The fascist group ‘For Britain’ together with ‘Voice of Wales’ have advertised their intention to come to our city on Saturday April 9th in order to ‘protest against the Black Lives Matter movement at the site of the plinth that once held the statue of Edward Colston’. Their leader Anne Marie Waters will attempt to make a speech from the Colston plinth attacking Black Lives Matter and calling for the Colston statue to be reinstated.
We believe this is a deliberately provocative attempt to overturn the will of the majority of residents of our city who are dismayed at the legacy of slavery symbolised by Colston. The statue is firmly placed in one of the city’s museums for all to view and reflect on the evils of slavery, the role of Colston as a leading slave trader, and the negative impact the statue has had for years in our multicultural city.
‘For Britain’ wish to spread racist poison in our city. They have no interest in preserving cultural diversity and would wish to see movements such as BLM crushed. ‘For Britain’ are led by fascists such as Anne Marie Waters, and have recently recruited the likes of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson) who has a growing criminal record for contempt and attacks on people of colour.
We call on all concerned citizens of Bristol to show their contempt for this brazen attempt by ‘For Britain’ to stir up racial hatred in the city by supporting the protest at the plinth at 11am on Saturday April 9th.
Stand Up To Racism Bristol
North Somerset National Education Union (NEU)
Bristol NEU
