Colston statue topplers acquitted

[SerendipityJane]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-59727161

Four people accused of illegally removing a statue of Edward Colston have been cleared of criminal damage.

Sage Willoughby, 22, Rhian Graham, 30, Milo Ponsford, 26, and Jake Skuse, 33, were charged after a monument to the 17th Century slave trader was pulled down and then thrown into the harbourside in Bristol last June.

It happened during a Black Lives Matter protest in the city.

A jury at Bristol Crown Court found them all not guilty.

During a highly publicised trial, the court heard that the statue was ripped down before being thrown into the harbour during a wave of protests triggered by the murder of African-American George Floyd by a white police officer.

The four defendants, together with "others unknown", were accusing of damaging the Colston statue and plinth of a value unknown without lawful excuse.

During the trial, Mr Skuse said he took part in rolling the statue to the docks to stage a symbolic "sentencing" of the slave trader.

Keep digging your hole @JustAnotherPoster00. Right wing bigotry now. Why not add racism just to complete the bingo card? Insulting people who don’t agree with you doesn’t add credibility to your argument.

@Blossomtoes

Keep digging your hole *@JustAnotherPoster00*. Right wing bigotry now. Why not add racism just to complete the bingo card? Insulting people who don’t agree with you doesn’t add credibility to your argument.

If some of the posters could get away with it they would, surprised you cant see it but I guess that would depend on your starting point

June 2020

Keir Starmer said it was “completely wrong” for Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol to pull down a statue of a slave trader and dump it in the harbour, while saying the monument should never have been there in the first place.

Answering listeners’ questions on LBC radio, the Labour leader said the statue of Edward Colston should have been “brought down properly, with consent”, and placed in a museum.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/08/keir-starmer-edward-colston-bristol-statue-wrong

[quote Clavinova]June 2020

Keir Starmer said it was “completely wrong” for Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol to pull down a statue of a slave trader and dump it in the harbour, while saying the monument should never have been there in the first place.

Answering listeners’ questions on LBC radio, the Labour leader said the statue of Edward Colston should have been “brought down properly, with consent”, and placed in a museum.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/08/keir-starmer-edward-colston-bristol-statue-wrong[/quote]
-A bot has entered chat-

JustAnotherPoster00
-A bot has entered chat-

Don't be ridiculous - I've quoted from the Guardian.
Perhaps 'Captain Hindsight' has changed his mind now in any case?

Perhaps 'Captain Hindsight' has changed his mind now in any case?

first time Ive ever agreed with you

Maybe Keir Starmer listens to more evidence, thought about it, and changed his mind. Quite refreshing that a politician should be open to rethinking. If indeed he has changed his mind.

Quite refreshing that a politician should be open to rethinking.

I think the technical term is a 'U-turn'.

@Clavinova

Quite refreshing that a politician should be open to rethinking.

I think the technical term is a 'U-turn'.

What has KS changed his mind on? Few in authority can condone law breaking, whatever their person views.

But rather that than attacking the justice system and our rights to protest with a new Police and Crime bill.

oh and good to see the Govt intend to close the "loop hole" that enabled a jury to reach this verdict..... awful political interference in our justice system.

On U- turns and especially lying, how many has Bojo been caught out on? the latest yesterday during PMQs and today misleading his own, hand picked, Lord Geidt.

@SerendipityJane

A properly thought out and curated display in a museum (we need to remind ourselves how much Tories hate museums and libraries) could also carry an exhortation to viewers not to attempt to take matters into their own hands (with the attendant risk of conviction) but to engage with their local community to try and make changes peacefully and consensually.

"If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this display ...."

Anyway, it's snowing outside. God is laying down a fresh blank canvas for us to fill with love and caring and support and joy.

Out of interest, the toppled and paint daubed statue did go on display in one of the city museums along with a consultation on what they should do with it next. I don't know what the consultation found, but the statue is apparently moving to the museum stores this week or next.

good to see the Govt intend to close the "loop hole" that enabled a jury to reach this verdict..... awful political interference in our justice system

They interviewed Robert Buckland, who drafted the new law, on the World at One at lunchtime. The new law won't stop a jury reaching this verdict. It will increase the potential sentence to 10 years though. Three times more than the recommended three years for affray (www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-court/item/affray-2/) which includes targeting an individual living person as a group and using a weapon to inflict violence.

www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-court/item/affray-2/

@Changes17

good to see the Govt intend to close the "loop hole" that enabled a jury to reach this verdict..... awful political interference in our justice system

They interviewed Robert Buckland, who drafted the new law, on the World at One at lunchtime. The new law won't stop a jury reaching this verdict. It will increase the potential sentence to 10 years though. Three times more than the recommended three years for affray (www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-court/item/affray-2/) which includes targeting an individual living person as a group and using a weapon to inflict violence.

That might have the opposite effect to the one the Tories intend. If juries think a person is guilty but don't want to take a course of action that leads to what they see as a disproportionate sentence... more not guilty verdicts?

Even JRM seems to be defending the jury here ..

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59893024

But Mr Rees-Mogg said juries are the "great sublime protector of liberties".

...

NightmareSlashDelightful
Sometimes breaking the law with the right intentions is the right thing to do, and opens up broader conversations about more considered, meaningful change which happen entirely within the law.*

Except some of those supporting the group seem to be stuck calling others racist, bigoted and right wing.

It seems that for some tolerance is only for their views. (on the left and the right)

@SerendipityJane

Even JRM seems to be defending the jury here ..

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59893024

But Mr Rees-Mogg said juries are the "great sublime protector of liberties".

...

Maybe, but he is still a Bell End.

Alexandra2001
What has KS changed his mind on?

Diane Abbott - March 2021

Leader Keir Starmer has agreed at the last minute that the Labour Party should vote against the police, crime, sentencing and courts bill due to be debated in parliament this week. But alarmingly his original position was that Labour MPs should abstain...

labourlist.org/2021/03/labour-needs-to-think-about-the-merit-of-any-legislation-not-the-red-wall/

I do hope this isn't going to turn into a Keir Starmer thread. He's not very interesting at the best of times, and only tangentially connected to the issue.

Except some of those supporting the group seem to be stuck calling others racist, bigoted and right wing.

I think it's going to be a case of - not everyone who thinks they were guilty is a racist, but every racist thought they were guilty.

I bet Coulston' biggest fan the gollywog loving Bristol councillor thought they should have been found guilty.

KenDodd

I think it's going to be a case of - not everyone who thinks they were guilty is a racist, but every racist thought they were guilty.

But if you are truly after some sort of real discourse this isn't much of an argument.

But so many on here want to stop any discussion and are happy to stifle it by name calling and proving themselves to be intolerant of others views.

VikingOnTheFridge
only tangentially connected to the issue

Keir Starmer is a former Director of Public Prosecutions - there's nothing tangential about him saying this last year;

Keir Starmer said it was “completely wrong” for Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol to pull down a statue of a slave trader and dump it in the harbour, while saying the monument should never have been there in the first place.

@Clavinova

VikingOnTheFridge only tangentially connected to the issue

Keir Starmer is a former Director of Public Prosecutions - there's nothing tangential about him saying this last year;

Keir Starmer said it was “completely wrong” for Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol to pull down a statue of a slave trader and dump it in the harbour, while saying the monument should never have been there in the first place.

Yes there is. He's not the DPP now, and has absolutely no say in any of this.

Ooh, look. Mumsnet has been quoted.