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Demonstrations against police violence end with 27 police officers being injured.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52954899
This should cheer a few up
https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry...st-in-bristol/
Yes, much of that was very positive. Police went out of their way to praise the organisers and most of the protesters for promoting and following government guidance on social distancing, and on the event being almost totally peaceful and respectful.
The Colston statue removal raises a lot of interesting questions about how we treat our history and the messages we want to put out today. Clearly it was a small group out of the full demonstration who took down the statue and dumped it in the Avon. The police will be after them for criminal damage, but they have started a debate that has been missing for too long in Bristol. The city's wealth was based on the slave trade and there are countless references to slave traders in street and place names, the Colston Hall and the rest. This action should focus minds on how Bristol wants to recognise its history, but also who it wants to celebrate and why.
I remember watching a documentary last year that was looking in part at the slave trade legacy in Liverpool - especially street and place names. The black academics, activists and local historians who took part were almost all against re-naming to erase references to the slave trade past. They preferred to see information boards put up that gave information on the people and the trade ( a sort of blue plaque system) so that there was greater understanding and education. So Penny Lane would stay, but there would be a brief information board explaining how James Penny made his fortune - and at what cost to the slaves.
So on average 1.3 black deaths per year in police custody, not nesecatily through police brutality but possibly an underlying health issue. 13 deaths in 10 years. Does that represent a serious issue in this country? No it doesn’t. In fact compared to the previous 10 years and the 90s and the 80s it’s a big drop which must mean we things are improving. Or maybe that’s just coincidence?
I think it’s fair to say these large scale protests we’ve seen, where social distancing has gone out of the window, will take more than 13 black lives, directly and indirectly which is the worst part.
Isn't there a thing going on with Cecil Rhodes statue in college at Oxford University .
Campaigners wanted the statue torn down, arguing that he represented white supremacy.
I see Churchill's stature was sprated painted with thd words fascist , even though we went to war against one
It's an intresting debate .
I think the discussion about removing statues is a difficult and nuanced one, especially where they have contributed something to society along with the negative things they did. One of those situations I can see from both view points and there are definitely more intelligent people than me on both sides of the debate who can put across much better points than me.
The subtlety and nuance means like other topics it is something that isn’t worth discussing with gluey.
What have the pyramids got to do with this? I wasn't advocating tearing down statues - although I think there is a case for doing that, as part of a communal decision on what deserves to be commemorated - either because of achievement or because of historical significance. I do like the Liverpool idea I described in my earlier post.
Just to be clear though - you would be outraged by any attempt to tear down or hide away any statue to Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot, Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin or Robert E Lee? That would just be re-writing history? A slippery slope that leads to demolition of the pyramids?
But according to Sludge that makes you racist. Since the Stephen lawrence incident and inquiry the police have improved a lot, it uncovered a lot of nasty issues at the time and the reform is why I think calling them racist is just ignorant.
They definitely will, more than 13 black lives will be gone in a few weeks because of these protests. The R rate is 1 in the North West I think yet Manchester went ahead with its protest yesterday. I support everyone's right to protest but now really isn't the time, and now I'm even questioning why they're happening after the scenes yesterday, defacing the Cenotaph along with other war memorials whilst attacking the police doesn't help their cause at all.