To be utterly disgusted by the protests today.

[SoggySocksAgain]

Am I alone here?

I am utterly disgusted by what I have seen in the news.

And just like that I’m reminded why it’s always such an uphill struggle to affect change.

@WendyImHome I agree.

I can only guess because it buys into the narrative they want to believe.

This is exactly why people jump in and believe whatever they read.

It also seems conveniently ignored that the majority of protesters are peaceful and respectful of police. Large gatherings by their nature attract those who use them as an excuse for violence, and those people are not necessarily protesters themselves. And protesters are not just a homogenous group of people - they are individuals and inevitably when you have that many people in an emotionally charged atmosphere then some will react in a certain way. That doesn't mean protests are bad or that protesters are bad.

There were a very small number of arrests given the number of people protesting this weekend. Tens of thousands of people behaved themselves and protested against something really fucking important. That's what we should take away from this.

The fact that we are STILL in a pandemic means these protests should not be going ahead. The violence and disorder just serves to underline this.

Pro life, Pro choice, environmental issues, BLM, persecution of Christians in Yemen, persecution of First Nation peoples around the world, Etc ALL are Protest worthy but NOW is not the time.

There are other ways to protest FOR NOW.

This increased violence and lack of social distancing is loosing support faster than anything.

The kids starving on the streets of Yemen are part of the same systemic racism problem. If Black Lives really Mattered, we would not be allowing that either. It wouldn't happen if it was white children Scotland. So spare us all the whataboutery and take a long hard look at how, as a society we have exploited the labour of Africa, of India, of Asia for diamonds, precious metals, cloth, and (these days) cheap consumer goods and clothing and see these protests as the tip of a very big, very nasty iceberg that we are all ignoring.

I wish people weren't gathering, but I completely understand why they are and why they feel this can't wait.

I agree op.

@CallItLoneliness

My point with Yemen was to illustrate other things that people may wish to protest for.

My point is there are lots of valid things to be protesting for but whether it’s a green peace rally or save the hedgehogs from being dug up NOW is not the time.

Don’t undo all the hard work of the nhs and those who’ve followed the guidelines.

Even if it’s to support the lesser spotted, magical, three legged unicorn from extinction there shouldn’t be mass gatherings.

The images of the youth attempting to set fire to a flag on the cenotaph didn’t happen? Must have been my imagination . . .

I think there is a huge difference between the two statements ‘the U.K. is not a racist country’ and ‘there is no racism in the U.K.’ I agree with the first statement and disagree with the second. The first, to me, is a statement of our laws, policies and guidance. The second concerns people’s attitudes.

Maybe I am getting on, but protests used to, generally, have a purpose. It was to say ‘we don’t agree with what you are doing and want it to change’. They now seem to be a combination of inchoate rage and virtue signalling, with posting on social media a vital part of it.

The suffragettes had a very specific demand, to get women the vote, as did the anti Iraq war protesters (to not go to war in Iraq). The recent climate change protest and BLM protest don’t seem to have any specific demands. There is nothing that anyone can say or do for them to feel that they have got their point across (unless I am hugely missing something). What laws do they want changed? What investigation do they want to trigger?

Racism is an endemic part of human nature, it is fear of ‘the other’. The most racist countries (and I know this as a Jew if I ever visit Eastern Europe or an Arab country) have the least racial minorities. Yes, I can (unlike black people) deny my Jewishness but, firstly, I am not a coward and would never do this and, secondly, I am often recognised anyway (I probably do have ‘jewish’ features).

It is by strong laws and good role models that integration happens, not by throwing things at police horses (however cathartic that may be). Sadly, in Nazi germany, despite huge integration, the Jewish community was still turned upon, leading (eventually) to the creation of Israel.

There is a very modern idea that, with all issues zero nuance is allowed to exist (IMO encouraged by the likes of social media like Tiktok and Twitter, with no time to make a nuanced point). It is that ‘you are either with us or part of the problem’. You can say this but it doesn’t make it true!

There is no need for defacing war memorials or violence. It is disgusting. My late mother and her parents attended the torchlight parades in South Africa, standing against racism at real personal risk, so please don’t tell me that I do not understand the issues and have no right to speak.

So those who feel the argument is now lost that thousands protested peacefully goes unnoticed and a very few didn’t you are ok with things carrying on as they are

Right I get it

YABU. The reason we women have the vote today isn't because the suffragettes protested peacefully.

So I totally understand why people feel the need to protest and for those who are capable of doing so in a respectful manner that's fair enough...

Everyone should be treat equally and fairly regardless of their colour colour and I understand this is not always the case.

But at what point does protesting against the treatment of others and for a cause they passionately believe in, become a free for all with looting, damage to property, riots and violence toward others.

I feel 100% for the police who are trying to keep some order and who are being attacked in the process - forgive me if I'm wrong, but that goes against the reasons behind protesting surely.

I have nothing against those who protest however some of these people protesting clearly used the occasion to demonstrate disgusting, vile behaviour and I hope those injured recover soon and arnt too traumatised.

No you are not alone OP I feel the same.

YABU. The reason we women have the vote today isn't because the suffragettes protested peacefully.

This. And most protests are vastly peaceful, though that makes for less interesting news. Covid makes this, unfortunately, the right time - BAME people are at higher risk driven largely by system inequality and racism, and have financially been more affected by lockdown also. www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/07/bame-and-single-parent-families-worst-hit-financially-by-covid-19

George Floyd may have been in the US, but the UK has plenty of its own issues - for example, funding tasers for the police while defunding the youth clubs that used to give disadvantaged young people structure and a safe place to be, and wondering why knife crime is increasing.

If you're more bothered by a small number of idiots using the cover of peaceful protests to steal things, than by black people being killed by the police, then you should maybe ask yourself why you value property above lives.

The images of the youth attempting to set fire to a flag on the cenotaph didn’t happen? Must have been my imagination . . .

Those images were taken nine years ago. Can you not read?

If I had been involved with the London riots I'd be pissed off that the same people who wishing cancer on me at the time (Danny baker on Twitter one example) are praising the behaviour going on at the moment.
The London riots were sparked by the killing by British police of mark duggan and roundly condemned from the start yet these ones happening now in a pandemic are being praised.
Worrying to think how it eases as there is no clear resolution - defunding the police was pretty much done in the austerity years anyway
Suffragettes always cited but they had a specific goal to get the vote.
The motivation Is clear behind these protests but it's hard to define what exactly can be resolved .

you should maybe ask yourself why you value property above lives

You should ask yourself why you consider a London cop with a broken collarbone, collapsed lung and broken ribs 'property.'

I am truly saddened by all this.
I really thought that this time it would be different and that the world would have to take notice of the racism issue and finally do something about it.

Now the violence and trashing of property, not to mention harm to others has spoiled it. For those who do not normally engage with the issues, it will give them a chance to ignore and pass protesters off a rioters, thugs and so on and once again, they won't look at the real issues behind the protests.

Violence and civil disorder is never an answer to any issue and it puts me right off, it makes it hard for those of us who want to support the cause to stand alongside....

You should ask yourself why you consider a London cop with a broken collarbone, collapsed lung and broken ribs 'property.'

This

What “riots” Thirtyrock39, and where do you see them being praised?

There’s a lot of rioting in America, in some cases initiated by white right wingers with an agenda to hurt black people and make them look bad.

There has been very, very little rioting in the UK, the protests have been 99% (at least) peaceful, and the few isolated incidents have been widely condemned.

YABU

Of course the minority that caused criminal damage were in the wrong but think about why these protests are happening and the much bigger, deeply ingrained issues in our world and societies. Systemic and institutional racism is a global pandemic that not only is largely ignored but also is largely unseen by many people who have the privilege of not having to see or experience it.

Those images were taken nine years ago. Can you not read?

Were they psychic 9 years ago? Someone climbing on it to set the flag alight was also yesterday. In the video though you can hear people ask him to get down, so what he did was disgusting, but his actions were very much in the minority. Let's hope London being the most CCTV'd country in the world comes in useful at charging those who have ruined it for the cause. A tiny but sadly powerful minority.

Consider the "why". The many deep complex whys of which I am only beginning to understand.

And if we all do that and the only thing we end up utterly disgusted by is what has been highlighted in this thread then my heart bleeds.