Star Wars actor John Boyega has given an emotional speech at a Hyde Park demonstration about the death of George Floyd in the US.
Boyega joined thousands of protestors in Hyde Park in a peaceful demonstration in support of Black Lives Matter.
The actor, who is best known for playing Finn in the recent Star Wars trilogy, referenced two other black Americans who controversially died in the US and the murder of Stephen Lawrence in the UK.
“We are a physical representation of our support for George Floyd,” he told the demonstration. “We are a physical representation of our support for Sandra Bland. We are a physical representation of our support for Trayvon Martin. We are a physical representation of our support for Stephen Lawrence.”
He added: “I’m speaking to you from my heart. Look, I don’t know if I’m going to have a career after this, but f*** that.
“Today is about innocent people who were halfway through their process, we don’t know what George Floyd could have achieved, we don’t know what Sandra Bland could have achieved, but today we’re going to make sure that won’t be an alien thought to our young ones.”
He told the crowds: “Every black person in here remembered when another person reminded you that you were black.
“So none of you out there, all those protesters on the other side, protesting against what we want to do, protesting against what we want to try and achieve, burn you, this is so vital.
John Boyega – In pictures
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John Boyega attends the World Premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the Dolby, El Capitan, and TCL Theatres on December 14, 2015 in Hollywood
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Attack The Block (2011)
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Daisy Ridley and British John Boyega pose on the red carpet upon arrival for the European film premiere of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in London
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John Boyega and Scott Eastwood in Pacific Rim Uprising
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World Premiere Of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
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Daisy Ridley and John Boyega arrive for the World Premiere Of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
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John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran attend the Premiere of Disney’s “Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker”
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World Premiere Of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
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John Boyega attends Universal’s “Pacific Rim Uprising” premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on March 21, 2018 in Hollywood, California
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Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Naomi Ackie, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels and Oscar Isaac arrive for the World Premiere of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
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Letitia Wright and John Boyega attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York
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John Boyega as Finn in a scene from “Star Wars: Episode IX
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi
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Stormzy,John Boyega and Daniel Sturridge pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Black Panther’ in London
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John Boyega as Finn and Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico IN Star Wars: The Last Jedi
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Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Graham Norton, John Boyega and Gwendoline Christie during filming of the Graham Norton Show
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John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Mark Hamill pose at the ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ photocall at Corinthia Hotel London on December 13, 2017 in London
Dave Benett
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Phillip Schofield, Holly Willoughby and John Boyega on This Morning
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John Tiffany with the award for best director alongside presenter John Boyega at the Olivier Awards 2017
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John Boyega and Daisy Ridley with their awards for Best Male and Best Female Newcomers in the winners room at the Jameson Empire Awards 2016 at The Grosvenor House Hotel
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Mitzi, 7 (right) a patient at The Royal London Hospital and her brother, Teddy, 5 (second right) both from London, visited by Star Wars actor John Boyega
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Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
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Daisy Ridley and Kylie Minogue laugh as David Beckham and John Boyega play with light sabers during the filming of the Graham Norton Show
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Star Wars – The Force Awakens
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens stars Daisy Ridley and John Boyega with their respective action figures at London’s flagship Disney Store on Oxford Street
Lucy Young
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John Boyega attends the World Premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the Dolby, El Capitan, and TCL Theatres on December 14, 2015 in Hollywood
Getty Images
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Attack The Block (2011)
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Daisy Ridley and British John Boyega pose on the red carpet upon arrival for the European film premiere of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in London
AFP via Getty Images
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John Boyega and Scott Eastwood in Pacific Rim Uprising
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World Premiere Of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Getty Images
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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Lucasfilm
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Daisy Ridley and John Boyega arrive for the World Premiere Of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Getty Images
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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Lucasfilm
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John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran attend the Premiere of Disney’s “Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker”
Getty Images
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World Premiere Of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Getty Images
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John Boyega attends Universal’s “Pacific Rim Uprising” premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on March 21, 2018 in Hollywood, California
Getty Images
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Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Naomi Ackie, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels and Oscar Isaac arrive for the World Premiere of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
Getty Images
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Letitia Wright and John Boyega attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York
Getty Images
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John Boyega as Finn in a scene from “Star Wars: Episode IX
AP
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi
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Stormzy,John Boyega and Daniel Sturridge pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Black Panther’ in London
Invision/AP
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John Boyega as Finn and Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico IN Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Lucasfilm
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Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Graham Norton, John Boyega and Gwendoline Christie during filming of the Graham Norton Show
PA
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John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Mark Hamill pose at the ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ photocall at Corinthia Hotel London on December 13, 2017 in London
Dave Benett
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Phillip Schofield, Holly Willoughby and John Boyega on This Morning
ITV
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi
LucasFilm
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Star Wars – The Force Awakens
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EE BAFTA British Academy Film Awards
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Detroit
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John Tiffany with the award for best director alongside presenter John Boyega at the Olivier Awards 2017
PA
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John Boyega and Daisy Ridley with their awards for Best Male and Best Female Newcomers in the winners room at the Jameson Empire Awards 2016 at The Grosvenor House Hotel
Getty Images
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Mitzi, 7 (right) a patient at The Royal London Hospital and her brother, Teddy, 5 (second right) both from London, visited by Star Wars actor John Boyega
PA
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Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
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Daisy Ridley and Kylie Minogue laugh as David Beckham and John Boyega play with light sabers during the filming of the Graham Norton Show
So TV/PA
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Star Wars – The Force Awakens
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens stars Daisy Ridley and John Boyega with their respective action figures at London’s flagship Disney Store on Oxford Street
Lucy Young
The actor continued: “I need you to understand how painful this s**t is. I need you to understand how painful it is to be reminded every day that your race means nothing and that isn’t the case anymore, that was never the case anymore.”
Boyega urged his fellow demonstrators to “keep this as peaceful as possible,” adding: “They want us to mess up, they want us to be disorganised but not today.”
Thousands of protestors descended on Hyde Park on Wednesday amid international outrage at the death of Floyd.
The 46-year-old African-American died in police custody in Minneapolis last week after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.
With reporting by Press Association