Are the people protesting in London mad?

[JKD1982]

I agree that what happened in the USA is appalling but why would anyone risk their own health and go against all the social distancing rules to protest in London? It won’t make a difference to what’s happened and could cause another crisis in London hospitals because people catch COVID.

AIBU thinking they are mad and there is a better way (from a laptop?) to express anger

Corning be honest from what I’ve seen this morning from peoples Instagram stories etc that have attended, the protests in London and the US have been more like a gathering of people with others making speeches, playing music etc. The very violent clashes with looting etc that seem to have taken precedent in the media don’t seem to be ‘everywhere’. I just saw a clip of a guy smashing into an urban outfitters shop and throwing armfuls of clothes to his waiting friends. That is just an opportunity he’s seen for free stuff, surely? But everyone focusing on that part of it is taking the impetus away from the actual good thousands are doing, and I suppose that’s the media’s agenda?

*to be honest, weird typo!

All the social distancing out the window. So when they get covid will they care about endangering NHS staff lives? What have we bothered with lockdown for.

There were a total of 5 arrests yesterday. 3 for breaking COVID legislation, 2 for assaulting police.

Evidence of rioting and people being there for the trouble?

And in the US there is filmed evidence that at least some of the looting and burning has been instigated by both alt right and ANTIFA.

What have we bothered with lockdown for

To go complacently go forward into a society that relies on black people and immigrants for the NHS, run our buses etc etc, but treats immigrants as disposable and deportable and still doesn’t care about or understand racism?

Therefore, all those black protestors are at more risk of catching it and being seriously ill or dying. It's sheer stupidity to protest at the moment as they are risking their life

Your completely missing the point that they are marching in spite of it. This is something so important that they are willing to risk their life because of it.

You obviously don’t think it’s that important and that’s why you think people are stupid.

@yinmin I saw that there was a lot of Th at ‘antifa’ business going on in the US. They’ve made it into a terror group officially now haven’t they?

Sorry mean officially it’s on a list of terror organizations

Hasn’t the policeman responsible already been taken into custody and will be charged for the crime he committed?

He's been charge with a lesser crime, 3rd degree murder - manslaughter, an accident. This is bare minimum, 2nd degree, heat of the moment murder, more likely 1st degree with at least many minutes to consider whether he would murder Floyd or not and he chose to murder.

It is coming out that they may have known each other (worked at same club), and that there was a beating in the car before the murder, so there may even be 1st degree premeditation.

Chauvin chose to remove Mr Floyd from the car and murder him slowly over the course of nine excruciating and terrifying minutes.

3rd degree. Manslaughter.

It's going to be one hot summer.

@Spillinteas I do get that. I really do. I think the only thing that gets me a little bit is that if people get it, it’s not just them it affects. It’s the nhs staff who have to treat them, the people they live with... it’s not entirely selfless, is what I’m saying. Although I do understand the importance of doing it.

Of course it shouldn't be happening. The gathering, the protesting, the looting, all of it.

But blame the police officer who knelt on an unarmed man's neck for 9 minutes till he died.

Blame every person who complained when the NFL athletes took the knee and said "that's not the way to protest".

Blame the dogwalker in Central Park who called in a false claim to the cops.

Blame the cops who shot Breonna Taylor in her bed in the middle of the night.

Blame every lawmaker who has turned a blind eye to the obvious racism of the US police.

They're the ones that made this situation inevitable.

I sort of get where you are coming from op, and I get that people want to protest and understand why outside the American embassy, but why protest outside no.10?

Of course it shouldn't be happening. The gathering, the protesting, the looting, all of it.But

There are videos of looters smashing their way into Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior. Do you have any clue how this plays to millions of US voters? Masked Antifa thugs attacking the police? Do you think that sleepy Joe Biden will reap the benefit of these scenes come November?

You're conveniently ignoring the scientific evidence that part of the reason BAME people are more at risk is because we absorb less vitamin D which is showing to be key in fighting the virus

I did not know this - can someone post a link to an accessible scientific study ?

why protest outside no.10?

Because racism isn’t just an issue in the US?

Because our government have failed to offer any condemnation of the US’s response? (Protesters being run down, the president gleefully calling for looters to be shot using a racist slogan etc etc etc)

@TabbyMumz do you seriously not think this sort of systemic racism and violence is happening in the UK too?!

It is mildly interesting what the media and thus what the masses choose to pick up on. Like, I'm totally behind the Americans protesting over there. Rightly so. But people here choosing it as their cause to hit the streets is odd given there are worse acts brutality and injustice carried out even more often in other parts of the world. Why don't so many Londoners demonstrate about those? Weird USA-centric outlook.

You don’t get it - it’s because we see institutionalised racism in the UK and a disproportionate number of black men dying in police custody write large in the US. We recognise that, and we protest against that because we do not see a divide between what happens in the US and what happens here

Handlingthis

"@TabbyMumzdo you seriously not think this sort of systemic racism and violence is happening in the UK too?!"
This particular issue is due to a murder in the US though, by the police? Have there been any similar murders in the UK?

I haven't rtft, but when this question was raised elsewhere online this weekend the response that stayed with me most is that covid 19 has been with us a few months and there is an international effort to combat it, but American oppression of black people has been happening for 400 years and has killed far more with so far no sign it will end.

We will all have our own opinions but no, I don't think people are "mad" and they have my support.

YANBU

Nothing says 'protesting against unlawful killing' like looting a JD Sports shop.

I think it’s quite hard for people to sit and home and do nothing about such a disgusting issue when every day we are seeing people break lockdown rules for much less important reasons- the crowded beaches and parks in the media, friends meeting up with large groups and not adhering to guidelines etc.

I support the protests and know if this had happened when I was younger and living alone so didn’t have to worry about putting my family at risk I definitely would have attended. The protests organisers have put things up on their social media recommending that everyone wears a face mask and self isolates for 14 days following the protest to avoid being a spreader.

I think the fact that people are willing to put themselves and others at risk during a pandemic shows what an important issue it is, and will hopefully show that to those in power.

Killing of black people by police is a public emergency, no less so than coronuvirus.

Yes!

I haven't rtft, but when this question was raised elsewhere online this weekend the response that stayed with me most is that covid 19 has been with us a few months and there is an international effort to combat it, but American oppression of black people has been happening for 400 years and has killed far more with so far no sign it will end.

A poignant comment

Therefore, all those black protestors are at more risk of catching it and being seriously ill or dying. It's sheer stupidity to protest at the moment as they are risking their life

Your completely missing the point that they are marching in spite of it. This is something so important that they are willing to risk their life because of it.

Exactly!

They are angry and rightly so. I’m white and privileged and I’m fucking angry, but I can’t begin to know how black people must feel. If they want to protest, then they should and loudly!