Carte Blanche to vandals

[Kippax]

Colston is slightly different he gave funded and legacied charitable donations providing a benefit to many people.
Reappraising Colston's depravity meant ending historical benefacting in his name.
Many of the benefacting charities voluntarilly did so before the statue was toppled.

I think I have used this example before in another context.
Historical wrongs are not made right by time judging them on the standards of the day is important.

Colston failed that test even in his time he new by public and National opinion slavery was inhumane he still supported it.

But it doesn’t make the protesters actions acceptable

[Alikado]

Colston is slightly different he gave funded and legacied charitable donations providing a benefit to many people.
Reappraising Colston's depravity meant ending historical benefacting in his name.
Many of the benefacting charities voluntarilly did so before the statue was toppled.

I think I have used this example before in another context.
Historical wrongs are not made right by time judging them on the standards of the day is important.

Colston failed that test even in his time he new by public and National opinion slavery was inhumane he still supported it.

It's not the funded and legacies donations that have been the problem, manyof them have probably died a natural death by now, the problems are the modern monuments that have continued the narrative such as the modern Primary School and the modern Theatre.

[Alikado]

But it doesn’t make the protesters actions acceptable

Peaceful means hadn't got anywhere, sometimes direct action is the only way.

[Desert Region]

Peaceful means hadn't got anywhere, sometimes direct action is the only way.

Alikado, the racist still pretending to be anti-racist - it must be your only way.

[Hamble]

But it doesn’t make the protesters actions acceptable

No I agree with you.
They did cause criminal damage and presumably Bristol Council will have to find the money from public services to pay for it all.

If the 4 were found guilty they would have a criminal record and (I guess) a short suspended sentence.

The Law needs clarifying after this precedence.

[Kippax]

No I agree with you.
They did cause criminal damage and presumably Bristol Council will have to find the money from public services to pay for it all.

If the 4 were found guilty they would have a criminal record and (I guess) a short suspended sentence.

The Law needs clarifying after this precedence.

Agree, the danger is “mob rule” will become acceptable as more and more groups take matters into their own hands.

I find it impossible to understand how, having seen ropes attached to a statue, it being pulled to the ground, dragged towards the edge of the dock and thrown into the water some people think this is not a criminal act and is somehow “ok”.

[sandGroundZero]

Recalling the original post:

1. We all know that the Justice system in this Country is a very sick joke but it hit new depths of stupidity yesterday when the Bristol mob who pulled down a statue and dumped it into the docks were found not guilty of Criminal Damage by the twelve lunatics allowed on jury service.

   …a swingeing attack on "the Justice system" and in particular on jury trials!
   
   

2. Anything a group of people don't like can be destroyed by them with impunity as anyone can claim it was the result of an illegal act that the statue / monument/ building/ bench was placed there to commemorate anything they wish to dream up.

   …an overblown, improbable assertion without a shred of justification.
   
   

3. Surely the accused should have at least had their descendants past investigated so that their freedom could have been taken away because their forefathers had Criminal Records.

   …this is just getting carried away; [plus if anything, not descendants but ancestors?]
   
   

4. Why not go back to the stone age were someone was killed by a person jealous of the luxurious cave he lived in and wanted it for himself.

   …what can you say about that?
   
   

5. We have History both good and bad and is it up to a gang of vandals to decide what should and shouldn't be commemorated.

   …back to the perpetrators, I guess. Of course it is not for unruly mobile fanatics; again, an hysterical overstatement of the consequences of the verdict in this particular instance.

________________________________________________________________________

It is worth noting that the Attorney General, Suella Braverman, claimed that the case "is causing confusion" and would therefore consider referring it to senior judges to give them "the opportunity to clarify the law for future cases."

About the Conservative party in parliament and notably in the Cabinet: its members seem to be inexorably drifting towards extreme opinions at odds with traditions of English justice and tolerance. We ought to be very worried about the future of our country.

[silver fox]

I understand the motivations of the mob who pulled down the statue of Colston, but can't agree with mob law taking over, certainly his activities are a stain in our history and should most certainly be known, but where do we stop?

Take for instance Sir Francis Drake, naval commander, battle hero, explorer, a "true English hero", but he was also a privateer, in other words a legalised pirate, given total immunity as long as he didn't attack English and allied ships, involved in the slave trade, now does anyone fancy going and pulling his statues down?

This country has a chequered history, a lot to be proud of, but also a lot not to be proud of, however history is history and should be known about, warts and all, looking at past events in todays thinking does no-one any favours.

[Hamble]

It's not the funded and legacies donations that have been the problem, manyof them have probably died a natural death by now, the problems are the modern monuments that have continued the narrative such as the modern Primary School and the modern Theatre.

They changed the name voluntarilly I believe.

[sandGroundZero]

I understand the motivations of the mob who pulled down the statue of Colston, but can't agree with mob law taking over, certainly his activities are a stain in our history and should most certainly be known, but where do we stop?
Take for instance Sir Francis Drake, naval commander, battle hero, explorer, a "true English hero", but he was also a privateer, in other words a legalised pirate, given total immunity as long as he didn't attack English and allied ships, involved in the slave trade, now does anyone fancy going and pulling his statues down?
This country has a chequered history, a lot to be proud of, but also a lot not to be proud of, however history is history and should be known about, warts and all, looking at past events in todays thinking does no-one any favours.

The events surrounding Edward Colston's statue toppling is one more small detail of ongoing English history.
Far from dismissing 17^th century history, Colston's legacy is put in the limelight. That seems to be precisely the problem for many. Some do like the dark chequers getting attention.

[Hamble]

Agree, the danger is “mob rule” will become acceptable as more and more groups take matters into their own hands.

I find it impossible to understand how, having seen ropes attached to a statue, it being pulled to the ground, dragged towards the edge of the dock and thrown into the water some people think this is not a criminal act and is somehow “ok”.

This must complicate things.

The Council is responsible for the statues upkeep ownership is reputed to be https://www.merchantventurers.com/

[silver fox]

The events surrounding Edward Colston's statue toppling is one more small detail of ongoing English history.
Far from dismissing 17^th century history, Colston's legacy is put in the limelight. That seems to be precisely the problem for many. Some do like the dark chequers getting attention.

Anyone who values reality, should be knowledgeable as to facts, the entire triangular trade which built the prosperity of many of our port cities fully embraced the slave trade, the slave trade being one part of the triangle.

Of course as slave trade developed ships were built purely to carry the maximum number of slaves in appalling conditions,

[salus.populi]

https://thesecretbarrister.com/2022/...u-should-know/

[sandGroundZero]

Do the verdicts in the trial of the Colston 4 signal something wrong with our jury system? 10 things you should know

— interesting article, salus.populi

Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said the law would be changed to close a “potential loophole” limiting the prosecution of people who damage memorials as part of the police, crime, sentencing and courts (PCSC) bill.

I wonder, did he have these 10 things in mind?

Robert Jenrick, another Tory MP and former cabinet minister, tweeted: “We undermine the rule of law, which underpins our democracy, if we accept vandalism and criminal damage are acceptable forms of political protest. They aren’t. Regardless of the intentions.”

The Tory party promotes some retrograde personalities these days!

[Alikado]

They changed the name voluntarilly I believe.

Only after the event, previous local campaigns had had no effect.