Current Affairs London Protests

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

So it's a matter of degrees then

Mate I’m certainly not against the wide opposition to US police murdering black people with impunity and the more voices that challenge it the better. I just don’t agree with mass gatherings which flout the current restrictions. Not got much more to say about it.

 

[PhilM]

People will have had to make up there own mind whether they wanted to go, versus the potential risk of the virus. I don't know how big the risk was in the crowds but I'm sure there was some degree of risk.

More so within BME communities. The protests were allowed and social-distancing guidelines were not enforced by the police, so people were able to decide.

However, the point that people are worried that large mass gatherings could lead to an increase infection rate can't be dismissed either or labelled ignorance etc.

 

[Papa Shango]

Like, I am fully supportive of the cause, and I get the timing of it in the context of what is happening in the US. But a disaster is happening in London and hundreds of people continue to die each day from it. Can you not see why some would think putting mass gatherings on hold until we're through the worst would be a good idea? It's hard to phrase that in a way which doesn't undermine people's grievances

In some ways doing it now heightens it's importance.

 

[Prevenger17]

In some ways doing it now heightens it's importance.

But coronavirus is killing at this very moment. A lot of them. If this results in another massive spike, will it be worth doing it now rather than later? I personally don't think so

 

[Zatara]

Right, since you never really reply to substantive posts from others, you don't really deserve this, but:


Perhaps you should consider exactly how much people care about this issue, and how much a tipping point has been reached, that they are willing to go into crowded public spaces to seize this moment and protest against this issue, even in spite of the risk to their lives. It's worth noting that face masks have been prevalent at most of the gatherings, which latest data suggests will reduce transmission by ~80%.

I (and many others) find it totally STUPID and IGNORANT and UNSAFE that a police officer could kneel on a person's neck for 9 minutes (including 2.5mins AFTER he was checked and found not to have a pulse, according to some reports) and for that NOT to provoke widespread outrage and protest.

To compare protests against the unlawful killing of people of colour by those charged to protect them to whether people should be allowed into stadia to watch a football match, is inane, to be honest. You can consider that a "personal attack" if you want. Most would consider it fact.


There are a number of aims of the movement. Defunding of the police in the US is a major tentpole. Defunding doesn't mean "cut all funding and scrap the police". It means a reduction in funding, which would in turn reduce the militarisation of the police. In the US the police spend huge sums of money every year on buying decommissioned military hardware. If you equip police like they're soldiers on a battlefield, it's hardly a surprise when they act like it.

They also want 8 specific changes to police procedure and their use of force. You can find what these are fairly easily with a little research.

These things don't exactly make for memorable slogans to chant during a protest. "Black Lives Matter" came about because in many countries, but especially the US, they're not treated like they do by the authorities.


Because (again, specifically in the US, as that's where the movement started, but it's mirrored here to an extent) black people have worse health and socio-economic outcomes than those of a similar background of other ethnicities.

"I don't have white privilege, I grew up poor too" isn't an argument when pretty much every bit of available data says that whatever your circumstance, changing your skin colour to black would make that circumstance worse.


Most of the organisations who are paying bail are paying bail for those arrested while protesting, not looting. But to turn attention to the looting for a moment, perhaps you'd like to turn your attention to this video that I've posted in reply to you elsewhere at least once, possibly twice, but never got a response.



Society doesn't uphold its end of the social contract for a huge segment of the population, based on little more than their skin colour. It's a bit rich to expect them to then uphold theirs.


This is a function of the media coming out of those areas and how much information people receive. Is it right that there isn't more protest? No, but that doesn't lessen any other cause.

Oh, but as for point D: Voter suppression amongst communities of colour in the US is at a horrendous level.


Viruses don't "murder" people. Murder is a conscious act. Like kneeling on someone's neck while they die beneath you. Or shooting unarmed women sleeping on a couch. Or shooting a guy out jogging.


Because, shock horror, in any large group of people you'll get people who don't react in the ideal way. The vast majority of protests in this country have been peaceful (and for that matter socially distanced)

1: Face masks worn will lower risk by 80%.

Depends on what masks and how they are worn as well as the risk increasing in crowded spaces.

Also they have chosen to risk their families, police officers and every other person they come into contact with.


2: So you believe that people agreeing to not watch games in football stadiums is ok.

But you disagree about people complaining about millions of people coming together in cities and countries.

This makes absolutely no logical sense.

More people = higher virus tramsmission and spreading risk.


3: Defunding police who are there to protect people is downright stupid.

Ive not seen any 8 demands anywhere.


4: "Changing your skin colour to black will make things worse"

Have you heard yourself?


5: So people are compensating protestors who are arrested...and the rest online.

Like Compensating black owned stores? Black protestors.

How about the other innocent victims of this who arent black?



6: People have different perceptions of others in every single country in the world, not only black people but also white and others.

Fat / thin/ ugly / pretty theres always something.


7: Youre comparing "voter suppression" towards people of "colour" to those who arent allowed to elect their own leaders?

Somehow i think a free right to vote outweighs secret police, beatings, arrest, kidnapping and murder when speaking out against your leaders.


8: So if someone knowingly has COVID and goes to a protest and 10 people are infected by them and die...thats;

A: Acceptable (Your view)
B: Unacceptable (My view)

Its the same as intent to kill.


9: Youre supporting a minority group of people and their right to spread COVID to others.

Youre also discounting the minority within that group who are rioting + looting.

Youre not supporting the minority group in that case.

Why on earth is page 1 of this thread basically full of alt right propaganda? Not cool.

Black kids singing = alt right propaganda.

Very selfish of all the protesters to break lockdown rules and risk lives here to protest something that happened in the USA. Virtue signalling at it’s worst.

Indeed.

I don’t feel posting tweets captioned “PC cuck gets on his knees, not fit for the force” belongs on here, as that language is very synonymous with incel and extreme right rhetoric.

Didnt even know what that meant...just linked the vid.

That’s not my point, under normal circumstances I’d be supportive even if I wasn’t out there myself. In the current climate it’s utterly baffling. People rightly give Cummings a hard time, well this lot are just as bad.

Im not sure if id be supportive or not.

Im not sure why propaganda and people are forcing support for mass protests when COVID is around.

Protestors, police, their families...then further.

Its going to kill a lot of people.

Who will they blame for that?

Yeah. Protesting (often while wearing face coverings and socially distancing) against systemic racism and the murder of black people by police, by people desperate to see change in the world is just as bad as a top govt aide/co-PM going on a jolly to a beauty spot a few hundred miles away then lying to the nation about it.

Its a numbers game.

If 2 people spread risk of virus thats worse than 1.

If thousands spread the virus thats worse than 1.

If millions across states and countries spread the virus you think its better than 1.

Not for me.

The prevalence of terms like virtue signalling, snowflake and the fact that being a "lefty" is now deemed as being a bad thing are some of the worst things to have happened over the past few years. A proper sign of our society in 2020.

How dare you care about people you knob? That's basically where we are right now.

Im a right ring snowflake victim.

Supposedly.

Rubbish. The vast majority have not been wearing masks and certainly not social distancing, kudos to the ones who have though.

Cummings broke the rules, so are lots of the protesters. Say what you like about their motives -they’re as bad as each other.

Exactly...

"Oh protestors have a cause so they can spread a virus onto everyone they are in contact with"

Its a no from me.

 

[Tubey]

I can absolutely see that in an ideal world that would be the way to go.

I can also absolutely see how people have reached the end of their rope with the situation they are protesting, and feel compelled to act now. And I find it absurd to see people comparing it to Cummings going off on his jollies.

Which is understandable in the US. It was a very organic, spontaneous reaction.

But over here? Nah, not for me. Not saying there isn't systemic racism here - of course there is - but there's levels to it and the US is off the scale.

In a normal situation, protesting in solidarity would be fine - but there's a literal pandemic going on and I don't understand anyone excusing in any way what's happening in London. I find everyone involved disgusting, as they are potentially murdering people through their actions.

 

[Jebus_lives]

Very selfish of all the protesters to break lockdown rules and risk lives here to protest something that happened in the USA. Virtue signalling at it’s worst.

Lockdown rules aren't in place and the law that would allow police to enforce distancing doesn't exist.

 

[COYBL25]

Like, I am fully supportive of the cause, and I get the timing of it in the context of what is happening in the US. But a disaster is happening in London and hundreds of people continue to die each day from it. Can you not see why some would think putting mass gatherings on hold until we're through the worst would be a good idea? It's hard to phrase that in a way which doesn't undermine people's grievances

With the beaches being packed last weekend and the protests this week, the next couple of weeks are gonna be make or break for the infection rate.

If it continues going down, despite all of this, it could be that the Italian scientist who`s staked his reputation on the fact that it`s losing it`s viral load is proved right.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Prevenger17]

And I find it absurd to see people comparing it to Cummings going off on his jollies.

I agree with this 100%. And I imagine the venn diagram of people criticizing the essence of the protests will overlap with those who feel Cummings has nothing to answer for

 

[Jebus_lives]

Rubbish. The vast majority have not been wearing masks and certainly not social distancing, kudos to the ones who have though.

Cummings broke the rules, so are lots of the protesters. Say what you like about their motives -they’re as bad as each other.

How do you know?

 

[PhilM]

Lockdown rules aren't in place and the law that would allow police to enforce distancing doesn't exist.

Errr...

 

[COYBL25]

Lockdown rules aren't in place and the law that would allow police to enforce distancing doesn't exist.

I think what he means is gatherings of more than six people outside are prohibited for the obvious reasons.

 

[Prevenger17]

If it continues going down, despite all of this, it could be that the Italian scientist who`s staked his reputation on the fact that it`s losing it`s viral load is proved right.

 

[ChesterBlue]

1: Face masks worn will lower risk by 80%.

Depends on what masks and how they are worn as well as the risk increasing in crowded spaces.

Also they have chosen to risk their families, police officers and every other person they come into contact with.


2: So you believe that people agreeing to not watch games in football stadiums is ok.

But you disagree about people complaining about millions of people coming together in cities and countries.

This makes absolutely no logical sense.

More people = higher virus tramsmission and spreading risk.


3: Defunding police who are there to protect people is downright stupid.

Ive not seen any 8 demands anywhere.


4: "Changing your skin colour to black will make things worse"

Have you heard yourself?


5: So people are compensating protestors who are arrested...and the rest online.

Like Compensating black owned stores? Black protestors.

How about the other innocent victims of this who arent black?



6: People have different perceptions of others in every single country in the world, not only black people but also white and others.

Fat / thin/ ugly / pretty theres always something.


7: Youre comparing "voter suppression" towards people of "colour" to those who arent allowed to elect their own leaders?

Somehow i think a free right to vote outweighs secret police, beatings, arrest, kidnapping and murder when speaking out against your leaders.


8: So if someone knowingly has COVID and goes to a protest and 10 people are infected by them and die...thats;

A: Acceptable (Your view)
B: Unacceptable (My view)

Its the same as intent to kill.


9: Youre supporting a minority group of people and their right to spread COVID to others.

Youre also discounting the minority within that group who are rioting + looting.

Youre not supporting the minority group in that case.




Black kids singing = alt right propaganda.






Indeed.



Didnt even know what that meant...just linked the vid.



Im not sure if id be supportive or not.

Im not sure why propaganda and people are forcing support for mass protests when COVID is around.

Protestors, police, their families...then further.

Its going to kill a lot of people.

Who will they blame for that?



Its a numbers game.

If 2 people spread risk of virus thats worse than 1.

If thousands spread the virus thats worse than 1.

If millions across states and countries spread the virus you think its better than 1.

Not for me.




Im a right ring snowflake victim.

Supposedly.



Exactly...

"Oh protestors have a cause so they can spread a virus onto everyone they are in contact with"

Its a no from me.

Don’t play coy with my comment, it’s very evidently in response to the tweets regarding “cuck cops kneeling” and “Leftie extremist commies” do you really think that kind of rhetoric belongs here and do you really think that using incel and white nationalist propaganda tweets will strengthen your position? I’m hoping it’s a case where you merely checked the videos and did not read the captions, as if that isn’t the case you’ve got this seriously wrong.

 

[COYBL25]

lol