Protesting … or vandalism?

I do wonder if activists realise that some of their behaviour will be judged as shameful in the future. It is very unlikely that they will be the first faultless humans.

It is a better solution, but the many people of Bristol had tried to make that happen and turned down.

"For thousands of Bristolians the intervention reflected a sense of exhaustion with official processes, particularly since the failed attempts to get a second plaque describing Colston's acts in even mild prose. National commentators have been equally sympathetic"

legalresearch.blogs.bris.ac.uk/2020/06/edward-colston-listing-controversy/#:~:text=For%20thousands%20of%20Bristolians%20the,commentators%20have%20been%20equally%20sympathetic

Gives a good history about why it became such an iconic act internationally - and hasn't happened again, because now plaques outdoors and texts indoors accompany objects.

Smileless2012

I don't agree with taking the law into your own hands, which is what these vandals did because legal attempts to have the statue of Colton removed had failed.

Yes, where should that behaviour stop?
JaneJudge’s suggestion is a much better solution.
Knocking down the Colston statue had momentary publicity. Creating and attaching signage to say why what he did was wrong would educate future citizens about the evils of slavery.

Needs clarifying - Colston's statue was erected in 1895.

It's up to the countries in Africa to make decisions about their pasts.

We make decisions about ours.

Colston continued in the slave trade after it was made illegal in the UK - March 1807 - in November, 1895.

I was replying to Jane.

Yes, its a great step forward.

Actually, that's more or less what happened to the Colston Statue.

"The statue of the slave trader Edward Colston, which was toppled from its plinth in Bristol, UK, and thrown into the harbour by protestors in 2020, will now permanently go on display at the city's M Shed museum after a decision by city councillors."

4allweknow

I'd do what they do in France and turn the water cannons on them. All they are doing is costing us money with all the policing that's needed.

Agree with you.

sazz1

It's vandalism and so was pulling down the Colston statue. You can't re-write history by destroying statues and removing them. Also I think we need to remember the African chiefs sold their people in the first place. So do we boycott Africa, damage their country too?
No we learn from history that the slave trade was a very very bad thing.
All vandals should be in prison imo

Well said. sazzl.

I visited a London museum recently and there are lots of signage up now regarding colonialism and how the artefacts were brought here etc Sorry if I am repeating myself but I think this is a good step forward

I don't agree with taking the law into your own hands, which is what these vandals did because legal attempts to have the statue of Colton removed had failed.

I agree with the statue issue after reading above about the years and years of attempting to remove it legally and why.

I rarely agree with this kind of direct action. but it's not an absolute.

Don't agree with the Barkleys and other actions being proper in any way. Nor effective.

Only one word for it. Vandalism.

She didn't. But of the women who were force fed a number suffered complications which led to their early deaths. Lady Constance Lytton was one. She suffered a stroke was bedridden for the rest of her life and taught herself to write with her left hand. She died aged 52.
Lillian Lenton suffered from septic pneumonia because some of the liquid went into her lungs.
Mary Clarke *Emmeline Pankhursts sister) died 2 days after her release and forced feeding, from a burst blood vessel in her brain.
EWD was a deeply religious woman and suicide then meant burial in ground that was not consecrated.

That’s interesting Glorianny. So all the hype about women died for your vote said as if she deliberately killed herself, but she actually wasn’t trying to be killed.
I think the suffragettes did work hard to get the vote for women, and some suffered force feeding in prison. But still interesting that she didn’t deliberately kill herself.

grandtanteJE65

To me this is vandalism, but it has been going on for a long time. The militant suffragettes smashed windows, chained themselves to railings and one threw herself under a horse at Ascot, so I doubt that what we are seeing right now has anything to do with the more recent protesters you mention.

Unless it is treated as wilful damage to other peoples' property and suitable punished when offenders can be caught, it won't stop.

In the long term, changing attitudes towards this kind of poor behaviour is what is needed, if it is ever to stop.

Emily Widing Davison did not throw herself under the king's horse at Ascot. It was Epsom and she was trying to attach the suffragette colours to the horse's bridle.
Claire Balding did a great documentary about her. They slowed down a film of her actions to show what really happened.

Nannashirlz

What would you have called it 5yrs ago vandalism from spoiled rich kids wanting mummy and daddy’s attention. You don’t see kids from council houses doing it. You can’t wipe out our history because you claim it upsets you how can it you weren’t even born in them days. So how can you march in support of hamas but not in support of the Jews after all look what hitler did to them where is your march for them or for the African people who are also at war men women and children are also getting killed there. Bet you not marching on 27th

So Nannashirlz do you believe that Israel is right to terrorise ,evict,murder and imprison INNOCENT people just because they were treated that way 80 years ago… and more? Surely if you , e been abused and mistreated you would learn compassion and putting others in the same position you had been in would be the last thing you would be inclined to do.I don’t understand WHy so many support the Israeli State on their treatment o f peaceful people who were just living their lives on land they had occupied for centuries.Maybe you could explain it to me…I won’t accept the GOD GAVE THEM THE LAND 5000 years ago excuse.Its ridiculous and blatantly so . I started marching in support of a colleague whose family were destroyed by having their land grabbed some of their young men imprisoned without charge and parents terrorised ….not a practice that was uncommon …not then and worse now .Israel is a Terrorist State it’s plain for all to see.

flappergirl

Primrose, why were your friends very upset? Edward Colston was responsible for the death of at least 20,000 men, women and children.

His motivation was pure greed at a time when society was increasingly questioning the morality of buying and selling human beings. Ignorance and the old trope of "it was a different time" holds no water. Neither does the passing of the centuries dilute the mass murder of children. To maintain a statue of its perpetrator is, I would hope, completely unacceptable to any decent person.

Perhaps then you would like to explain in greater detail the basis of your friends' upset and why they wish to laud and celebrate a wealthy slave trader?

Urmstongran, you obviously haven't read my post in full. I have explained some of the background, frustrations and peaceful resolutions submitted over many decades.

You seem to question my words of "hurt and shame" but unless you live in my city or have an in depth knowledge of the subject, your sarcasm is misplaced. You would be far better expending your energies on reading up on the statue and its history before you comment.

My son has lived in Bristol for the last 10 years, both he and I completely understood why people felt very strongly about the statue and the “glorifying” of Colston, whose name appears (or appeared) on buildings, schools and streets. You cannot change history, but what was acceptable back in the day, isn’t now and we can learn from the past. Slavery was appalling,!

Never confuse education with intelligence. You can have a masters degree & still be an idiot 🤣😳😱

I'd do what they do in France and turn the water cannons on them. All they are doing is costing us money with all the policing that's needed.

paddyann54

I march on the streets,NOT in support of Hamas but in support of Palestine .I have done for decades now as this mess didn't begin on Oct 7th it began in 1948 when Palestinians were driven from their homes and continued to be driven from their homes by the Israeli state.ITS BEEN A LONG TIME ,a time when Israel ignored UN sanctions and the world ignored the plight of the people of Palestine .
I and the people who march with me...including many of the Jewish faith are peaceful and law abiding and want to see this debacle resolved.We had hoped it would have been long ago .I am not supporting terrorist groups or indeed a terrorist State...
which is what Israel became quite quickly after 1948

Thanks for this message, some sense spoken at last.

This person was triggered by a rainbow-coloured zebra crossing. He ruined his tyres, just to show his opinion. x.com/ElieNYC/status/1801678319148273960

All these groups want to re-write history and actions like tearing down the statue in Bristol doesn't change what happened? Fine to perhaps put notice on statue that what happened was wrong and make people think. It made Black Lives Matter come across to some people as a nasty malicious group who just want trouble. People who agree with them and may have supported them if they had peaceful action hate them for the way they behave. All these organisations lose support when they vandalise and cause great distress like closing roads even for ambulance. I do believe that they should be prosecuted for these actions. Because we don't go out causing trouble like them doesn't mean we don't want change. These idiots should think before they act.

Vandalism and not setting any good example to anyone!

To me this is vandalism, but it has been going on for a long time. The militant suffragettes smashed windows, chained themselves to railings and one threw herself under a horse at Ascot, so I doubt that what we are seeing right now has anything to do with the more recent protesters you mention.

Unless it is treated as wilful damage to other peoples' property and suitable punished when offenders can be caught, it won't stop.

In the long term, changing attitudes towards this kind of poor behaviour is what is needed, if it is ever to stop.