The Midlands make noise about racism and inequality as Nottingham and Birmingham join UK protests
The Midlands make noise about racism and inequality as Nottingham and Birmingham join UK protests.
From London to Bristol, Birmingham to Nottingham, black people were joined by peers from all cultures and ethnic backgrounds to stand together against racism, inequality and police discrimination against black and minority ethnic groups in the US and the UK.
As Home Secretary Priti Patel shamefully failed to adequately address the key issues raised by protestors, instead opting to overshadow the protest message by focusing on a minority of people who caused trouble and one protest in Bristol where the statue of a slave trader was torn from its plinth. Peaceful protests took place in Nottingham with large crowds gathering to hear passionate speeches and share personal experiences of discrimination.
Both the Met Police Commissioner and the Prime Minister have given statements that worryingly defend Britain’s resurgence of racism. An issue that has come back to the fore in the wake of George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis Police Officer. The death of the black man has sent ripples of anger across the globe and resulted in protests calling for change here in the UK.
Both Cressida Dick and Boris Johnson's responses show they are conveniently ignoring the ugly truths raised by the Brexit debates, ignoring the experiences of black men across the UK and ignoring the glaring problems of inequality, highlighted most recently by the disproportionate effects of Corona Virus on Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
Even without Corona Virus, black people are known to be unfairly disadvantaged in almost – if not all – aspects of life in the UK. If individual bias and institutional racism play no part in the shameful inequalities that still exist, answers are needed to some very disturbing questions about the structure and fabric of British politics, policy development and the governments contribution to - and condonement of such inequalities and the effect on specific members of society. To compare today to the racist attitudes of the 1970’s is simply an insult to every Black, Asian and Minority ethnic citizen.
How do you feel? do you have an opinion on the destruction of the Bristol Statue?
Did you join a protest? Tell us what you saw.
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