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Not in the public interest

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    Not in the public interest

    Why bother prosecuting people over a fecking statue of some slaver that lots of people wanted removed anyway?

    It's not like they are a peer or royalty actually or allegedly abusing children.

    (The actual - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-59607283 )

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-59727161


    Four people accused of illegally removing a statue of Edward Colston have been cleared of criminal damage.


    Sage Willoughby, 22, Rhian Graham, 30, Milo Ponsford, 26, and Jake Skuse, 33, were charged after a monument to the 17th Century slave trader was pulled down and then thrown into the harbourside in Bristol last June.

    It happened during a Black Lives Matter protest in the city.

    A jury at Bristol Crown Court found them all not guilty.

    During a highly publicised trial, the court heard that the statue was ripped down before being thrown into the harbour during a wave of protests triggered by the murder of African-American George Floyd by a white police officer.


    The four defendants, together with "others unknown", were accusing of damaging the Colston statue and plinth of a value unknown without lawful excuse.


    During the trial, Mr Skuse said he took part in rolling the statue to the docks to stage a symbolic "sentencing" of the slave trader.
    Last edited by SueEllen; 5 January 2022, 16:37.
    "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

    #2
    Why bother prosecuting people over a fecking statue of some slaver that lots of people wanted removed anyway?
    Who says the people wanted it removed and just because they believe some want it removing it's not for them to take the task to hand and just do it?

    I see what you are saying and kind of agree but the laws the law. Where is the boundary between what they did being acceptable and what isn't? Is it OK for every gang of 50+ people to pull anything down they fancy without fear of prosecution now?

    I mean, I agree, it was a waste of public money to get this far but it just doesn't feel right. Look at what the guy said.

    Appearing in the dock, he said: "Imagine having a Hitler statue in front of a Holocaust survivor - I believe they are similar.

    "Having a statue of someone of that calibre in the middle of the city I believe is an insult, and I will continue to believe that whatever the outcome of this."
    That's just utter bollocks. He believes it so does that mean he has the right to pull it down. His belief is highly questionable. And it's hardly insulting him. All four of them are white so it's just a platform for activism.

    It's a balance between yes it shouldn't have been there and no one wanted it vs a gang of activists who aren't even really affected by it tearing it down because of some rather odd beliefs. If they've done it, does that mean we can all go round doing it? Fine line letting people off the letter of the law because their cause (in their minds) is just.

    I do find it difficult to believe they couldn't be found guilty of 'damaging the Colston statue and plinth of a value unknown without lawful excuse' as it's there on video so a bit of a joke of a verdict but shouldn't really have got that far anyway.
    Last edited by northernladuk; 5 January 2022, 16:49.
    'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by SueEllen View Post
      Why bother prosecuting people over a fecking statue of some slaver that lots of people wanted removed anyway?
      Because we live by law and lots != all or a majority. But you have some point as much more effort should be put into preventing slavery operating under our eyes. How many use the hand car washes, nail bars, massage parlours, how many eat vegetables from British Farms? Probably some of the same feckers who call for statues to be pulled down.
      But I discovered nothing else but depraved, excessive superstition. Pliny the younger

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

        Who says the people wanted it removed and just because they believe some want it removing it's not for them to take the task to hand and just do it?
        It was in the local press that there were calls to have it removed before it became a national story.

        Then when it became a national story the local press did more polling - https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/b...e-glad-4217554

        There is a good reason why white activists pulled it down with "unnamed others" just like the vast majority of extinction rebellion activists are white.





        "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

        Comment


          #5
          If lots of people want these things taken down, mount a proper campaign. If it doesn't gain traction, it's not popular.
          Originally posted by MaryPoppins
          I'd still not breastfeed a nazi
          Originally posted by vetran
          Urine is quite nourishing

          Comment


            #6
            Even a majority in a poll in the Daily Express did not think a statue of a prominent slaver should be on display in a prominent place. However there is no excuse for damage to a historic monument.
            bloggoth

            If everything isn't black and white, I say, 'Why the hell not?'
            John Wayne (My guru, not to be confused with my beloved prophet Jeremy Clarkson)

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by d000hg View Post
              If lots of people want these things taken down, mount a proper campaign. If it doesn't gain traction, it's not popular.
              It did gain traction.

              The people who opposed the stature being ripped down had more clout with Bristol City Council.

              BTW they renamed the music venue and the schools named after him.
              "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

              Comment


                #8
                Milo Ponsford.

                Can you imagine the hilarity if they all got 200 hours unpaid community service.

                Anyways, don't come screaming on here when Piers Corbyn or others manage to convince a few on a jury that there various anti vax crimes were morally justified.

                Comment


                  #9
                  The struggle for black rights was decades/centuries of pain and suffering and slow incremental progress fighting against and within the system. People lost their lives and their livelihoods for it, but a bunch of teenagers today can't comprehend the idea of something taking longer than a week to achieve so they just smash things.

                  Originally posted by MaryPoppins
                  I'd still not breastfeed a nazi
                  Originally posted by vetran
                  Urine is quite nourishing

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by SueEllen View Post

                    It did gain traction.

                    The people who opposed the stature being ripped down had more clout with Bristol City Council.

                    BTW they renamed the music venue and the schools named after him.
                    Still isn't a reason to pull it down and don't expect the law applies to you. With the BLM matter wave, that thing in govmt looking in to historic monuments etc it would have come down at some point if there was a good reason. A bunch of young white activisits wouldn't understand the reasons not to though to be fair but either way, they just want they wanted and applied mob rule which we can't condone.

                    If they want to pull stuff down then fair enough, but take the punishment as a badge of pride for their activism.

                    It was in the local press that there were calls to have it removed before it became a national story.

                    Then when it became a national story the local press did more polling - https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/b...e-glad-4217554

                    There is a good reason why white activists pulled it down with "unnamed others" just like the vast majority of extinction rebellion activists are white.
                    I read in to those polls there was some imputus to pull it down but I don't see enough evidence that the town was up in arms and it was the right thing to do at all. I don't see that as a good reason for white activities to pull it down and not be brought to justice for it.

                    But, it's done now so is what it is. Nothing left but to Just move on to the next national outcry, whatever that may be.
                    Last edited by northernladuk; 5 January 2022, 18:16.
                    'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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