Colston Statue

[baggieal]

So the four thugs who toppled this statue and rolled it into the harbour have been cleared. Should every person now who thinks something is offensive get away with criminal damage. There’s a right way of protesting!

Crazy crazy country!!!

[Leicesterbaggie]

The judiciary in this country is not fit for purpose. As you say al, it's the 'green light' for anybody to ignore the laws of the land. This act was criminal damage and should have been punished as such. I'm appalled at the decision.

[kettering_baggie]

Toppling that statue was a BLM related protest, that makes it ok, don’t you know? They dared not to convict them as that would offend BLM sympathisers and precipitate more riots. Ridiculous verdict.

[Dubbag]

Times change.......it should be put in a museum so if people want to see it let them go and see it.
There had been petitions before for years to remove it but councils ignored it...the law is an ass anyway.
Slavery is part of our history but doesn't mean you have to show case it today. Stick it in a museum where it belongs...not in public as a reminder of the past....Good decision.......Never forget the past just don't continuously honor the inhumanity by those of the past.....
I think the judge knew the resentment that had caused in Bristol for years...good on him.....

[mickd1961]

Regardless of the judge’s “modern views” I’m afraid that’s totally irrelevant Dubs.

The law is very clear on criminal damage and this should’ve been dealt with like any other criminal damage case.

If me or you had dragged that statue down for a laugh or whatever we’d be facing at least a very stiff fine.

Did you hear the names of the f u c k wits involved?

All upper class twits or more to the point, kids of elite f u c k wits I would wager.

One was called “Sage” FFS, I’ll bet there was a “Tarquin” amongst them!!

It’s more likely the judge was scared of the backlash for finding them guilty which by definition makes them unfit for purpose.

[baggieal]

Regardless of the judge’s “modern views” I’m afraid that’s totally irrelevant Dubs.

The law is very clear on criminal damage and this should’ve been dealt with like any other criminal damage case.

If me or you had dragged that statue down for a laugh or whatever we’d be facing at least a very stiff fine.

Did you hear the names of the f u c k wits involved?

All upper class twits or more to the point, kids of elite f u c k wits I would wager.

One was called “Sage” FFS, I’ll bet there was a “Tarquin” amongst them!!

It’s more likely the judge was scared of the backlash for finding them guilty which by definition makes them unfit for purpose.

Good post Mick and so so true. History is history and can’t be erased!

Were the Pyramids and coliseum not built by slaves or is that different!!

They should have locked these t wats up for criminal damage.

[phild]

That should be the green light to topple the three degrees statue in New Street shopping centre West Brom - Its still nothing like em

[baggieal]

Times change.......it should be put in a museum so if people want to see it let them go and see it.
There had been petitions before for years to remove it but councils ignored it...the law is an ass anyway.
Slavery is part of our history but doesn't mean you have to show case it today. Stick it in a museum where it belongs...not in public as a reminder of the past....Good decision.......Never forget the past just don't continuously honor the inhumanity by those of the past.....
I think the judge knew the resentment that had caused in Bristol for years...good on him.....

What bollox! Is the Colosseum not showcased and a tourist attraction for f uck sake and facts are:

The Colosseum was constructed over a short decade, between 70-80 AD, by up to 100,000 slaves.

Shameful when it’s a black slave but when it’s a white one - no reaction from BLM.

Criminal damage is criminal damage. Try damaging the Colosseum or Pyramids and the local Police would give you a well deserved smack!

Shameful decision so now it gives the green light to damage anything deemed offensive!

[Dubbag]

Ah get over it..FFS...a concrete honoring a slave trader...rip it down...yes acknowledge your past but don't glorify.
Never seen the point of statues. Mostly horrible things.......
Colosseum is a silly comparison baggiel.....but all that stuff is to glorify and edify the past....great...Buckingham palace...there all the same....glorify the rich at the expense of the rest of humanity......all countries have then...relics of inhumanity of the past while ordinary folk died in a hovel...while slavers made huge amounts of money ripping people out of there hovels to sell somewhere for a pittance....a blight on our past but history none the less of who we are..
Get rid of them or put in museum where they belong....

[Omegstrat6]

Times change.......it should be put in a museum so if people want to see it let them go and see it.
There had been petitions before for years to remove it but councils ignored it...the law is an ass anyway.
Slavery is part of our history but doesn't mean you have to show case it today. Stick it in a museum where it belongs...not in public as a reminder of the past....Good decision.......Never forget the past just don't continuously honor the inhumanity by those of the past.....
I think the judge knew the resentment that had caused in Bristol for years...good on him.....

Whilst I agree with most of what you say, I still think that it was an act of criminal damage despite any mitigating factors and as such the judge should have been far less lenient. The country is littered with statues and reminders of its colonial past and these are of historic significance even if they no longer represent our values. As such, I totally agree, many should not remain in public places and should be relocated to museums where people can learn more about their backgrounds and put them in context. Other statues are more problematic-Churchill for example. Churchill,'s writings show him to be very much of his time and he believed in eugenics and showed racist beliefs for example. His treatment of India both over the famine and Partition is indefensible yet without him the outcome of world war 2 might have been very different. On balance, however, I believe he should still be celebrated for his impact on the latter .The trick is to ensure that more people are aware of the whole truth, both good and bad-but this is not always that easy. As Churchill himself recognised-"history is written by the victors".