Norwegian MP Petter Eide has nominated the Black Lives Matter movement for a Nobel Peace Prize. Eide said he nominated the social justice movement for its work in the "struggle against racism and racially motivated violence.
"We hold the largest social movement in global history. Today, we have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. People are waking up to our global call: for racial justice and an end to economic injustice, environmental racism, and white supremacy. We're only getting started," Black Lives Matter responded to the nomination on Twitter.
The Black Lives Matter emerged after the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin. Over the years, it has grown as Michael Brown, Freddie Gray and several others were killed at the hands of police. The movement hit unprecedented levels following the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. For weeks at a time, Americans took to the streets in a protest movement like few ever seen in world history.
Despite the work that Black Lives Matter has done to improve the lives of marginalized communities around the world, few did not appear to enjoy their nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize.
“This weekend I have received so many negative responses from individual Americans telling me that Black Lives Matter is a violent and aggressive organization, that they are deliberately using violence as a political communication tool and that nominating them for the Nobel Peace Prize is quite insane," Eide told ABC News.
“They were very nasty, and some of them were also threats. They were hateful."
In the face of threats from those seeking to intimidate him, Eide remains steadfast in his decision to nominate the group for a Nobel Peace Prize.
“I believe that Black Lives Matter today represents the strongest global force or global movement to fight racial injustice," he said.
Winners for the award will be named in October. However, the ceremony will not take place until December 2021.
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