Protests & Counter Protests
Posted August 2024
Thursday 8th August 2024
One of my dearest friends sent me a newspaper article today. The article was about the counter protests that have been taking place in different cities across the country. What follows are my reflections, my response to these counter protests.
There is a part of me that is incredibly moved by the coming together of thousands in the face of the ugliness we have seen over the last few weeks. That we have come together to say that the white supremacy fuelled violence does not represent us, is not about us, is not who we are. And in the face of such blatant Islamophobia, xenophobia and racism, of humanity at it’s worst, the coming together to say ‘not in my name’ has been a sight to behold.
And then there’s an utterly enraged part of me. This part of me, this cynical part of me, feels like we have been here before…many times before.
George Floyd was murdered in the USA 4 years ago and everyone was (rightly) outraged. There was so much talk about institutional racism and the ongoing legacy of slavery in the UK…and lots of outrage and indignation.
Racism did not end in the UK because of some black squares appearing in media posts nor because a few statues of dead white dudes were pulled down.
The cynical part of me wonders; if people’s property had not been destroyed and their lives inconvenienced because….they couldn’t go to Shoezone, would we even be here? Would people have really counterprotested?
Let me be very clear. These riots did not come out of nowhere. Where were you 3 weeks ago, 3 months ago, 3 years ago? Where were you when your friends, relatives, colleagues, neighbours and strangers were spouting racist shit. Did you shut them down then, or worry more about not making things awkward or causing offence? And what will happen next week, in 3 months, 3 years time? What exactly do we think has fundamentally changed?
Not for a moment do I trust that the UK majority, suddenly so affronted, has become anti-racist. Possibly less non-racist, but not anti-racist. I can’t afford to, turns out my life literally depends on it.
So whilst my fear for my physical safety will eventually recede (I hope), a life time of rage, caused by knowing how the majority has allowed this to happen….again…will not. A lifetime of rage caused by knowing that until we know that racism is not just the use of the N word or the P word or any other word for that matter. When personally and collectively we understand that racism requires ‘prejudice, power & privilege’ (Acho, E, 2021) to exist and ferment and when personally and collectively we understand that we all have the capacity to be racist and are doing the work on ourselves to address that, then and only then will I become joyful at the thought of counter protests. Why? Because they will be backed up by something other than affront and not underpinned by 'nice racism'.
