Is it just white people who object to the protests?

[malificent7]

I am white...i support the protests...several of my white friends are horrified by them. Are any non whites against them and if so why?
Aibu to feel that the incensed are scared of loosing their white priveledge or feelings of supremacy?

My Asian friends are bemused by it all. Their attitude (and experience) is that if you work hard you get what you want and claim not to experience discrimination ... all arrived as young children or were born here to parents kicked out of Africa, so perhaps a different experience to those of different heritage. Also interestingly none consider themselves black, they are proud of Asian heritage but identify just as British.

Obviously not? I mean, we're not a homogenous monolith so obviously we'll have a range of opinions. While I find more White people expressing really strong opinions on what others should and shouldn't be doing, I've seen a wide range of opinions from a lot of people.

I have no strong opinions on the ones in the UK. We'll see what comes of them. In the US, I left back under W Bush so am uncomfortable saying one way or the other, but I am concerned about the evidence of outside instigators, how the footage will be used, and I would worry if anyone I knew was involved. I wouldn't want my kids anywhere near there.

I did enjoy the video of the fence in front of the White House covered in posters though, I think that was well-thought out and the video I saw seemed to do a really good job of not showing anyone involved's faces. I think we need to be careful of encouraging people to film and post footage. So many are being spread around so easily, but with professional journalists getting shot at and a history of those who've shown up in footage being killed, as I said, it seems risky and I worry about those involved.

No, from personal experience, some BAME people also object. I'm a nurse and work with people from all races. Two days ago, on our break, we were discussing the protests. Myself (white), one black nursing colleague, one Pakistani born doctor and 2 other white nurses all disagreed with them. We all personally feel as though the protests are a kick in the teeth and two fingers up to the danger we've been putting ourselves and our loved ones in over the past couple of months.

Is it possible the black nurse felt the need to distance from the looting and violence everyone always mentions in place of when they talk about the protest rather than standing up for the protest itself? I mean 1 black nurse, 3 white colleagues and 1 asian doctor? I'd say the black nurse is outnumbered.

Unless the nurse is normally an outspoken ('I say it as I see it' type of) person, in which case she would definitely say so if she supports the protest regardless, I can't take that on face value that she wasn't just trying to save face in her workplace, since one bad black person usually = all black people are bad. It might be safer to say she doesn't. 🤷🏻‍♀️

michelle, thank you for your work, and I hope that things are easier from now on.

I don't support the protests because:-

• there is this disease called Covid19 that is killing alot of people and spreads when people gather together.
• I don't like it when people throw stuff at horses
• I don't like police or anyone being attacked and injured
• I don't like property being damaged
• I find it disgusting that anyone would deface the statue of Winston Churchill
• I feel uncomfortable with George Floyd being made out to be some martyr when he was a violent criminal, an armed robber who held a gun to the belly of a pregnant woman.
• I feel uncomfortable that the death of George Floyd while apprehended has automatically been seen as a racist act. It may well have been but may have been a terrible accident. We won't know the circumstances until the court case. If it was a racist killing however, then those involved will deserve to go to prison for it
• I don't like the police being portrayed as bad. Most police are decent people doing a really tough job. There may be bad apples within it and they should be dealt with as should any bad apples in any organisation.

I do however support the cause. All people, whether black, white, men, women, are equal and everyone should be treated as equal. There are laws in place to deal with discrimination . In my life I have seen improvement but there is still a long way to go obviously in bringing about racial and sexual equality, and so I support any change that ends racism and sexism and brings about equality . But Martin Luther King is my inspiration with all that he said and did, and not George Floyd. But then again if George Floyd is a trigger for change, I support that change. I just don't support him though, although i want to see justice if his death was a murder

@BovaryX

Who wouldn't cheer at the fall of Stalin's statue?

Who wouldn't cheer at the fall of a slave trader's statue?

The man bought and sold people like they were livestock! Why would anyone think it was a good idea to celebrate him in perpetuity? Good riddance.

I think people throwing stuff at horses, police or anyone being attacked and injured, property being damaged, defacing the statue of Winston Churchill, police being portrayed as bad could all have been accidents. I don't like it when people assume they weren't without proper investigation and judicial process.

Pathetic and childish response from WhenAllsSaidandDone

@WhatWouldDominicDo

I'm all for protesting. It's rioting I don't like, and acts of vandalism such as tearing down statues and defacing cenotaphs.

Yes, Colston was a "bad man" - but he paid for most of Bristol to be built, so it's not really the statue that's the problem.

Also - there's a pandemic going on, which black people seem to be most susceptible to.

This 100%. (Though didn't mind about Colston statue really)

But defacing cenotaphs etc and bikes being thrown at horses?

Not to mention the risk of a second wave of covid.

I support BLM but won't get involved in any protesting. I hate crowds at the best of times but with covid, especially...

One of the things that worries me is those who were rioting could end up harming their cause. How will people in power begin to take the black community seriously when rioters have hijacked the protests? This kind of thing gives ammunition to racists to dismiss black people as troublemakers. a few bad apples spoiling the bunch.

Ofcourse it is. It points out the hypocrisy in MyNameisArthur's post, not to mention how ignorant and silly the assumptions therein are.

I'm white BAME, I know several black people who object to the whole movement.
Mainly on principle of how they feel manipulated.
There are quite a few on youtube too, worth listening to a different perspective whether you agree with them or not.

I'm white, I haven't come across other white people objecting to the protests (except one man in his eighties).

No. I am Asian and think these protests are despicable. This country is wonderfully hospitable to me, and I think also to thousands upon thousands of immigrants of all colours. I am very grateful for this.

The racial and sectarian problems in many parts of Africa and Asia should be where the priority for action should be - not Western liberal democracies who have made exceptional efforts to provide for all members of society.

Supporting BLM and opposing racism isn’t the same thing. I avidly oppose ALL racism, but I am also wary of organised activism like the BLM movement.

Similarly, I am a passionate supporter of the environment, but am wary of extinction rebellion.

I’m not comfortable with mass movements speaking on my behalf because I feel they are polarised.

No shame in maintaining your own stance on important issues.

I live in the North West, where the R rate is reportedly one of the highest in the country, and was shocked/terrified to see the masses of people in Manchester over the weekend. Social distance would have been impossible.
I whole heartedly support the reason for the protest, however the timing & way it was done is shockingly selfish. In the middle of a global pandemic where we're already on our arses?! How many more people will die/suffer because of this? The BAME community are most at risk too!
I'll bet the looting & vandalism has finished off some businesses on the brink of losing everything because of CV19 too.

I think there is a fair few on MN that need to read this and take some reflection

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/08/we-often-accuse-the-right-of-distorting-science-but-the-left-changed-the-coronavirus-narrative-overnight?fbclid=IwAR2fD16HnoYYU8ZNmkbe1v1MOwToPcwqlFpI-AnUZ_vJTLezU9OgP_Yz2OA

My friend is a black police woman I was just speaking to her about this today. She's horrified and disgusted at the protests against the police being in the police herself she knows what a hard job it is. She also thinks that all lives matter. I'm not putting that across as my opinion I'm just repeating what she said to me.

She is annoyed that no-one prominent in the black community has spoken out against them.

I think there is a fair few on MN that need to read this and take some reflection

Ok, read it. Seems like classic Guardian waffle with little regard for nuance or reason.

@WhenAllsSaidandDone

"Is it possible the black nurse felt the need to distance from the looting and violence everyone always mentions in place of when they talk about the protest rather than standing up for the protest itself? I mean 1 black nurse, 3 white colleagues and 1 asian doctor? I'd say the black nurse is outnumbered."

Quite interesting that you claim to know what my friends real, hidden thoughts are on the subject more so than us lot who are a small, close knit team who are mostly a bunch of genuine friends. We discuss lots of things; mostly light hearted however we have discussed lots of controversial topics. We are actually a pretty accepting bunch of folk who would and do accept one anothers opinions even if we don't agree with them. I don't believe she did feel pressured into not telling us her honest thoughts on the subject as she usually gives her honest opinions on things in a calm, respectful and pretty sensible manner, as we all do. However if you say that's what she was doing, hiding her true thoughts, then of course she must have. After all, you know her so well, more so than us lot.

Interesting that you would try and tell me how she really feels and that she only said what she said to appease us... It's like you have an opinion and can't accept that others may not think the exact same as you.

I didn't claim to know, I asked is it possible? Just an image that came to my head when I read it.

I also said something to the effect that I could be wrong with that image if she's outspoken, etc (in other words, you would know better). I suppose I was thinking out loud.

Fire off though.

I think there is a fair few on MN that need to read this and take some reflection

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52978990

Excellent. Always loved PG Tips and Yorkshire Tea. Now, I'll be buying them even more.

cue eyerolls

#solidaritea indeed