To feel emotional at the slave trader statue

[Millicent10]

being pulled down earlier.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52954305

This says so much and the symbolism of throwing it in the river is such a suitable ending. Reminds everyone what happened to so many slaves.

Oh yes let's have a democratic process to remove it...only those people in position are shock horror white people hmm that's why its stayed there

Quite, cyclingmad. People have been trying to get rid of the thing for 30+ years. They've got nowhere. It needed to come down and this was the only way it was ever going to happen.

Does anyone know how many years people have been asking politely for the statue to be removed? The best they got was a small plaque with a bit of additional information.
Never mind, they can fish him out and glue him back on his plinth.

Colostomy primary school

Autocarrot strikes again?

I'm sure there are folks that call it that. In my manor, the local RC Girls was St Philomena's known to all as Saint Nymphomania's

So one illegal act justifies others?
I completely understand why they did it it but they have to realise it was vandalism and not complain if prosecuted.

So at one and the same time "Colston was only doing what was legal at the time" (even if it was utterly fucking immoral) and "the protesters were doing something illegal" (even though in a moral cause... because peaceful campaigns to get rid of the sodding statue have been going on for years, by all accounts).

I personally think Bristol will be better off without his statue - if I were a black Bristolian, I'd feel like it was a kick in the guts every time I walked past the bloody thing.

Why would ‘blacks’ not have cared. Is this South Africa. Wow. The language.

I can't see where you're getting this from on this thread, but it's something I've noticed a lot recently - 'blacks' 'whites' etc. I don't like it. I wasn't sure if I was just being over sensitive. I know language changes and context is everything, but it feels dehumanising to me.

I think it is a difficult topic - as the very thoughtful pp said upthread, the statue could be used as a talking point about how we glorify the wealthy benefactor and don't think of the means by which they made their wealth. I am happy the statue is down but am concerned that removing traces of Colston could be a bit like "airbrushing" out the bits of history we don't like. The best outcome of all would be for the statue to be melted down and recast as a memorial to all the enslaved lives on whom much of Georgian Bristol was built.

It’s about time the legitimacy of all statues were reviewed...

The best outcome of all would be for the statue to be melted down and recast as a memorial to all the enslaved lives on whom much of Georgian Bristol was built.

I like this. I hope this is what happens.

I've no problem with white people taking direct action to support other communities

Nor have I. I do have an issue if they are appropriating someone else’s rightful pain because they want to be centre of a ruck.

Now - I don’t know if that was the case here. I do know it was the case in some of the protests in Bristol over the last few days.

but am concerned that removing traces of Colston could be a bit like "airbrushing" out the bits of history we don't like.

What, you mean the way the history of slavery and colonialism is airbrushed out of history in school in the UK and USA?

Fine with me

I'm more disgusted it was still up

How silencing is that for black people to walk past every day for 125 years

Oh yes let's have a democratic process to remove it...only those people in position are shock horror white people hmm that's why its stayed there Isn't the Bristol Mayor black?

the history of slavery and colonialism is airbrushed out of history in school in the UK and USA

I can't speak for the US but looking at how my DC were taught it isn't airbrushed out of history lessons in the UK anymore and a good thing too.

Pulling down a statue to something you don't like is only going to be a positive step if you make sure you replace it with something more meaningful - which is what I suggested. Pulling it down and then letting the matter drop runs the risk of hiding what you don't like under the carpet.

The best outcome of all would be for the statue to be melted down and recast as a memorial to all the enslaved lives on whom much of Georgian Bristol was built.

That does sound like a good idea.

All of you jumping on the bandwagon do you actually know anything about all the good things he did for Bristol?

The man paid for his 'philanthropy' by selling, killing and torturing human beings. He had children branded.
This is like saying that yes Jimmy Savile was bad but we should still remember how much he did for charity.
That statue should have come down a long time ago.

@thedancingbear perhaps the people of Bristol could vote on what to do with it? I agree with the melting down to create a memorial to slavery.

The best outcome of all would be for the statue to be melted down and recast as a memorial to all the enslaved lives on whom much of Georgian Bristol was built.

I would very much support that

It’s an appalling act of vandalism by woke white millenials as far as I can see.

There is a very small minority at each one of these protests who are taking an opportunity to cause trouble and break laws in the hope that their actions will go unnoticed- or that they can justify it because they were “protesting” I can’t get too worked up about a statute but there has been plenty of vandalism and attacks on police officers by people who probably see the protests as a fun day out and an opportunity for some mayhem. A bit like football used to be
This isn’t the fault of the organisers or the people who are there to peacefully protest but these idiots are amongst them and if caught should be prosecuted for any illegal acts. It also makes it easier for Trump, Johnson and the Right wing media to write off legitimate protests as riots

Glad it's gone. Couldn't believe it was still up.

What, you mean the way the history of slavery and colonialism is airbrushed out of history in school in the UK and USA? My GS is 13 and his current history lessons and project are all about slavery. Was interesting for DH as he has alot of information about his ancestors and the plantations they came from, obviously no information about where they came from in Africa other than he knows which port in Africa normally transported slaves to the island his family come from in the WI. He did a DNA test which sort of confirmed that general area, he isn't likely to get any more information than that.

I believe the company Colston ran which was involved in the slave trade was set up by Charles 2nd and his brother who became James 2nd and Samuel Pepys and John Locke were members. There’s a lot of statues to pull down.

I am not saying the statue shouldn’t be removed. But this is not the way. It is civil unrest. The police are standing by and letting it happen because if they intervene they’ll be branded racist. Or physically attacked like in London. By people “up for a ruck”.