A 16-year-old boy from Medway took to the streets and staged a Black Lives Matter protest, after the killing of George Floyd in America sparked international outrage.

David Agba, from Chatham, organised the peaceful protest outside the Kent Police Medway headquarters yesterday, using social media to spread the message.

David said his experiences of racial prejudice growing up in the county made him take action, after the news of George Floyd's death spread across the world.

Mr Floyd died after a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck in Minneapolis on 25 May, sparking days of protest in the US.

David's protest in Medway echoed those happening in London this week as thousands of people took to the streets, including Star Wars actor John Boyega.

The Victory Academy student said: "Change has to start from somewhere, no matter how little.

"From a young age I've been subjected to a lot of institutional racism and prejudices - by teachers from schools to members of the public walking or driving past me.

"I've played in football matches where fans get on my back, sometimes chanting slurs and making monkey noises - the type of thing I've now learnt not to get into my head.

"I have a destination of where I want to be, I can't let things like this get into my head and make me play into the stereotype of a young angry black man."

David also feels as if some people have stereotyped him as a troublemaker in the past, simply for being black.

He said: "I've never been arrested before, I've never been detained or taken away in a police vehicle at all, it's never happened to me.

"But it's the racial connotations and the racial bias brought towards me and groups of my friends, or just groups of young black males and females.

"If we're sitting around on a park bench wearing tracksuits, they'll instantly see a group of black boys who are potentially a threat, which I think is really insulting."

The promising young footballer is hoping to become a professional athlete in the future.

He said: "After lockdown, I'm giving myself six months max to be signed to a professional football team."

David said he takes his education very seriously, joining Holcombe Grammar School in September to start his A Levels.

Like all other GCSE students across the country, his final were exams due to be taken this summer, but have been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"I can't let things like this get into my head and make me play into the stereotype of a young angry black man..."

After his protest in Chatham, David hopes to attend more Black Lives Matter protests across the county in the coming weeks.

He said: "This was one of the first Black Lives Matter protests in Kent, and now I'm seeing on social media platforms that more are being organised, so I hope I've helped inspire a few people."

A spokesperson from Kent Police said: "On the afternoon of Wednesday 3 May 2020 a peaceful protest took place outside Medway Police Station.

"The District Commander for Medway engaged with those in attendance and there were no breaches of the peace."

It comes as the University of Kent investigates a "deeply disturbing" video of two young men carrying out a re-enactment of George Floyd's death on Snapchat.

A picture posted on social media, reportedly taken at the University of Kent, shows the two men recreating the horrifying moment and writing "#justiceforgeorgefloyd".

In the post, one person can be seen pushing his knee into the neck of another who is lying motionless on the floor.

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