Omg the scenes from the London protests

[SistemaAddict]

I'm just watching the news and am finding it so frightening to see the crowds, the police, the tension, the horse bolting.
I understand the desire to protest but how is this the right way to do things? I know there will be thousands of peaceful protesters among the ones causing trouble.
I'm concerned about the covid risk to everyone there especially as BAME are more at risk of the virus.

I hate confrontation and get very anxious so wanted to chat to others about this. Yes, I could switch off but I think it's important to watch and learn and understand what and why is happening.

So if things are so bad in this country why no massive protests before ? Why now ?!

Exactly this! If things have been so awful for 400 years why decide now in the middle of a pandemic it the best time to protest?

[[https://news.sky.com/story/george-floyd-violence-breaks-out-at-anti-racism-protest-in-london-12001942]]

@Wilberforce1

So if things are so bad in this country why no massive protests before ? Why now ?!

Exactly this! If things have been so awful for 400 years why decide now in the middle of a pandemic it the best time to protest?

Have you genuinely had your eyes closes your entire life?

So all those arsehole who clogged up beaches by their thousands were fine but protesters should stay at home?

@SimonJT No.. 👀

All those people crowded together and posters are worried about the horses

Oh aren't you clever with your comment 🙄

Horses don't have a choice. It's very scary even for the most hardened of police horses.
People can care about more than one thing at a time.

People having a few beers in their front garden chatting over the fence with neighbours on VE Day is not on the same scale and thousands gathering together, taking public transport, shouting and chanting close together.

@Glowcat. No one said that ?

@NowImLivinInExeter

In two or three weeks time, people will start to die because of these protests.

Oh right, you mean like those massive spikes we saw after Easter and VE day.

Hundreds are still dying every day in UK with second highest death toll in world.

We are still around 1 with R rate. Spain had 1 death yesterday.

@MasakaBuzz
By your reasoning the risk would be decreased by being outdoors on the protest rather than indoors away from sunlight.

@glowcat No the arseholes on the beach should have stayed the fuck at home as well.

Why are we taking Trumps USA crap and making it ours? Yes we have some pretty big issues here but they are not the same as the USA. The virus right now is our main enemy and this is what we should be focusing on because if we don't beat this soon we will all be suffering a lot more than we have ever known before.

THIS EXACTLY ^^^
Yes racism is an issue, and a big one, along with deaths and domestic violence to women generally.....There are lots of wrongs that need to be addressed...
but doing these type of protests whilst in the middle of a pandemic is spectacularly stupid and beyond selfish.....do all those squashed together REALLY want to risk themselves, their families and the wider community...not to mention the NHS staff who will be treating them??

Is this really what those supporting this protest now want????

@Glowcat

So all those arsehole who clogged up beaches by their thousands were fine but protesters should stay at home?

I’ve seen this argument a lot. It doesn’t hold water. The people on beaches were total idiots and were roundly condemned at the time.

@Glowcat

So all those arsehole who clogged up beaches by their thousands were fine but protesters should stay at home?

Two wrongs do not make a right.

I was at the student tuition fees protests and the riot police are a bunch of thugs, they used "kettling" and acted with impunity.

In 2009 (G20 protests) police pushed over a guy (not a protestor) getting his morning paper, he died and despite video evidence, no charges were bought, 2 years later, after a unlawful killing verdict the policeman eventually went to court and was acquitted! and we think the US were slow to charge the police over Floyds death???

I hardly think anyone can blame the protestors for any 2nd wave after Johnsons woeful mishandling of CV, lockdown too late, lifted it too early, care homes and then cummings!

The numbers protesting are tiny compared to the numbers who have been to our packed beaches every weekend

[quote Wilberforce1]@SimonJT No.. 👀 [/quote]
In that case you would fully understand that the issue of systemic racism in the UK destroys lives.

@SimonJT. Actually no. You know nothing about me or my family so don’t jump to conclusions .

You might be totally wrong .

@RozHuntleysStump the UK police have not been innocent though?

@Glowcat

So all those arsehole who clogged up beaches by their thousands were fine but protesters should stay at home?

Did you miss all the condemnation of crowds in beaches last weekend, there were threads on here and comment all over MSM, no one said it was fine

I think as little of someone who throws missiles at a police horse as I do the policeman who killed the guy by kneeling on his neck. Both brainless cunts in my book. That’s not a protest that’s just being a cunt. Anyone who crams into a packed square during a pandemic that’s shut a whole country down in the name of a protest is a fuckwit too.

@HedgehogDramas I'm another one who will be joining with my fucking mask tomorrow. Won't be shouting All lives matter though. Will be black lives matter all the way. Masks and a 2 metre distance is in line with government guidelines which is why it's being allowed to go ahead. If We are allowed to cram like sardines into trains we can spread out and protest

@SimonJT Yes but that's not answering my question, why now during a pandemic?

Someone upthread said why should BAME people prioritise others above their own communities but they aren't are they? They aren't prioritising anyone except themselves because they are putting their own communities at risk of dying or being seriously ill from Covid as well as the rest of the country.

[quote UmmH]@MasakaBuzz
By your reasoning the risk would be decreased by being outdoors on the protest rather than indoors away from sunlight.[/quote]

1. It wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference. If your skin colour prevents you making use of the Northern Sun, it won’t matter if you are inside or outside.
2. There has been very little sun anywhere in the U.K. today.

I don’t dispute BAME people have just grievances. However violent protests in the middle of lockdown is not going to endear people to their cause.