Current Affairs London Protests

[coollino]

They could do yes. But, if we're talking about equality then hopefully the person is sentenced like Charlie Gilmour, son of Pink Flyod's David Gilmour, was.

He went to prison for that?? I was hoping it would be community service, helping preserve places as such. A sentence helps no one.

 

[coollino]

Well in my opinion it’s scummy behaviour mate . I’m supportive of the protest in lots of ways and I’ll even be understanding of things in them I don’t necessarily agree with .

I’m not a fan of poppy fascism , although I’ll be honest I’ve even shifted some of my opinions around the protest surrounding it over time . However the cenotaph represents a tribute to people who’ve died in my case both family and friends and in both circumstances I’ve mentioned working class lads . There was zero need for that act . Any protesters targeting Jewish or Muslim places of worship or cemeteries I’ll call out for the vermin they are and this feels exactly the same . If people want to protest what they see as militaristic tributes by turning their back or whatever protest they feel is respectfully appropriate then fine but doing that feels scummy . As I’ve said before I also don’t think it helps the cause I think it sets it back or at least it acts as a recruiting sergeant for those that oppose its aims .

I appreciate others may disagree but that being my opinion doesn’t make me some right wing [Poor language removed] .

My point to Jeffers above is the point I am trying to make.

I'd also argue that this is probably worse than the statue but at the same time, it's easily fixable.

The people going on about erasing history etc seem to have shifted their stance to symbolism, which they didn't understand with the statue.

 

[JobForTheMoyes]

Lovely flowery language.?.
Its the end peaceful protest in what they are trying address it only gets more violent now, until the words move to action.

Not really, just a fact. It was the First World War that was the game-changer. More people were turned off the idea due to suffragettes, even people who had sympathy for the idea.

The suffragists were a more constructive force.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

It's interesting how people who are getting wound up by the burning of a flag which probably gets replaced a few times a year, because of what it represents, don't understand the symbolism of taking down the statue.

If it was about public funds and erasing of history, surely the statue should still be the bigger deal here?

Just people wanting to get outraged by something from their armchairs.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

It's interesting how people who are getting wound up by the burning of a flag which probably gets replaced a few times a year, because of what it represents, don't understand the symbolism of taking down the statue.

If it was about public funds and erasing of history, surely the statue should still be the bigger deal here?

Think it unearths nationalism and something a bit nefarious about what people think about race to be honest.

The young lad Union Jack burning is a twit, I would ignore his attention seeking antics and let the law deal with him appropriately.

That's not to distract from the protest, which is of course is why those being publicly offended by his actions are acting out!

 

[coollino]

Just people wanting to get outraged by something from their armchairs.

But that's for the snowflakes!

 

[PhilM]

My point to Jeffers above is the point I am trying to make.

I'd also argue that this is probably worse than the statue but at the same time, it's easily fixable.

The people going on about erasing history etc seem to have shifted their stance to symbolism, which they didn't understand with the statue.

So you believe the best approach would be to turn a blind eye to criminal damage if it suits the moral stance of a group?

 

[JobForTheMoyes]

The UK is not as bad as the US in terms of black people fearing they could die through any interaction. But black people still have to deal with the police way more than white people do

Because as a group they commit more crime.

 

[coollino]

So you believe the best approach would be to turn a blind eye to criminal damage if it suits the moral stance of a group?

Community service is still a sentence so there is no blind eye?

I would argue that small criminal damage does not warrant a prison sentence and something much more productive, yes.

 

[Harryflashman]

It's interesting how people who are getting wound up by the burning of a flag which probably gets replaced a few times a year, because of what it represents, don't understand the symbolism of taking down the statue.

If it was about public funds and erasing of history, surely the statue should still be the bigger deal here?

Ok so that’s a fair point . I’ll counter By saying putting bacon On the door or taking a pigs head to a mosque takes a short time to clean up but is a hate crime and people have been, in my opinion , rightly imprisoned because of the attack on the ‘symbolism’ . Or If somebody spray painted graffiti on the side of anfield I’d probably laugh , paint something different on the Hillsborough Memorial I’d want you in nick . You get what I’m saying ? symbolism matters

 

[ChesterBlue]

Sarcasm at its finest! Well said Mr Barnes.

Having previously lived in St Paul’s for 3 years, and as someone who’s planning to move back post covid, I can guarantee that the majority of public opinion in Bristol will be “good riddance to that statue” further to that there have been numerous calls for Colston Hall to be renamed.

 

[catcherintherye]

Violence and wanton vandalism is not going to heal any divisions. It's going to widen them.

The BLM movement needs to distance itself from them asap

Well BLM have done that to be fair. They are a protest against the killing of unarmed black people in in America. They're not really the enemy here and need to be brought into the fold far more to help dilute the anger that exists around this subject.

 

[JLW]

Having previously lived in St Paul’s for 3 years, and as someone who’s planning to move back post covid, I can guarantee that the majority of public opinion in Bristol will be “good riddance to that statue” further to that there have been numerous calls for Colston Hall to be renamed.

That’s fine then mate exactly how it should be done. Not the way it was done.

 

[coollino]

Ok so that’s a fair point . I’ll counter By saying putting bacon On the door or taking a pigs head to a mosque takes a short time to clean up but is a hate crime and people have been, in my opinion , rightly imprisoned because of the attack on the ‘symbolism’ . Or If somebody spray painted graffiti on the side of anfield I’d probably laugh , paint something different on the Hillsborough Memorial I’d want you in nick . You get what I’m saying ? symbolism matters

Yea I get that, but people's stance of symbolism has changed within a matter of hours here.

People who moaned about the statute being taken down moaned about public funds, erasing history, democracy and didn't consider the symbolism of taking down a slave master are now moaning about the symbolic meaning of the flag.

I am not talking about the wider context.

 

[catcherintherye]

The protesters should be using common sense and not acting out in the middle of a covid.

I agree with you on that. I didn't protest for that reason. However the government does need to do some soul searching as to what has caused this anger. I mean the Windrush scandal is probably a good place to start. Is there going to be an enquiry, and ultimately criminal charges brought for that shambles?