The West’s Black Lives Matter movement is anti-Christian and anti-civilizational, according to Bishop Savva of Zelenograd, the deputy administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate.
According to Savva, the true nature of the movement “is becoming increasingly apparent.” On his Telegram channel, the bishop wrote, “This is what kind of struggle for human rights? The struggle for who is most important in humanity.”
The cleric was reacting to news that the statue of Emperor Constantine the Great, located next to York Cathedral in England, may be taken down due to his links with slavery. Statues around the world began to be removed and demolished during the recent Black Lives Matter protests, sparked by the police murder of unarmed black man George Floyd. Protestors have pulled down monuments to those with a history of racism, such as slave traders and leaders of the Confederacy.
Black Lives Matter is a movement that originated by organizing protests against police brutality towards African Americans in the US. Since then, the campaign has gone worldwide, pushing for equality and the end of institutional racism against minorities.
Bishop Savva is no stranger to commentary on modern culture, especially in regards to religion. In January, he made the news in the West after stating that the Russian Orthodox Church should no longer bless missiles.
