Why now in UK?

[LaceCurtains]

The murder in America was appalling and I absolutely understand the rage there.

I'm not so sure I understand why now is the right time in UK when there has been no specific atrocity here.

I absolutely agree change is needed, police and other attitudes need to change but policing here is different, even if not different enough.

Why is now, in the middle of a pandemic, the right time to protest? I'm afraid it's clouding the issue and the public response is more one of outrage at the prospect of protests increasing the spread rather than sympathy for the cause.

Why now and not 6 months ago for example?

Lots of white people protesting in Glasgow. What good they think they are doing only they know.

A more practical demonstration would be each of them sending £10 to the ACLU. But that would be more practical and less fun than a day out.

We have issues we need to look at. GF's murder has made us reflect on ourselves.

Where are the protests against police brutality in Hong Kong?

There’s undertones of protesting about lockdown

People saying ‘ I’m going, not staying in’ type stuff

George Floyd's murder was just the tip of the iceberg that drew attention back to the issue of systematic racism and police brutality. These aren't issues only in America. The UK isn't innocent to these issues.

Sean Rigg, Sheku Bayoh, Mzee Mohammed, Leon Patterson, Cynthia Jarrett, Joy Gardener, Jimmy Mubenga, Rashan Charles, Edson Da Costa, Sarah Reed...

You think there's no racism here op?

Yes Mrskeats that's exactly what I said

Of course there's racism here, I know that, I said that. Of course there's a desperate need for change (I said that too) but it's not greater now, in the middle of a pandemic, then it was at the start of the year, when the effects action wouldn't have been lost to concern about the virus.

OP because a video of a black man being murdered by a police officer is hard to ignore. And made people reflect on how ingrained racism
is in your/our country as well (I'm American now living in the UK).

The timing is unfortunate, but please don't let this be a reason for you to blame the protesters for fighting for equality. For many, this is life and death and can't afford to let it all be swept back under the rug until the next unarmed black person to be murdered.

Think it’s more displaced frustration at the current situation most people are in. Yes it was beyond horrific and there is no place for racism in society but I think people are so frustrated and fed up at the lockdown, loss of jobs, that their life has currently changed for the worse beyond all recognition- it’s something to vent loudly about and all be in agreement. I just wish it was all about racism in society but I don’t think it is.

@Whoopsmahoot What makes you say that? (Please don't say the handful of people that we're being violent. It's well known that any protest, for any cause, will attract those that just want to take advantage and start chaos)

Unfortunately it sounds like that's coming from a very privileged perspective.

I don't blame them for fighting inequality, I think it's long overdue but I worry it will do more harm than good, particularly with the timing.

Most of the comments I'm seeing are people trying very hard to understand but basically coming to the conclusion that nothing is more important than the lives that will be lost to the virus. I don't entirely agree but if then aim is to get people behind their cause, I'm not sure this is sensible.

Yes and as I said on another thread,these things happen in lots of other countries too, but people always seem keen to copy what goes on on America.

@Livingoffcoffee
🤣 certainly not privileged, just depressed and frustrated for the cause. Totally agree with you about the minority who will use any protest as as an excuse for a fight. It is no bearing on the protest. But I DO think there are people there who just “want the latest cause” to protest and who want to get out and treat it as a day out in these times. . I personally CANNOT understand people who treat someone different because of the colour of the skin, religion or sexuality. The joy of the human race is our diversity. Unfortunately there are a lot of twats out there who disagree. 🙄

I agree a lot needs to change but do we know it was a racial attack on GF he was killed in a horrific way and the American policing style is outrageously brutal but I can't help thinking his ethnicity was a coincidence.

@Whoopsmahoot I don't mean as in socio-economically privileged. It sounds very privileged to think it's not because people are finally being made aware of the horrific experiences black people are forced to currently deal with in this country. And finally it can't be ignored, no matter how many of you keep trying to erase their fight.

@Livingoffcoffee
Im not trying to erase their fight 🙄 What I get hacked off at are those who are just “hangers on” and who have no real concept of racism. what I do think is hilarious is that so many voted Bexit to keep other nationalities out, now we’re desperate to get them in to do the work that our lily white bods don’t want to do. This country is so racist it’s beyond ridiculous but getting people to accept that view is depressing as the majority just don’t believe it.

@Livingoffcoffee you may want to check @Whoopsmahoot is actually white before you start laying into them for their point of view...

I dont understand why they shouldn’t be protesting? It’s a hideous thing that’s occurred and it needs to be highlighted. It’s recently happened and is horrific. You want them all to keep quiet because of COVID? Or wait I told it’s over to protest? Or to have some to before it happened? What’s your point?

I saw a meme on fb along the lines of "if your reaction is: its a shame that GF died, but protesting/rioting is wrong".... it should be "it's a shame that people are protesting/rioting, but GFs murder was wrong"

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/right-taser-him-video-shows-18219850

Black communities are trying to tell us that the police in the UK also use excessive and unwarranted force against them. It's not often recorded, it is often not investigated.

A black man was tasered by police infront of his child last month in Manchester.

@Whoopsmahoot And I'm hacked off by the fact your assuming that so many/any of them are just "hangers on". And don't understand how you've come to that conclusion.

And I'll admit this is a bit of a presumption. But I'd imagine that most of those protesting did not vote for Brexit. At least that's accurate to my experience and people I've spoken with.

@SeriouslySoDoneIn I never said they were. I said it sounds like a privileged perspective.

The protests are happening across Europe this weekend. It's coordinated, not random and not just a UK thing.

Sometimes an event just tips the balance and sets off a chain reaction, in this case one that's been a long time coming. Have a look at these OP, as well as the issues re: racism and BAME deaths from Coronavirus, might help you get a sense of things:

Marcia Rigg: You Think Police Brutality Is Just A US Issue? Think Again
www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/a32742001/marcia-rigg-anti-racism/

How many black people have died in police custody in the UK? Sheku Bayoh, Sean Rigg, Mark Duggan and other cases explained
There have been 1,741 deaths in police custody or otherwise following contact with the police since 1990

www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/crime/how-many-black-people-have-died-police-custody-uk-sheku-bayoh-sean-rigg-mark-duggan-and-other-cases-explained-2876226

The Government’s Reaction To BAME Deaths Tells Us Everything We Already Knew About Our Society
Dr Meenal Viz and Dr Nishant Joshi

bylinetimes.com/2020/06/04/the-governments-reaction-to-bame-deaths-tells-us-everything-we-already-knew-about-our-society/

We can’t breathe
What connects the most brazen forms of state violence against black people and the struggles of BAME coronavirus patients is systemic racism.
www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2020/06/we-cant-breathe

The more people come together and say they want change, the more that change will happen.

There is racism in the UK and for too long they haven't been able to speak out without being silenced or being labeled that they are using the race card.

I think instead of our country vs someone else's country we need to start acting together on a worldwide scale. Why is one person's life more important than someone else's just because they live in a different country.
Many people from the UK have done things for other countries to try and help for human and animal rights eg. dog meat trade, child sex trafficking etc. but unless it personally affects you then you won't know about them. This BLM movement is about making everyone aware of what's going on around the world.

People have been locked up for almost three months
This is just the tinderbox