Paul McCartney recalls how 'The Beatles' defied racist practices in US

As racial tensions surge in the United States, rock icon Paul McCartney revealed that he and his bandmates from The Beatles have been fighting for equal rights for all races since 1964.

The 77-year-old musician turned to his Instagram, harking back to 1964 when The Beatles had refused to play to a segregated audience in America.

“As we continue to see the protests and demonstrations across the world, I know many of us want to know just what we can be doing to help. None of us have all the answers and there is no quick fix but we need change,” he wrote.

“We all need to work together to overcome racism in any form. We need to learn more, listen more, talk more, educate ourselves and, above all, take action,” he continued.

“In 1964 The Beatles were due to play Jacksonville in the US and we found out that it was going to be to a segregated audience. It felt wrong. We said, ‘We’re not doing that!’ and the concert we did do was to their first non-segregated audience,” he recalled.

“We then made sure this was in our contract. To us, it seemed like common sense.”

He further spoke about the death of Geoge Floyd and the racial discrimination that still exists in America, even after all these years.

“I feel sick and angry that here we are almost 60 years later and the world is in shock at the horrific scenes of the senseless murder of George Floyd at the hands of police racism, along with the countless others that came before.”

“All of us here support and stand alongside all those who are protesting and raising their voices at this time. I want justice for George Floyd’s family, I want justice for all those who have died and suffered. Saying nothing is not an option,” he concluded.