Mounted and riot police clashed with protesters on London's Whitehall on Saturday.

[Chippy_Tea]

I was listening to 5 live last night when a protester was asked by another member of the public if she thought crowding together was a good idea bearing in mind people from BEM communities are twice as likely to die from covid-19 than any other, she replied that they didn't care as they are being killed on the streets, the guy who asked the question said that they were not just risking their own lives but they could be putting NHS staff at risk and basically he was shot down by the presenter and the woman that phoned in, i like 5 live but that wasn't their finest half hour.




Police horse bolts at Black Lives Matter protesters in London

The Independent

Mounted and riot police clashed with protesters on London's Whitehall on Saturday, during demonstrations being held in solidarity with similar protests worldwide after the death of George Floyd in the US. Police officers on horses charged down Whitehall, before a police officer was dismounted after hitting a traffic light, causing one police horse to run free. Afterwards, police in riot gear were filmed marching toward protesters.

 

[GerritT]

"they are being killed on the streets", yet by whom? By police? Who are the most likely to kill on the streets?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The problem with protests like this is certain groups use it as an excuse to riot how is this helping their cause?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

"they are being killed on the streets", yet by whom? By police? Who are the most likely to kill on the streets?

I think she was referring to racism in the American police force, i dont think this helps -
"We can no longer sit back and remain silent on the senseless unlawful killings, sly racism of another human being based only on what? Their skin colour.


Meanwhile, activists held placards which read, "Enough is enough," "Racism is a pandemic too" and "Black Lives Matter" across the UK.

We can no longer sit back and remain silent on the senseless unlawful killings of another human being based on their skin colour.
Anthony Joshua

Boxer Anthony Joshua joined the rally in Watford, North London, wearing a Black Lives Matter T-Shirt - despite being on crutches.

Addressing the crowds, he said: "We can no longer sit back and remain silent on the senseless unlawful killings, sly racism of another human being based only on what? Their skin colour.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11800535/police-horse-black-lives-matter-protest-london/

 

[Leon103]

The video of the police officer coming off his horse when it bolted is horrifying. The idiots cheering deserve everything they get in life.

 

[GerritT]

I haven't seen many lawful killings lately, must live in the wrong neighbourhood for that, I guess.

 

[An Ankoù]

I don't think institutional racism is limited to the U.S. police forces. It's endemic in our society, too. That's not to say we're all racist, we're not. Our weaknesses is that we are, by and large, a very tolerant people and we often don't see what's before our eyes or we chose to put a more "charitable" interpretation on what we can't avoid seeing. Confronting racism means, er, confrontation!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Confronting racism means, er, confrontation!

I am all for people protesting this is not a protest its a riot and it is not going to do their cause any favours.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It gets worse -

 

[An Ankoù]

I am all for people protesting this is not a protest its a riot and it is not going to do their cause any favours.

The trouble with protests like this, especially on an emotive issue like the one in question, is that they are frequently infiltrated with proper rioters, agents provocateurs, and anarchists who have their own agendas, not least to discredit the protest. The desired outcome, in this case, is that the protest itself will become illegal, or the police will have to resort to increasing force to quell, and you're right, what has become a riot. We saw loads of this "infiltration" of the Gilets Jaunes demonstration last year in Paris and other big cities. The same pattern seems to be emerging.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The trouble with protests like this, especially on an emotive issue like the one in question, is that they are frequently infiltrated with proper rioters, agents provocateurs, and anarchists

I agree and posted this earlier - The problem with protests like this is certain groups use it as an excuse to riot how is this helping their cause?

 

[Alex.mc]

Martin Luther King said "Riots are the language of the unheard" It's easy to read into a riot(and what defines a riot is a matter of opinion) one's own particular bias. But I think his statement is true in it's simplest form.
Riots are ugly, but they can be the change, or the start of the change.
The battle of cable street is listed as a riot, in 1936. Should that have never happened? Would Moseley have gained traction and control? Would we have allied or at least remained neutral with the Nazis?
This moment is potentially momentous, systemic racism has been going on in the US and the UK(in different ways of course) for decades and decades and decades. Fixing it is not going to be smooth and easy. As an old white guy who was fortunate to have many Black and Asian friends as a child and through school, and witnessed first hand some disgraceful and bullying racism on my friends I sincerely hope this is the catalyst to end it, or at least be the beginning of the end.
Just last year I travelled by air with my family. My son's best friend is Black and he was clearly and painfully obviously racially profiled by security. He is one of the sweetest young men I've met and is now an ambulance paramedic. I was fuming and fit to burst at the time, and was thankfully calmed by my wife. We could do little about it as airport security is not a place to cause a fuss, but it was an abuse of position and power. That institutional s#it needs to stop, and the sooner the better!
100% behind this movement.

 

[mickthetrick]

defacing the war mamorials is discraceful behavaiour imo. should be ashamed of themselves whoever done that.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I think to be able to remove all racism the first thing to ban is all organised religion. I have no hate towards any race but religion is another matter. I'ts all part of the human race growing up in my opinion when we get to that point.

 

[An Ankoù]

defacing the war mamorials is discraceful behavaiour imo. should be ashamed of themselves whoever done that.

Defacing war memorials, looting, damaging property, etc. have got nothing at all to do with peaceful protest. These things are done by cowardly people who are fulfilling their own agendas under cover of the law-abiding masses. Regardless of that, what's to be done when the forces of law and order want to disperse the protesters? When police, mounted or otherwise, resort to "kettling", using gases or rubber bullets? to disperse and or arrest the crowd? If a demonstration or protest is declared illegal, then what about the cause that's being protested against? Should the demonstrators carry on struggling to right a perceived injustice or should they obey the law? Do we support the resistance in Hong Kong, for example, against a "lawful" but oppressive regime?

Defacing war memorials is shameful. On the other hand, the statue of a prominent slave trader in Bristol has just been torn down. What do we think of that?
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...l-statue-edward-colston-slavery-a9553266.htmlStanding up for a cause is complicated enough without idiots infiltrating the demonstration with the aim of getting it banned. I have no doubt (and no evidence at this stage, but I'll put the Wise One on the case) but absolutely no doubt that far right racist groups are acting in London and other cities to undermine the cause of Black Lives Matter.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Here is how the Scots protested i wish we had done the same.



Thousands of protesters have turned out to anti-racism demonstrations in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Despite pleas from the first minister, police and MSPs to find safer ways to express their support, large numbers gathered on Glasgow Green and Holyrood Park.

However, most were wearing face coverings and all attendees were asked to observe social distancing.

Marches and rallies were planned following the death of George Floyd.

The 46-year-old black man died in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.

His death has sparked days of demonstrations and unrest in the US and around the world.

 

[Bert Archer]

What has this thread got to do with Home Brew?

 

[MmmmCitra]

What has this thread got to do with Home Brew?

Oooohh, be careful to question what topics are in The Snug, you'll get the standard answer 'if you don't like it don't read it'

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I agree that some protests have got out of control but I did like seeing them pull down Colston's statue in Bristol should have happened years ago. Bristol as a city shows no shame for its slaving background whereas other cities like Liverpool do.

 

[Alex.mc]

Colston's statue was the subject of complaint and request for removal for years. 11,000 petition signatures were collected for it's removal, and the council eventually agreed to "amend" the plaque on it to include that he was "involved" with the Slave trade.
Every statue in a public place to a slave trader should come down right now in my view.