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.

I see intersectionality as a concept is dead.

I don't know what the protesters want. The American police officer is charged with murder and onlookers charged with conspiracy. It is not as though they are getting away with it. It is in a different continent. It is madness when we have all stayed indoors for weeks to get Covid down and now they stand like sardines packed together. If people act like this it will be their own fault if they catch Covid, but very selfish as they could pass on to other innocents.

How many people who have been complying with the rules will think 'sod it' after today and why bother?

So the repercussions are beyond the virus spreading among the protesters.

I think Cummings did that

Her's a little example of institutional racism/unconscious bias:

PP I don't understand why you say that black people are being criminalized when the law has been waived so they can take part in these protests.

Has it escaped this poster's notice that it is not ONLY black people protesting? It is possible to be white and appalled by racism.

According to the stats black men are twice as likely to die in custody, you are looking at the figures for all ethnic minorities not just black people, we are discussing a Black lives Matters march on this thread so the relevant figures are those relating to black people.

My post was in reply to @ShootsFruitAndLeaves

Ah OP @Bercows

I felt sick watching some of the events unfold. Granted this kind of coverage takes away from all those who are peaceful and respectful. I understand the cause and support the cause.

However I have unfollowed every famous person who attended a protest who also filmed themselves ‘clapping for careers’

Not only are all those attending putting there lives at risk, along with their families ect their also ultimately putting everyone else’s friends and families at risk it is selfish and actually I find it insulting.

Yet more white people telling victims of racism they're doing things wrong. That now isn't the time for their liberty and freedom from prejudice.
What a privilege it is for a person not under oppression to tell others to wait for the very same freedoms they are given simply for having the right skin colour.

I couldn't care less what white people have to say any more. Silence is compliance.

Twillow, I'm very aware that many white people are participating in the protests and oppose racism. I was responding to a comment about the criminalization of black people.

I don't understand how my comments show that I am a racist. Could you explain please?

After today the divide between black people and white people has become greater.

Very sad.

@Nousernamehistory Do you consider yourself racist?

I couldn't care less what white people have to say any more
How tolerant. How inclusive.

I have had covid. Probably from the packed supermarket I work in or the packed train I use to get there. My Dh also tested positive although had no symptoms. I have been assured I am safe to go if I wish. Face masks and 2 metre distances are mandatory at the protest I plan to go to. If riots start il be leaving. If I get hurt it's a risk I'm prepared to take for a cause I care about. Systematic racism is everywhere. The timing is wrong but the spotlight is on racism now. If the protesters wait how many of us will have forgotten

strugglingwithdeciding a local football match is not a 'gathering like this'

Mounted police can be a very reassuring presence at peaceful events like football matches, or like this protest for most of the day, because most of us are a bit soft about animals.

Lining up horses to charge into a protest once antifa have taken over is inflammatory and is animal cruelty.

nousernamehistory so you “couldn’t care less what white people have to say”? Not ever? None of them? I’m a doctor, so if you were a patient of mine and I tried to give you medical advice, you couldn’t care less? You are dismissing all white people?

Words fail me.

According to the stats black men are twice as likely to die in custody, you are looking at the figures for all ethnic minorities not just black people, we are discussing a Black lives Matters march on this thread so the relevant figures are those relating to black people.

13.7% of the prison population is black. Only 2.7% of the overall population is black. Arrests will precede these prison sentences.

At what point do you stop?

If you arrest say, 1 million people, then some of them will inevitably die, and only lies and fraud could possibly reduce that number to zero.

@Minty It seems that some racism is fine and dandy

@Wbeezer

According to the stats black men are twice as likely to die in custody, you are looking at the figures for all ethnic minorities not just black people, we are discussing a Black lives Matters march on this thread so the relevant figures are those relating to black people.

I don't think this is true. I was reading up on this the other day after a black poster here was saying she was terrified everyday that she was going to get killed by police. I was surprised that she would have such a level of fear as I didn't think the UK was the same as the US when it comes to police deaths(I live in neither so don't really know the situation). Anyway I read a BBC article about deaths in police custody and I could have sworn it said white men were 25% more likely to die in police custody than black men.

I found the article actually here is a quote So, over the last 10 years, a white individual who has been arrested was about 25% more likely to die in custody than a black individual who had been arrested.
www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/52890363

@caringcarer. They want an end to racism and want equality. They want the same rights as we have. They want to feel safe from police brutality. Its not just about George Floyd it's about systematic racism.

I was at the London protests today and pretty much every one I saw worse a mask. It was very powerful and peaceful. I attended with a close friend, a black woman (mention this for context) as she had never attended a protest before but felt it really important she was there today. We were actually able to put a couple of metres distance between us.

The thing I was most worried about today was taking London transport as haven’t used it since March but trains very clean and very empty and I worse mask and gloves throughout.

The irony of nousernamehistory's “couldn’t care less what white people have to say” is iconic

E.g., we could argue that black people are more likely to be arrested for crimes than white people, hence explaining the prison population. But this wouldn't be a very effective argument, since while it's likely that say most thieves aren't caught, and white people might be more likely to get away with it, murder is something that lots of resources are spent on solving, so we should know pretty well the race of murderers very accurately indeed.

Here for the two years to March 2019, 18% of killers in England & Wales were black. This is fact, and of course there are reasons why there is an outsized representation here, but we can't just jump to 'black people more likely to die in custody' or 'black people more likely to be arrested', without considering why these arrests occur.

@gypsywater

With a white mother and a black father I know exactly what it's like to be excluded.
After the life of maltreatment, prejudice and discrimination I've faced, making ignorant white people feel included is no where near my list of priorities.

I've been tolerant long enough. People of colour have been tolerant long enough. Do you really expect black people to put white people's needs before those of their own communities? Why on earth should we?

Let's not even go there with the "poor white people suffering from racism" farce

I don't know what the protesters want. The American police officer is charged with murder and onlookers charged with conspiracy^

“onlookers*? onlookers?

You mean the other officers kneeling on George Floyd’s torso and legs charged with aiding and abetting the killing?

That poor police person, just out doing their job. How horrific it must be for their family, knowing the risks that they are taking..............