News / Edward Colston
Protesters call for those who pulled down Colston’s statue not to be prosecuted
More than 150,000 people have now signed a petition calling for no prosecutions for those who pulled down the statue of Colston and threw it into the docks.
If a trial does come to court, almost £30,000 has been raised in order to pay for the defendants’ legal representation.
“If you want to prosecute anyone, prosecute that building for not representing us for so long,” said Bristol poet Lawrence Hoo, gesturing behind him to City Hall while talking at a protest on Tuesday evening against any prosecutions for the events of Saturday, June 7.
Hoo was one of around 100 protesters on College Green speaking out against any criminal investigation in an event organised by Stand Up To Racism.
The protest came on the same day as Avon & Somerset Police renewed their appeal for help identifying people as part of our investigation into the criminal damage caused to the statue.
Police still need to find 11 of the 18 people that they are looking for. Six of those identified have voluntarily attended a police station to be interviewed.
A 24-year-old man from Eastleigh in Hampshire was arrested and since released under investigation. A 27-year-old man was also arrested last week but later released with no further action taken.
Detective superintendent Liz Hughes said: “We fully appreciate the incident continues to divide public opinion and we’d like to once again reassure everyone we’re carrying out a thorough, fair and proportionate investigation and the whole range of criminal justice outcomes remain available to us in relation to those responsible for causing the damage.”
Hughes said that the police continue to liaise regularly with the Crown Prosecution Service and Bristol City Council, who provided an evidential statement at their request.
Main photo by Martin Booth
Read more: Countering Colston group calls for Merchant Venturers to be disbanded
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