The Black Lives Matter (BLM) organization has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of what the nominator claimed was BLM's impact on raising awareness of racism around the world, the Daily Mail reported.
Norwegian parliamentarian Petter Eide, who nominated BLM for the prize, brushed off the issue of BLM violence, saying: "Of course there have been incidents, but most of them have been caused by the activities of either the police or counter-protestors."
In his nominating statement, obtained by The Guardian, Eide said: "'I find that one of the key challenges we have seen in America, but also in Europe and Asia, is the kind of increasing conflict based on inequality."
"Black Lives Matter has become a very important worldwide movement to fight racial injustice," he said, adding that "they have had a tremendous achievement in raising global awareness and consciousness about racial injustice."
He also said that he appreciates how BLM "have been able to mobilize people from all groups of society, not just African-Americans, not just oppressed people, it has been a broad movement, in a way which has been different from their predecessors."
"Awarding the peace prize to Black Lives Matter, as the strongest global force against racial injustice, will send a powerful message that peace is founded on equality, solidarity and human rights, and that all countries must respect those basic principles," he concluded.
Though BLM protests sometimes turned violent this year, the organization has been praised for forcing dialogue on the issue of racism.
According to data assembled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project, over 90% of BLM demonstrations involved no serious harm to people or property.
However, BLM protesters have clashed with police more than once in various cities, causing unrest, looting shops, vandalizing houses of worship, and setting fire to buildings.