Star Wars actor John Boyega has given an emotional speech at a Hyde Park demonstration about the death George Floyd in the US.

Boyega referenced two other black Americans who controversially died in the US and the racist UK murder of Stephen Lawrence, as he told demonstrators: "We are a physical representation of our support for George Floyd. We are a physical representation of our support for Sandra Bland. We are a physical representation of our support for Trayvon Martin. We are a physical representation of our support for Stephen Lawrence."

He added: "Today is about innocent people who were halfway through their process, we don't know what George Floyd could have achieved, we don't know what Sandra Bland could have achieved, but today we're going to make sure that won't be an alien thought to our young ones."

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Picture: PA WIRE

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Protesters in London Picture: PA WIRE

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Outside Downing Street Picture: PA WIRE

John Boyega told demonstrators in Hyde Park: "Every black person in here remembered when another person reminded you that you were black.

"So none of you out there, all those protesters on the other side, protesting against what we want to do, protesting against what we want to try and achieve, burn you, this is so vital.

The Star Wars actor continued: "I need you to understand how painful this shit is. I need you to understand how painful it is to be reminded every day that your race means nothing and that isn't the case anymore, that was never the case anymore."

John Boyega continued: "It is very very important that we keep control of this moment. That we make this as peaceful and as organised as possible.

"Because they want us to mess up, they want us to be disorganised but not today."

Several hundred protesters later  left Hyde Park, with many climbing over fences to get onto a main road.

The demonstrators were blocking the Park Lane road by the park, stopping traffic including at least 10 double-decker buses.

Many protesters climbed onto sculptures and phone boxes, while others climbed on top of a cafe in Speakers' Corner.

Thousands of protesters have blocked the roads outside of the Houses of Parliament, with the group approaching Downing Street. The protesters chanted George Floyd's name as well as "the UK is not innocent".