A Black Lives Matter protester was spotted carrying a white counter-protester to safety when protests in London led into violence on Saturday.
According to Fox News, Patrick Hutchinson joined hundreds of protesters near the Waterloo Station in London when he witnessed violence at the top of the stairs at the Southbank Centre. He said he stepped up to prevent the man from being killed by the crowd.
Hutchinson is joined by four Black Lives Matter protesters and surrounded the white man who had fallen to the ground and formed a barrier to block the crowd. Then, Hutchinson "scooped him up into a fireman's carry and marched him out with the guys around me, protecting me and shielding me and protecting this guy from getting any further punishment."
Protester Patrick Hutchinson carries an injured counter-protester to safety, near the Waterloo station during a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, in London, Britain, June 13, 2020.
Hutchinson told BBC that he was "just thinking of a human being on the floor" because the altercation will not end well if they did not intervene. "We did what we had to do. We stopped somebody from being killed," he said.
Unlike the three Minneapolis police officers who did not intervene while Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck until he died on May 25, Hutchinson said he chose to step up to prevent untoward events.
Hutchinson, who is a Wimbledon personal trainer said in a separate interview with Channel 4 that it is not black versus white, but "everyone versus the racists." "It was scary. But you don't think about it at the time, you do what you've got to do," he added.
Patrick Hutchinson, a black protester who carried a white man to safety during clashes on Saturday in London between anti-racism protesters and far-right opponents, poses for a portrait in London, Britain June 15, 2020.
Hutchinson said he just wants equality, "equality for all of us" as the society is already unfairly balanced. "I just want things to be fair for my children and my grandchildren," he said.
Netizens applauded Patrick Hutchinson's selfless act
In an interview with CNN on Monday, June 15, Hutchinson said he was just focused on "avoiding a catastrophe," which would have changed the narrative of their demonstration into "Black Lives Matters, Youngsters Kill Protesters."
Hutchinson said that the man he was carrying on his shoulder was still receiving blows. People were trying to protect him and carried him over to the police. "I said here you are. One of them said 'thank you - you did a good thing there,'" he said.
Patrick Hutchinson, the black man who carried a suspected far-right protester to safety in a viral photo captured by @Reuters during protests in London, says he and his friends ‘did what we had to do’ https://t.co/JWv17pv0d4 pic.twitter.com/0eStlC1pUF — Reuters (@Reuters) June 15, 2020
Twitter user Lisa Marie called Hutchinson a national treasure.
#PatrickHutchinson A national treasure https://t.co/wjQiL0P0Bn — Lisa Marie (@ms_frichgirl) June 16, 2020
Another user Mark Masek said these situations will bring out the best and the worst in people while Hutchinson "should be known, emulated and celebrated."
The circumstances we're in will bring out the best in people, and the worst in people. I choose to focus on the people who rise to the occasion. As Mr. Rogers said, "Look for the helpers." You will find them. They should be known, emulated and celebrated. #PatrickHutchinson https://t.co/q6azhRbKby — Mark Masek (@CemeteryGuide) June 16, 2020
Labour MP for Leicester East Claudia Webbe commended Hutchinson for his act. She also called him a "national hero" as it is "what humanity looks like."
A national hero - this is what humanity looks like:
“If the other three police officers who were standing around when George Floyd was murdered had thought about intervening like what we did, George Floyd would be alive today." Patrick Hutchinson #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/qwhcEav23E — Claudia Webbe MP (@ClaudiaWebbe) June 14, 2020
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticized the "racist thuggery" on Saturday when hundreds of mostly white men joined a counter-protest in Parliament Square who aimed to protect historic statues such as Prime Minister Winston Churchill sculpture, which was vandalized last week.
The counter-protesters had a clash with Black Lives Matter demonstrators and the police. About 113 people were arrested after the violent altercation.
