you can upgrade to Alfred Premium.

STEPS REQUIRED TO DOWNLOAD THE ALFRED APP

• Download Alfred (Android, iOS) on both your old and new phones or any tablets you want to use.
• On the new phone, swipe through the introduction and tap Start. Select Viewer and tap Next.
• Once you get to the sign in page, click Sign in with Google (a Google account is required) and sign in with your Google account credentials.
• On the old phone, repeat the same steps, but instead of selecting Viewer, select Camera. And make sure to sign in to the same Google account.

Once both phones are signed in to Alfred, you’re pretty much done with the setup. Alfred has simplified the camera options to only include a few settings.

On iOS you can only enable motion detection, choose between the front and rear cameras and enable or disable audio.

If you’re using an Android device, you have those options and you can also enable continuous focus, have Alfred automatically reopen if the phone reboots, set a resolution and enable a passcode lock.

SETTINGS CAN BE CHANGED FOR YOUR NEW PHONE

From your new phone, you can change a few more settings, such as turning notifications on or off, setting a camera or viewer name, adding other people to your Trust Circle (granting other people access to your video feeds), removing a camera, checking how many times a camera has disconnected, setting motion detection sensitivity and enabling a low-light filter on cameras.

CHOOSE A SPOT TO SET UP AND POSITION THE CAMERA

After you have the stream up and running, you will need to set up and position the camera. You may want it focused on the main entry point to your home, your backyard, the place where you store valuables or a point you think might be particularly vulnerable. You can also set up an IP camera as a baby monitor.

If you have multiple old phones lying around, you can set up multiple cameras for fairly robust video coverage.

MOUNT AND POWER YOUR NEW CAMERA(S)

To mount or position the camera, a small smartphone tripod or suction cup car mount can work wonders and help you position the camera in an inconspicuous place.

To broaden the field of view, consider buying a wide-angle lens for your phone, something that can be purchased for between $5 (R84) and $20 (R337) online.

STREAMING VIDEO IS POWER INTENSIVE

Streaming video is very power intensive, and the phone will be on 24/7. To keep the phone from dying in the first few hours, you will need to position it close to a power source. A 10-foot Micro-USB or lightning cable will give you more flexibility in where you put it.

ALTERNATIVE CHOICES TO ALFRED APP

While Alfred is a solid choice, keep in mind it’s not the only choice. Manything, Salient Eye and Presence are all solid free choices with an affordable subscription model if you need more features. IP Webcam is also one of the more popular Android-only options.

This content has been created as part of our freelancer relief programme. We are supporting journalists and freelance writers impacted by the economic slowdown caused by #lockdownlife.

If you are a freelancer looking to contribute to The South African, read more here.



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PML-N says ‘concerned’ China offered help to Shehbaz in treating coronavirus

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Spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry Lijian Zhao on Saturday called Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif to offer help in getting the former chief minister Punjab treated for coronavirus. 

According to PML-N, Lijian expressed concern for Shehbaz’s wellbeing and prayed for his early recovery.

“Shehbaz Sharif thanked the Chinese government, its leadership, and Zhao Lijian for offering treatment for COVID-19. Your concern and offer is a reflection of China’s love for Pakistan and its people.”

“China’s affection, consideration and brotherly relations are a source of pride for me,” said the PML-N leader.

Ahsan Iqbal, who has also been diagnosed with COVID-19, said he too had received a phone call from Zhao, inquiring after his health.

Iqbal said he is “deeply touched” by Zhao’s concern for his illness, recognition of his contribution towards CPEC and over his “offer of medical support on behalf of Chinese government”.

The PML-N president on Thursday said that he is self-isolating after lab reports confirmed that he has contracted the virus.

He had appeared before a NAB investigation team in a corruption case where a large number of party workers had also gathered to show support to their party chief.

Besides the party president, a large number of senior PML-N leaders including former prime minster Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ayaz Sadiq, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Tariq Fazal Chauhdry have tested positive for COVID-19.

Zhao Lijian has served in Pakistan as Deputy Chief of Mission at Chinese Embassy in Islamabad during PML-N government and is considered a true friend of Pakistan.

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Trump Speaks at West Point Graduation Amid Tensions With Military Leaders

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The tension was accentuated by the president’s walk through Lafayette Square to St. John’s Church after peaceful protesters were forcibly pushed out by riot police, a photo op that both Mr. Esper and General Milley joined to their later regret amid vociferous criticism from retired military officers like Jim Mattis, the Marine general who served as Mr. Trump’s first defense secretary.

Mr. Trump wanted to fire Mr. Esper after he spoke out publicly against invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807 to send active-duty troops into the streets but was advised against it by aides who feared it would be a political debacle. General Milley, for his part, considered resigning before opting against it for now but made a point of publicly apologizing for participating in the president’s church photo op because it inserted the military leadership into a partisan event.

The friction grew over the last few days as Mr. Esper, General Milley and other military leaders signaled that they were open to renaming Army installations named after Confederate generals, including Fort Bragg, Fort Hood and Fort Benning, as part of a broader effort to address the legacy of racism in the armed forces.

But Mr. Trump, who never served in the military and avoided the Vietnam War citing bone spurs in his foot, slapped down the Pentagon by rejecting the idea, suggesting it would be insulting to the troops who trained at those bases and then went off to fight in overseas wars.

The issue has resonance at West Point, where Gen. Robert E. Lee was both a cadet and later superintendent. The Confederate icon remains honored on campus, with a gate, a road and a barracks named after him and his portrait on display. Some critics, including veterans, have called for his name to be removed from the campus.

Mr. Trump made no mention of the issue during his speech, but did single out Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the Union commander, for praise, although mispronounced his first name as “Ulysseus.”

The president’s desire to deliver a commencement address at West Point in person was already a contentious decision. Cadets were sent home in March because of the coronavirus but after Mr. Trump announced that he would go through with plans for a speech they were ordered back to campus and quarantined in their dorms for the past 14 days to safely stage the ceremony.

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Shoulder to shoulder, New Zealand rugby fans cheer the return of crowds to live sport

“This is what we’ve been waiting for! This is what we’ve been waiting for!” yells a young rugby fan as he plunges his shoulder into the stampede in front of him.

Rugby has returned to New Zealand – but unlike in other countries where professional sport has begun to be played inside empty stadiums, last night almost 20,000 fans packed into the Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin to watch local favourites the Otago Highlanders take on the Waikato Chiefs.

For rugby fans in New Zealand it marked the perfect end to a week celebrating the lifting of all coronavirus restrictions after Jacinda Ardern’s government declared the nation virus-free.

At the Forsyth Barr stadium there was a huge crush of people heading through a thin corridor to get to “the Zoo”, a section of the stadium specifically catering to Dunedin’s raucous student population, where social distancing was officially off the cards.

“It’s all anyone was talking about all week,” said Zach Langbridge, a student at the city’s University of Otago. “Lots of my other mates finished our semesters yesterday so this is the first time for us to all get together and have fun.”

New Zealand has taken Covid-19 from 1,366 active cases down to zero today, and with sport back on the agenda, Langbridge commemorated the occasion with an arm around his friend’s shoulder and triumphant finger pointed at the camera.








Fans put social distancing behind them at the Forsyth Barr stadium on Saturday. Photograph: Marty Melville/AFP/Getty

He and his friends shared their beers freely, two to a glass, apparently immune to the viral paranoia that’s been plaguing the country and the world for the last several months.

“I’m not too worried who wins. I’m just happy to not be stuck in my cold flat,” said Alana Nancarrow, an international student at Otago University.

For the more serious fans who made up the majority of the 19,100 people in the packed stadium, this was a chance to once again indulge in live sport after being deprived for months. Where reruns of old games were previously the only rugby entertainment available, the crowd clearly relished the joy of an uncertain outcome, audibly gasping at the slightest chance of a Highlander opportunity and rising quickly to their feet to celebrate every successful move.

“I’ve been a fan my whole life, so it’s been really weird not being able to tune in this time of year. It’s feeling like things are really coming right that I can be here watching this today,” said Tony Smith, a long time Highlanders fan.

The virtues of live sport were on full display in the waning moments of the clash, with visiting Chiefs taking the lead, only to have the advantage snatched back in epic fashion as the Highlanders’ Bryn Gatland scored a drop goal to win the match.

Fans wearing Chiefs and Highlanders shirts could be seen hugging in the stands. Loyalties were muddling after months uniting against a common enemy. As thousands of excited fans spilled into the frosty Dunedin night, normality – or some brand of it – was returning to New Zealand.

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Protesters clash with police in central London

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Media captionSome of the protesters in central London were seen attacking police

Police were pelted with bottles during confrontations with demonstrators in London, where hundreds gathered despite warnings to avoid protests.

Groups gathered in the centre of the capital, claiming they were protecting statues from anti-racism activists.

Home Secretary Priti Patel described the violence as “thoroughly unacceptable thuggery”.

Some anti-racism demonstrations have also taken place across the UK, including in central London.

The Met Police had placed restrictions on several groups intending to protest, including having to finish at 17:00 BST, following violent scenes last weekend.

However, several groups remained on the streets of central London after the cut-off.

As some protestors apparently moved towards Waterloo Station around 18:00 BST, both the underground and mainline station were temporarily closed due to the protests – but later reopened.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan urged demonstrators to “leave now” to prevent further violence and the spread of coronavirus in the city.

Various groups from around the country, including some far-right activists, said they had come to London to protect symbols of British history.

Hundreds of mostly white men gathered around the Cenotaph war memorial in Whitehall and the boarded-up statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.

There were a number of clashes with police in riot gear as crowds – chanting “England” and raising their arms – surged towards lines of officers.

Some protesters managed to break metal barriers around the Cenotaph on Whitehall while hurling flag poles, a smoke flare and a traffic cone towards police who were striking them back with batons.

Large groups of right-wing protesters then moved to Trafalgar Square, where fireworks were thrown across the crowds.

A statement from the London Ambulance Service said it had treated 15 patients, including two police officers, for injuries at the protests.

“Six of these patients – all members of the public – have now been taken to hospital.” The ambulance crews remain at the scene.

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PA Media

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Police are confronted by protestors in Whitehall near Parliament Square

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Reuters

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Flares and smoke bombs have been thrown in Trafalgar Square

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Getty Images

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Police form a barrier in front of anti-racist protesters near Leicester Square

Police attempted to stop protesters getting to Hyde Park where an anti-racist demonstration, which had largely been peaceful, was taking place.

Organisers from the Black Lives Matter movement had urged people not to join any anti-racism rallies planned for the weekend over fears there could be clashes with far-right groups. One demonstration planned for Saturday in London was brought forward by a day.

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AFP

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Protesters take the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement as they march near Marble Arch in Central London

Sharing footage of the clashes with police on Twitter, Home Secretary Priti Patel described it as “unacceptable thuggery”.

“Any perpetrators of violence or vandalism should expect to face the full force of the law,” she wrote.

“Violence towards our police officers will not be tolerated.”

The Met Police Federation described it as “unacceptable”, tweeting that its officers “do not come to work to face this level of violence and abuse”.

At the scene in Parliament Square

By BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani

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EPA

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Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Parliament on Saturday

From mid-morning hundreds of men – most of whom were already drinking – headed into Parliament Square.

Some were members of football hooligan networks who had put aside their differences for the day. Others were from the far-right.

But despite claims that the day was about defending British heritage, it soon became violent.

Groups looked for opportunities to attack the police. Bottles and cans were thrown at their lines and horses – smoke bombs and fireworks set off. Journalists who came too close were threatened.

One bare-chested man kicked a police officer to the ground and there were repeated attempts by others to storm barriers as the police contained the trouble.

By late afternoon, some had left to find more beer – only to find their way back blocked by riot police.

Others tried to regroup on nearby streets as the police played cat and mouse – using their numbers to repeatedly contain and block attempts to take violence around the city.

Speaking before the clashes, the leader of the far-right group Britain First, Paul Golding – convicted last month of an offence under the Terrorism Act – said they had turned out to “guard our monuments”.

The statue of Churchill was boxed up to protect it from potential damage, after protesters daubed “was a racist” on it last weekend.

Hundreds of people also gathered in Glasgow, Bristol and Belfast as part of events organised to “protect” war memorials.

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Getty Images

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Activists congregated at the cenotaph in George Square in Glasgow

Many anti-racism protests have been held around the country, including in Brighton, Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelmsford.

In Brighton, some anti-racism protesters clashed with right-wing groups gathered at the city’s War Memorial.

That came after more than 1,000 protesters had gathered, wearing black clothes and masks, to form a mile-long line along the seafront as they held a silent protest.

In Newcastle, demonstrators supporting the Black Lives Matter movement were heckled by a large counter-protest.

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PA Media

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Protesters take part in a silent vigil on Brighton Pier

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Reuters

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Protesters from Black Lives Matter gather in the centre of Newcastle

Denise Richards, who is involved in the Black Lives Matter movement in Derbyshire, said her chapter had decided not to protest in London on Saturday.

She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that peaceful protesters feared they would be caught up in violent clashes with far-right demonstrators and this could “tarnish” the work of Black Lives Matter.

Nick Lowles, chief executive of campaign group Hope Not Hate, said there was a “very serious” threat of trouble from far-right activists and commended Black Lives Matter for standing down their plans to protest in London on Saturday.

“There are some people who are genuinely concerned about the protection of their statues and monuments but many people are coming for a fight and they are talking openly about it on their social media accounts,” he told the programme.

A Black Lives Matter demonstration took place in central London on Friday evening with leaders of the march urging those in attendance to keep the demonstration “peaceful” and not to join any anti-racism rallies planned for the weekend.

The Met Police have imposed measures requiring all demonstrations to come to an end at 17:00 BST and giving officers enhanced powers to stop and search individuals, after police learned some people were coming into London to cause harm and were likely to bring weapons with them.

The Section 60 order will remain in place until 02:00 BST on Sunday.

The restrictions come in the wake of violence and serious disorder in Westminster at the end of protests last weekend.

While police said those demonstrations were on the whole peaceful, there were dozens of arrests and 27 police officers were injured.

Demonstrations have been taking place across the world following the death in police custody of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis last month.

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Media captionWhat do we do with the UK’s symbols of slavery?



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