Using a “silent floor” discussion, participants share their reactions to racist attacks and discuss how to respond.

Where were you when George Floyd died?
 

Issues addressed

• Racist violence
• Responses to racism

Aims

• To discuss the consequences of racism on its victims
• To reflect on the individual and collective responses to racism
• To promote empathy and solidarity with the targets and victims of racism

Preparation / Materials

• A large floor area
• 4 sheets of flip chart paper: prepare one sheet for each of the questions asked in step 2 of the instructions below.
• Lots of marker pens of different colours; Tape to attach the papers to a wall

Instructions

1. Explain that in the activity we are going to explore various aspects of racism. Ask participants if they have heard about what happened to George Floyd.
2. Explain we are going to use “silent floor” as a sort of brainstorming activity:
   • Where were you and what were you doing when you first heard what happened?
   • What were your first reactions?
   • What do you remember most about the event now?
   • Have there been any similar incidents or other cases of racist attacks in your country?
3. Participants are free to write what they wish, and they may also draw and use symbols. If there is a comment already on the paper, participants may like to give a simple response such as putting a tick or an emoji.
4. Give participants 30 minutes for the writing and responding stage.
5. Pick up the papers, tape them to the wall and give everyone time to read them. If anyone wishes to, they may still add to the work at this point. Then go on to the debriefing.

Debriefing and evaluation

Review the information on sheets 1 and 2. Does anyone want to make any comments?

Review sheet 3:

• What sorts of things do participants remember?
• Does everyone remember the same things? Why? Why not?
• Do you all agree about the facts of what happened? If not, how can they be verified?

Review sheet 4:

• Has everyone heard of all the events on the sheet?
• How did you get to hear about them? Were they widely reported in the media? Why / Why not?
• What forms of racism are common in your country? Who are the targets and victims?
• Has the coverage of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter campaign in the mainstream media had an impact on stories about racist events in your country?

Review the language used on the sheets. Have words such as “death”, “killing” or “murder” been used? What is the impact of each of the words, and what are the implications of using them? Why is it important to be careful with the language we – and the media – use?

Now go on to talk about responses to racist events:

• What are the consequences of racism on the victims and targets?
• Why is it important to fight racism?
• Who are the main actors fighting against racism in your country and what are they doing?
• Do the authorities in your country do enough to combat racism? Are there official policies and strategies, for instance, education and information campaigns to combat racism?
• What opportunities do citizens / people in your country have for fighting racism? Which sorts of actions are most effective?
• Why is local-level activism to combat racism important?
• Do you know of any local groups or movements active in combating racism? What are they doing? Could you join them?
• How can we mobilise other (young) people to stand up against racism?

Tips for the facilitators

Do not assume that everyone in the group knows the name of George Floyd. It may be necessary to explain that George Floyd (14 October 1973 – 25 May 2020) was an African American who died while being arrested in Minneapolis, USA. A white police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, suffocating him. Videos of the event show him saying “I can’t breathe”, hence the title of the activity. The event sparked riots and demonstrations worldwide against racist police abuse, which alerted governments and authorities to the institutional racism that exists – not only in the police – and to take measures to address it.

In relation to youth work, George Floyd’s legacy has been to motivate millions of people, especially young people, to become activists for social reform. The question for facilitators is how to help young people to transform their energy and enthusiasm into actions that will pave the way for real social change. A starting point could be to find out more about cases of police violence and systemic racism in their own countries, and to join campaigns for justice.

Silent floor is a way to gather opinions and information in a more creative way than with normal brainstorming. It also enables everyone to participate, particularly the less vocal members of the group. To aid the discussion, use a separate piece of flipchart for each of the four questions to be asked at step 2 of the instructions. For clarity, number and title each sheet. Spread the papers out on the floor and leave a plentiful supply of different coloured markers. Ask participants, individually, to write or draw their comments on the papers. No-one is allowed to speak. At the end, you should have a creative and colourful summary of the points.

Suggestions for follow-up

Take action: Run a mini brainstorming activity about which aspects of racism are the most urgent to address. What actions of ours would be most effective? What should we do and how should we begin?

Move on to another activity: The activity ‘Media biases’ might follow on well. In this, participants research the media to evaluate biases.
 

Background information

Racism

In 1995, in the Education Pack, we wrote that “defining racism is not easy. Racism is [discrimination] based on the linked beliefs that distinctive human characteristics, abilities, etc. are determined by race and that there are superior and inferior ones”, “race” being understood to be the result of specific, physical, natural inherited characteristics. There is no scientific support for these beliefs about the existence of different races; we are one race, the human race.

Today, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance defines racism not solely on the basis of physical traits but more widely as “discrimination (on grounds of ‘race’, ethnic / national origin, colour, citizenship, religion, language, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics), xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance”.

See also sections Key concepts and rationale and Combating racism in Europe today for more information about racism today.

Statement of the European Commission against racism and intolerance (ECRI) on racist police abuse, including racial profiling and systemic racism (extract)
Adopted by ECRI at its 82nd plenary meeting (30 June – 2 July 2020)
ECRI expresses its sympathy with the families of all victims of racist police violence and its solidarity with those protesting peacefully against racism.
During its country visits, ECRI has heard many accounts of racist police abuse, including racial profiling and acts of violence, towards minority groups or migrants. [...] racial profiling constitutes a specific form of racial discrimination and must be expressly prohibited by law. It generates a feeling of humiliation and injustice among those groups that are subjected to it, results in their stigmatisation, negative stereotyping and alienation, and hinders good community relations. Furthermore, [...] the perception by police officers of persons belonging to a particular community as “criminals” and the ensuing practice of racial profiling can result in “institutionalised racism”.
Peaceful anti-racism protests and the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on many minority groups have increased public awareness of both the origins and the consequences of “systemic racism and inequalities” that have permeated the daily life of minority groups, affecting their access to education, employment, health and housing. While overt racism is relatively easy to recognise, unconscious racial bias is widespread but hidden, often resulting in “racism without racists”.
ECRI calls on all decision-makers in Council of Europe member states to use the windows of opportunity that have opened through the ongoing mobilisation against racism to deliver clear messages of zero tolerance to and take effective action against racism and discrimination.”

The statement can be read in full on the ECRI website.