"Whilst I am disappointed … I do understand why it’s happened"
Supt Andy Bennett from @ASPolice on the toppling of the Edward Colston statue… pic.twitter.com/eWYL3CPt5c
— BBC West Live (@BBCBristol) June 7, 2020
Sorry but Chief Constable Andy Bennett was absolutely right to leave the protestors last week alone as they torn down the statute of Edward Colston.
Any kind of confrontation would have ended up in something far worst. Can you even imagine the police standing in the way of protesters defending a slave owner!
No, Andy Bennett showed incredible cultural intelligence. No matter what anyone else says.
“To arrest suspects would likely to lead to injuries to suspects, injuries to officers, and people who were not involved in damaging property being thrown into a very violent confrontation with the police that could have had serious ramifications for the city of Bristol and beyond,” Mr Marsh said.
“Can you imagine scenes of police in Bristol fighting with protesters who were damaging the statue of a man who is reputed to have gathered much of his fortune through the slave trade?
“I think there would have been very serious implications and whilst I certainly do not condone crime or damage of any sort, I fully support the actions of my officers.