So an independent investigation into the toppling of the statue has come down on the side of the Police for not doing what they should have done and that was arrest as many idiots as possible and disperse the rest. The City Council were also involved beforehand, with the Police, and between them decided that it wasn't necessary to protect the statue.
It says -
An independent investigation has found that it was "difficult" for police to predict that a statue would be pulled down during a protest in Bristol.
A report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said the toppling of statues was a "very rare occurrence".
Avon and Somerset Police welcomed the "fair and measured" report.
YES I BET THEY DID !!!
HMICFRS investigated the force's handling of the Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol last summer as part of a wider report commissioned by the Home Secretary into how effectively the police manage demonstrations.
"Without intelligence to suggest the protesters' intentions, it would have been difficult to predict that the statue would be pulled down. In the UK, this is a very rare occurrence," they said.
Inspectors said that police contacted Bristol City Council on 5 June to alert them to the possibility of damage to the statue, asking them to consider measures to protect it.
The council said that a decision had been taken at an online strategic co-ordinating group meeting, also involving the police, on the day before the protest that it was not necessary to protect the statue.
The HMICFRS inspectors said: "It is clear that, even in the absence of any intelligence to indicate that the Colston statue was going to be attacked, the multi-agency strategic group did consider the possibility of graffiti.
"Police attendees at the meeting told us that they weighed up the risks of what they thought may be minor damage to the statue against the risk of provoking major disorder by covering it up.
"The police received a lot of criticism on social media and in the press following the damage to the statue. Having examined the facts, we don't believe this criticism was fully justified."
WTAF ??
It also said police could have made stronger representations to the council to protect the statue by, for example, boarding it up.
The report stated that at a multi-agency debrief held after the protest, it was noted that pulling down the statue had not been a spontaneous act, as ropes had been brought to the location.
Inspectors praised Chief Constable Andy Marsh's comments to the media in the aftermath of the protest, calling them "measured and sensible".
Mr Marsh said at the time that intervening to arrest suspects was likely to have led to injuries to suspects and officers, as well as a potentially "very violent confrontation with the police that could have had serious ramifications for the city of Bristol and beyond".
He welcomed the findings of the report, adding: "I whole-heartedly believe the command team made the right decisions on the day in extremely unique circumstances."
WELL THERE YOU HAVE IT, THE PERFECT NO BLAME OUTCOME WE SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED
The Chief of Avon & Somerset Police and the Mayor should be sacked over their inactions.
It says -
An independent investigation has found that it was "difficult" for police to predict that a statue would be pulled down during a protest in Bristol.
A report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said the toppling of statues was a "very rare occurrence".
Avon and Somerset Police welcomed the "fair and measured" report.
YES I BET THEY DID !!!
HMICFRS investigated the force's handling of the Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol last summer as part of a wider report commissioned by the Home Secretary into how effectively the police manage demonstrations.
"Without intelligence to suggest the protesters' intentions, it would have been difficult to predict that the statue would be pulled down. In the UK, this is a very rare occurrence," they said.
Inspectors said that police contacted Bristol City Council on 5 June to alert them to the possibility of damage to the statue, asking them to consider measures to protect it.
The council said that a decision had been taken at an online strategic co-ordinating group meeting, also involving the police, on the day before the protest that it was not necessary to protect the statue.
The HMICFRS inspectors said: "It is clear that, even in the absence of any intelligence to indicate that the Colston statue was going to be attacked, the multi-agency strategic group did consider the possibility of graffiti.
"Police attendees at the meeting told us that they weighed up the risks of what they thought may be minor damage to the statue against the risk of provoking major disorder by covering it up.
"The police received a lot of criticism on social media and in the press following the damage to the statue. Having examined the facts, we don't believe this criticism was fully justified."
WTAF ??
It also said police could have made stronger representations to the council to protect the statue by, for example, boarding it up.
The report stated that at a multi-agency debrief held after the protest, it was noted that pulling down the statue had not been a spontaneous act, as ropes had been brought to the location.
Inspectors praised Chief Constable Andy Marsh's comments to the media in the aftermath of the protest, calling them "measured and sensible".
Mr Marsh said at the time that intervening to arrest suspects was likely to have led to injuries to suspects and officers, as well as a potentially "very violent confrontation with the police that could have had serious ramifications for the city of Bristol and beyond".
He welcomed the findings of the report, adding: "I whole-heartedly believe the command team made the right decisions on the day in extremely unique circumstances."
WELL THERE YOU HAVE IT, THE PERFECT NO BLAME OUTCOME WE SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED
The Chief of Avon & Somerset Police and the Mayor should be sacked over their inactions.
