Boris Johnson urges public to avoid 'hijacked' black lives matter protests

Winston Churchills statue boarded up ahead of protests

PM believes protesters 'not focusing on the better side of protests'

Boris Johnson has urged people to "stay away" from protests this weekend - saying they had been "hijacked by extremists."

Black Lives Matter organisers cancelled a planned protest in London's Hyde Park this weekend over fears it would be hijacked by far-right groups.

Mr Johnson, who has frequently been criticised for using racially charged language and offensive terms in articles and speeches, admitted there is "much work to do" in fighting racism.

And Mr Johnson admitted some of Winston Churchill's opinions were "unacceptable" - but says we "cannot edit our past".

In a Twitter thread, the Prime Minister defended his predecessor as a "hero."

A protective box has been erected around the statue of Churchill in Parliament Square, while scaffolding and boards were put up around the Cenotaph after the monuments were targeted last weekend.

Mr Johnson wrote: "It is absurd and shameful that this national monument should today be at risk of attack by violent protestors.

"Yes, he sometimes expressed opinions that were and are unacceptable to us today, but he was a hero, and he fully deserves his memorial.

"We cannot now try to edit or censor our past. We cannot pretend to have a different history."

There have been widespread calls for statues of historical figures who profited from slavery and espoused racist views to be removed, after a statue of slaver Edward Colston was torn down last week.

Mr Johnson said: "The statues in our cities and towns were put up by previous generations

"They had different perspectives, different understandings of right and wrong. But those statues teach us about our past, with all its faults.

"To tear them down would be to lie about our history, and impoverish the education of generations to come."

Source: News agencies

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 Ways to identify an OAU International relations student

 By Lawal Shereef The noble department of International relations in OAU has long been a hotbed for future diplomats in Nigeria as it is one of the few departments which offers pure International relations in the country. The department which produces Graduates trained to take on 'internationally' designated posts/jobs can boast of producing countless numbers of now-successful  men/women in their respective fields. Meanwhile,successive sets of students have evolved an image for the department,setting trends which are now consistent with that of the discipline itself.  We will be discussing these tendencies which can be easily attested to by both past and current students of the department; They ' hate ' mathematics   This might be the most glaring trait of an OAU International relations student. IR students are OAU-wide renowned for their dislike for Social sciences courses,SSC 105 & 106. This can be noticed in their deliberate absence in 'SSC' classes,their...
Read more

Stages all OAU International relations students can't deny

Image
Lawal Shereef  Being a student of International relations at the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University is a flex on its own but it has some hidden behind the scenes feelings and headaches that comes with it but is usually ignored. Join us on this adventure to uncover them; When you searching for schools offering International relations before JAMB When you are finally admitted When you resume and everyone is hyping your course You in part 1 You after taking courses in the humanities/Faculty of Arts You wondering how OAU exams will be for the first time READ MORE!!;  10 ways to identify an OAU International relations student Your friends at home when you start bragging about OAU and you being a Diplomat in the making in the only public Uni that offers pure IR in Nigeria You when your friend hails you but you just calculated your GP After facing the Almighty Social Scienc...
Read more

BOOK REVIEW "The psychology of money"

Image
"The psychology of money"by Morgan Housel        The book is a captivating exploration of the complex relationship between our minds and money. Housel brings to limelight the psychological biases and behaviors that influence our financial decisions, offering insights that are both practical and profound. He discusses how our emotions, instincts, and past experiences shape our attitudes towards money, often leading to irrational choices and unexpected outcomes.      One key theme in the book is the importance of understanding the difference between being rich and being wealthy. Housel argues that true wealth is not just about having a large bank account, but rather about achieving financial security and freedom. He emphasizes the value of investing in experiences, relationships, and personal growth, rather than just accumulating material possessions.       Another highlight is Housel's exploration of the concept of risk and uncertainty in...
Read more