The Black Lives Matter as a global anti-racist movement: the European and Italian experience

25 May 2020 represented a turning point for anti-racist activism around the world. The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of the police was actually one among many but, at the same time, it should be considered unique because of its global resonance and media impact. This paper considers the world's largest and best-known anti-racist movement, Black Lives Matter, which originated in the United States but later spread to many European states through street protests and online struggles and campaigns promoted by Afro-descendant activists. These activities aim to make the White population more aware of the injustices and violence that the Black community has been forced to endure for centuries and, in addition, also address the systemic racism, that is still present today in different societies worldwide and is perpetrated by institutions against minorities. A glaring example concerns the issue of citizenship, debated and addressed repeatedly especially in Italy, where, because of the skin color, one can be categorized as a "foreigner," "different," or "inferior," and may be denied some of the basic rights. There is still a long way to go to achieve equal rights and treatment for Blacks and Whites, but the BLM movement's activists strive every day to achieve their common goal together, wherever they are in the world.