Black Lives Matter

[Pierre]

It needs its own thread, looking at the scenes in London today, and previous days.

It’s horrific what happened to that man in the USA, and it is right to be outraged, but it didn’t happen here. Black U.K. citizens don’t need to fear being killed by the police, and before Hugh posts a load of links yes, I think it’s about 1 black person per year dies in police custody, 14 white do, but based on % population black people twice as likely .....but it’s splitting hairs as the numbers are so low anyway.

Black kids, in London especially, should be far more scared of other Black kids, than the police.

Black lives do matter, but they seem to matter less to other Black people.

If there were protests of this scale regularly, to the amount of young black kids being murdered every week in this country, I’d get behind that.

But for a person in another country, that has struggled with civil rights for longer and harder than we have. I understand coming out in solidarity, but defacing our monuments to our war dead. They’re disgusting.

Off topic post removed, stick to the topic.

[papa smurf]

I find it deeply annoying that the police have had to get involved in this stupidity ,we are in the midst of a pandemic,this has been blown out of all proportion,it's sad that a life has been taken but ffs get a grip,there's an invisible killer stalking us all,looking at the crowds today all i can say is if Black lives do matter then go home and stay safe.

[jfman]

There's multiple instances of police brutality in the UK against minorities, and miscarriages of justice, and disproportionate sentences compared with white, middle class people who commit the same crimes. Possession of cocaine being one.

That said, I'm not sure now is the right time to protest. But it's buying our head in the sand to pretend these injustices don't happen here (albeit not on the same scale).

I think the protests were a bad idea given the Coronavirus pandemic. Social distancing is the precise opposite of congregating in a giant mass. I appreciate there are some who'll always say it's a bad time for a protest but this is legitimately a very bad time for a mass gathering.

I also agree that the same issues that are in America do not apply here and it's rather pointless protesting against killing in America here.

However, just because we don't have those problems doesn't mean we don't have other issues around race. I imagine this forum is predominantly white so it's hard for us to have much experience as to what those issues would be though.

Originally Posted by Pierre

It needs its own thread, looking at the scenes in London today, and previous days.

It’s horrific what happened to that man in the USA, and it is right to be outraged, but it didn’t happen here. Black U.K. citizens don’t need to fear being killed by the police, and before Hugh posts a load of links yes, I think it’s about 1 black person per year dies in police custody, 14 white do, but based on % population black people twice as likely .....but it’s splitting hairs as the numbers are so low anyway.

Black kids, in London especially, should be far more scared of other Black kids, than the police.

Black lives do matter, but they seem to matter less to other Black people.

If there were protests of this scale regularly, to the amount of young black kids being murdered every week in this country, I’d get behind that.

But for a person in another country, that has struggled with civil rights for longer and harder than we have. I understand coming out in solidarity, but defacing our monuments to our war dead. They’re disgusting.

I apologise in advance if I, later in the thread, raise relevant information and back them up with appropriate links.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa...

btw, I don’t think the racism in this country is as bad as the USA - but that’s not a great caveat, imho (sort of like "my drink driving isn’t as bad as my mates - he does it most nights, I only do it once or twice a month...).

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Hugh

I apologise in advance if I, later in the thread, raise relevant information and back them up with appropriate links.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa...

Pah you can prove anything with facts you know

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by Damien

However, just because we don't have those problems doesn't mean we don't have other issues around race.

No one is suggesting such, racism exists, and violence around racism exists. But such instances as Stephen Lawrence and Damilola Taylor are very rare.

Yet young black boys being killed by young black boys is all too common

That is the real issue that needs to be addressed.

I imagine this forum is predominantly white so it's hard for us to have much experience as to what those issues would be though.

Well to be fair this country is very much still “predominantly white” as of 2011 3% of the population were black ( not including other ethnicities). So based on CF membership that’s 2,860.

[mrmistoffelees]

This is a discussion that needs to be had and one that’s likely to be painful if people are prepared to examine themselves.

Whilst the levels of police brutality aren’t to the degree of the US let’s not pretend that racism isn’t a significant issue in this country.

Let’s start look at stop and search figures by ethnicity in the UK

https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures....-search/latest

Why is the rate so high for the black population?

Perhaps it's time for everyone to step up and challenge those who express racist views.Not letting family members get away with racist remarks is a start.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

This is a discussion that needs to be had and one that’s likely to be painful if people are prepared to examine themselves.

That includes the black community.

In regards to stop and search, Given the level of knife crime and Black against Black violence, I would expect it to be high.

What I would like to see is a stat that showed how many of those stops and searches led to an arrest.

If it clearly showed that these s&s are frivolous, and harassment of a demographic, I’d be the first to condemn them. But if they are yielding results and keeping the streets and people safer then I’m afraid it’s not the police that is the issue.

[Carth]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

Why is the rate so high for the black population?

Dunno mate, is there another set of crime figures somewhere that shows the chances of a black person carrying a knife (or any weapon) is 500% more than a white person carrying one?


just asking if there's a reason police are more apt to stop/search those

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by Carth

Dunno mate, is there another set of crime figures somewhere that shows the chances of a black person carrying a knife (or any weapon) is 500% more than a white person carrying one?


just asking if there's a reason police are more apt to stop/search those

Ok so the same question to both you and Pierre.

If a large amount of black youths are carrying knives. High levels of black on black crime. Why is this?

[Carth]

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

Ok so the same question to both you and Pierre.

If a large amount of black youths are carrying knives. High levels of black on black crime. Why is this?

Gangs

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by Carth

Gangs

Ok, why are they in gangs ?

Here’s my point, I don’t believe that black people are genetically predisposed to commit crime more than white, Asian or any other ethnicity.