Minneapolis

[Mistadobalina]

Because the state killing people is it reneging on it's core duty to protect and it is with generally no recourse - the majority of the time the offending police officers either go undisciplined or put onto early retirement.

And because black lives, for 500 years, have proven to be worth less than white lives. That's irrefutable to this day, even in the UK. Essentially the argument seems to be if you're not black, you're just virtue signalling because it's impossible for that basic inequality to rile you, and if you're black and protesting, some obscuring words like rooting or linking it back to black on black crime so as to imply that there's nothing valid about what you're protesting.

Worth pointing out that it is the police causing the violence in the states right now. Obviously there are some chancers using the protests as a pretext to loot, but it's the police who go in heavy and violent without provocation. there is a ton of footage to that effect. I have a friend in Texas who had to help a guy dislodged a bean bag from his face because a police officer shot at him from a point blank range.

[Long slender neck]

"Thousands march through London" today.

Like EastDerehamO I don't really understand why people here are doing this. I'm not massively in favour of lockdown but as the rules are currently, seems a bad idea to gather in such numbers.

[Mikero]

I think they have a different veiw of the world than you do, they can see parallels with what is going on in America in this country and want to make sure their voices are heard. Much is being pushed to the bottom of the pile for public attention and when they read the white-washed Covid19 and minority deaths report they will shout louder.

Mikero

[Long slender neck]

Understandably as I am white. Racism is an injustice all around the world and isn't going to be solved for many years as it just takes too long to change attitudes and educate. Will these protests make any difference here?

[Disoriented]

How many of them marched when Jean-Charles Menezes was murdered by police here?

Did they protest when Cressida willy, the architect of this killing, was actually promoted to her current role?

Hypocrites.

[Long slender neck]

I don't think BLM existed back then. International news is a bigger bandwagon

[Currywurst and Chips]

It is interesting that certain injustices will instigate mass protests yet other, larger scale issues don't even register.

[Long slender neck]

Charges upgraded. Protest win?

[Disoriented]

Charges upgraded. Protest win?

Not for the ones who took the TVs. They have already ‘won’.

[slacker]

Big institutional changes need to be made out there (probably here too, tbh). The Police Union structure needs to be dismantled for a start because it protects racist cops and that encourages sociopaths to join up and play power games and wield weapons with virtual impunity, despite the legal equality gains and row back on Jim Crow laws made since the 1960s civil rights movements successes.

The big philosophical question the protests prompts for me - yet again - is what’s most effective in getting things changed: peaceful protest or violent action? The former can be - and sometimes is - easily ignored (think of the Iraq War demos) but historical research suggests it’s still more successful than the violent route (although that sometimes prompts reaction too whether spontaneous rioting or organised terrorism/freedom fighting). Look it up if you need convincing.

[Currywurst and Chips]

Big institutional changes need to be made out there (probably here too, tbh). The Police Union structure needs to be dismantled for a start because it protects racist cops and that encourages sociopaths to join up and play power games and wield weapons with virtual impunity, despite the legal equality gains and row back on Jim Crow laws made since the 1960s civil rights movements successes.

The big philosophical question the protests prompts for me - yet again - is what’s most effective in getting things changed: peaceful protest or violent action? The former can be - and sometimes is - easily ignored (think of the Iraq War demos) but historical research suggests it’s still more successful than the violent route (although that sometimes prompts reaction too whether spontaneous rioting or organised terrorism/freedom fighting). Look it up if you need convincing.

Using a crisis to dismantle the unions, disaster capitalism at its best

[slacker]

You’ll no doubt no the dodgy history and links of many US Labor Unions and Guilds, Pammy.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

"Thousands march through London" today.

Like EastDerehamO I don't really understand why people here are doing this. I'm not massively in favour of lockdown but as the rules are currently, seems a bad idea to gather in such numbers.

You know that when white people say they dont understand why they are doing it is part of the problem, right?

[Rich Tea Wellin]

The Floyd death is disgraceful, and is being dealt with as it should in a democracy via the legal system. Given that, and maybe my view is too simplistic, I don’t get the widespread protests, I don’t get why protestors seem to be ignoring social distancing and hence putting lives at risk, or why violence and looting is occurring. I don’t get why people over here are protesting about a crime in the U.S. or some sports stars feel the need to be photographed on one knee or to speak to the media about it. They’re entitled to of course for we pleasingly live in a free society, I’m not suggesting they shouldn’t be allowed to.

I do wonder what the popular reaction would have been if one Liverpool player had refused to join the one knee solidarity photoshoot – it wouldn’t imply that he was anything other than appalled by what happened, but I suspect many would infer that it did. That isn’t a direction in which I’d want a free society to move, and I feel that sport and politics generally don’t mix.

I’m appalled by what happened, I’m also appalled by every knife death in the East End and old ladies getting mugged on our streets, and I wonder why there aren’t mass protests about that, for it’s costing more lives. It’s never about black or white or race or religion with me, I treat everyone the same without prejudice for am against all discrimination, so whether Floyd was black or white and what colour or race the cop is, I just see it as wrong and the law is rightly playing out. If there’s some inherent problem in Minnesota, then I’m wondering why the electors of Minnesota haven’t already used their democratic power to change things for the better.

Excellent post.

Not it's not. It lacks any understanding.

Maybe one reason he doesn't understand is because he isn't black and doesn't have the capacity or empathy to view the situation in a bit more depth.

As for bemoaning the lack of riots on the street when old ladies get mugged. Seriously?

Exactly.

Stop questioning why people are doing this or that and question why they feel that they have to.

[Ornchurch]

Exactly.

Stop questioning why people are doing this or that and question why they feel that they have to.

Educate me. Why exactly do some people feel that they have to relieve stores of their goods in the name of protest?

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Exactly.

Stop questioning why people are doing this or that and question why they feel that they have to.

Educate me. Why exactly do some people feel that they have to relieve stores of their goods in the name of protest?

Genuinely interested in getting you to have a tiny think and let me know why you think they MIGHT be protesting. Not sure why you are bringing looting back into it now as the post I was referencing is questioning why people are protesting over here. But let's have a decent conversation about it, starting with you having a think and letting me know what their reasons might be.

[Long slender neck]

"Thousands march through London" today.

Like EastDerehamO I don't really understand why people here are doing this. I'm not massively in favour of lockdown but as the rules are currently, seems a bad idea to gather in such numbers.

You know that when white people say they dont understand why they are doing it is part of the problem, right?

If people have questions then answer them, don't tell them they shouldn't ask the question.

My view is that an event on the other side of the world has sparked anti racism protests. I'm not much of a protester myself. I presume it's a protest just to raise awareness as there doesn't seem to be any specific demands.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

"Thousands march through London" today.

Like EastDerehamO I don't really understand why people here are doing this. I'm not massively in favour of lockdown but as the rules are currently, seems a bad idea to gather in such numbers.

You know that when white people say they dont understand why they are doing it is part of the problem, right?

If people have questions then answer them, don't tell them they shouldn't ask the question.

My view is that an event on the other side of the world has sparked anti racism protests. I'm not much of a protester myself. I presume it's a protest just to raise awareness as there doesn't seem to be any specific demands.

I think you'd be right in that presumption. But I'm not black so i cant answer fully.

My point is that its lazy to say 'I dont understand' and then use it (not you in this case) as an excuse to label it as pointless, or dangerous.

Part of the problem, in my opinion, is that people cannot empathise outside of their own little world. And I'm not talking about going down there themselves but to even dig below the surface of their first thoughts of 'why' to try to put themselves in the shoes of the people going out there. They know the risks of corona. Either they are stupid, or they are fighting for a cause that they think is more important or wider reaching than corona.

Dont just ask why and be dismayed. Make an effort to understand and educate yourself about the struggle of someone else.

[Thor]

This video is in two parts, watch the first then scroll down a few posts and you’ll see the second part. I have read and seen many posts about this very subject of Trump v the Globalists. It certainly feels at times like that’s what’s happening.

[Long slender neck]

syd #blacklivesmatter (@flamingferb) Tweeted: i’m just gonna... uh... leave this here #DictatorTrump https://t.co/oD5JsIz8rX

Fake news!

[Long slender neck]

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/52877751

[Thor]

Ha ha the BBC the same broadcaster who broadcast that Building 7 had fallen 1 hour before it actually did and before anyone knew there was an issue with it.

They created one of the biggest conspiracies ever.

[tuffers#1]

Ha ha the BBC the same broadcaster who broadcast that Building 7 had fallen 1 hour before it actually did and before anyone knew there was an issue with it.

They created one of the biggest conspiracies ever.

The BBC organised 9/11 ?

Now theres a conspiarcy theory !

[Thor]

No I never said that did I?

The BBC broadcast on the news that building 7 had fallen down and yet in the background it was still standing. A correction was issued, within an hour it had indeed fallen. People have said it's one of the reasons they think it's an insider job. So the BBC have helped to create one of the most talked about conspiracies ever.

[tuffers#1]