Backlash: The Murder Of George Floyd | Preview (BBC Two)

Five years since the murder of George Floyd – the police killing that set America on fire with rage and sparked a wave of protests around the world – director Kwabena Oppong's film is a gripping account of one of the defining events in recent modern history.

The film tells the story through the eyes of some of those who found themselves on the front line as they reflect on the events of spring and summer 2020, and the impact these still have on their lives today.

With unseen archive footage and compelling interviews, this feature documentary tells the story of how the police killing in Minneapolis went viral, causing the biggest civil unrest in the US in living memory, and then went global, landing with enormous impact in the UK.

Catching the government, police and media establishment off-guard, the sudden explosion of Black Lives Matter protests, driven by young people pouring onto the streets, not only shone the spotlight on police brutality but also exposed deep divides in the UK over matters of race.

Suddenly, celebrities, brands and institutions were all expressing their views on Black Lives Matter. But as the protesters started to topple statues and challenge British history, a backlash was brewing that brought a counter-protest onto the streets.

The film weaves together the American and the UK narratives, plunging the audience into the momentous chain of events. Told with access to members of George Floyd’s family, the Minneapolis police chief who took the bold step of testifying against one of his own officers, Samuel Kasumu, Boris Johnson’s advisor on race, and Neil Basu, assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, as well as music artist Che Lingo, actor Nathalie Emmanuel, broadcasters Andi and Miquita Oliver and comedian Munya Chawawa.

At a time when there are calls for the police officer who murdered George Floyd to be pardoned, this film explores how his death became one of the most significant moments of our time. Capturing a UK-wide perspective, we will see how Floyd’s murder was a moment of reckoning, not only in the US but also in the UK, which sparked a backlash that is defining the present day.

Backlash: The Murder Of George Floyd airs Wednesday 21st May on BBC Two.