BLM protests

[runrunrunrunt]

Completely agree that these protests are worthy and needed. I understand the anger as best I can and absolutely the world needs to change and I'm sick to my stomach about the police brutalities in the US but I'm so worried about the impact on coronavirus.

Anyone got any further thoughts to help me work this out in my head. I kinda feel like I'm on the wrong side of history and that I should be fully supporting the protests. I am just so terrified of the potential impact on the R and the NHS. We were making poor progress as it was.

You’d think those in power would be coming up with some proper words of acknowledgement and a way forward. But then those in power are Trump and in our case Boris. Better leaders would be handling it so much better. No idea how to help you work through it aside from directing your anger towards racism and the shitty leaders we have governing us.

I’m selfishly hoping it will lead to a swifter exit for Trump, kind of helps a bit.😬 It is scary I know.

twinnywinny14 the mainyl were peaceful.

The news even said this lornifn thr trouble started after many protestors had left and it had finished.

Having a large amount of people, in most places, especially with hiv emotion, make social distancing difficult/impossible.

The lack of social distancing was inevitable and unavoidable for lots.

So their choice was dont go. Or take the risk

Lots of people close the first. But lots of people felt it was worth the risk. Because its so important.

The reason we had a lockdown in the first place was so we don’t overwhelm the NHS. I agree with the message but don’t agree with masses of people gathering. People say ‘they know the risk and are happy to take the risk’ but they may end up requiring a hospital bed or a ventilator and if the virus runs wild once again and the NHS being overwhelmed then I don’t think too many people will have sympathy for the protestors

So you don't think the protest should have gone ahead at all?

They should have kept quiet?

When has the general public, as a group ever had loads of sympathy for bame protestors?

I don’t think the protests should have gone ahead right now. I think the message would have gone further if it was done when covid wasn’t the key topic. If this causes an increase in deaths and infections then the protests will be blamed and the message will have been lost as much of the public will have lost sympathy.

I think there is definitely a time and a olace for this protest but now is not it

Well I woild have prefered it if the police officer kneeling on GF, hadn't done that at all.

Or considered the fact that there was a pandemic and his actions would have led to this.

I would have preferred for them all to be arrested and charged immediately.

I woild prefer Trump to shut his mouth and for our government to actually address this properly.

All the above would mean people were not feeling the need to protest right now.

And in the UK? People can mingle at the beach, but not at a protest?

Can we just drop the protest and pick it up in 18 months?

I agree that the GF event was deplorable and so is racism. I also agree that the VE day celebrations and the beach gatherings are beyond stupid when there is a pandemic going on that is killing tens of thousands. Like I said, if there is a spike in cases and deaths and the NHS starts to get overwhelmed then people will attribute that partly to the protests and the message will have been lost. Protesting in huge numbers in the middle of a pandemic isn’t wise.

At the end of the day I can only have eight people in my garden from two families, but thousands of people can protest.

Now in normal times I think that the protests have the wright to protest, and there is no better cause then this, black lives matter I think most people in this country agree with this statement and this cause.

So Next weekend when there a big BBQs with whole families and frends I don’t think the police will be able to do a dame thing about it.

This is the end of lockdown!! I just hope in three weeks time that the R rate is still under one.

So just turn a blind eye, until covid is over?

Lockdown has meant no sports, no concerts, no going out to restaurants, no distractions. And it's partly this that has meant the BAME community is finally having its voices heard.

I just don't understand why people went on the protests. No one was social distancing.

Yes it's a very important issue. But now was not the time to protest, standing right next to people.

Boxer Anthony Joshua. No social distancing going on there!

No one was social distancing

Our local city was fully social distanced during the protest. The police have commended the protestors on their efforts.

@twinnywinny14 Or Looting, catching cars alight, destroying shops, beating people up, attacking policemen and women, horses, letting off fire extinguisher in a person's face!! The list goes on. They are thugs! Not people who belong in our Society. Spray painting memorials shows how little respect they have and I bloody hope they get locked up. Vile ignorant thugs!!

People haven’t been following guidelines for ages. Yes, there will be a spike. Yes, it sickens me. Yes, many are being irresponsible, although I see more in masks than not. I sure as hell didn’t see anyone wearing masks and observing social distancing on the bead he’s the past month or so either

• beach the past month or so

@Oblomov20 when would be a good time? Shall we pencil in a date? You are dealing with such deep rooted raw emotions here.
My nieces great grandad was taken as a slave from West Africa. Her great grandad. I think white people assume the anger and hurt still around us unjustified, and that we have been living in a world of equality hundreds of years.
We don’t get to control others flouting lockdown since day one, and we don’t get to tell BAME people how and when to react to systemic racism

Cuppa now is not the time for a protest that doesn't adhere to social distancing.

I too believe the matter is very very important. But I can't condone protests that don't adhere to the current social distancing rules, at this point in time.

Boxer Anthony Joshua. No social distancing going on there!

And what? Shall we start naming white famous people who haven't stuck to it either?

Let's wait till covid is over.

Shame the policeman didn't wait. Its shame he waited until GF was dead for a good few minutes, before he took his knee off.

If you want someone to blame for these protests...blame the police officers.

Its been quite well publicised that that things didn't kick off yesterday until the official protest was over. BBC even stated the police said most of the original protestors had left when it kicked off.

So, blame the people using this to their advantage to cause damage, graffiti etc. Not the protestors.

The vast majority have behaved impeccably.

I’m not sure there will necessarily be a spike....

I think the reason the protests have gained quite as much traction as they have done is because young people are bored and have nothing else to do.... Without it most of those who went and disregarded social distancing would probably have been socialising anyway, just in smaller less obvious groups, quite possibly inside given the weather. As it was, they were outside, with many more wearing face coverings than would have done so otherwise. There have been very few confirmed cases of Covid spread outside. Even those that weren’t socially distancing at 2m weren’t generally on top of each other.

Indeed, the events have done a good job in helping to normalise face coverings in the UK.

The thing is I don’t think it will end today, the protest could go on for days, weeks, as very few people are going to work and school, it’s time everyone can go back to work and school or this is going to get out of hand.

Why do the beaches keep getting used as justification? The beachy people were widely thought of as stupid and selfish too.

I’m selfishly hoping it will lead to a swifter exit for Trump, kind of helps a bit.

Trump only cares about what the people who voted for him think. They'll be wanting him to come down hard on the protestors.
If he has a personality change and becomes less racist and confrontational he won't be re-elected.

@Oblomov20 Now’s not the time to murder someone in a sadomasochist and torturous fashion in board daylight either. But there you go.
This was always going to happen at some point. The human race does not learn, clearly.
There will be a fast second wave, and the blame does not fall neatly at the feet of one section of our society.