Extinction Rebellion Bristol have spoken out about the Colston statue falling and what they think should now happen to it.
On the day of the protest, Chay Harwood, a rebel and activist of mixed heritage for Extinction Rebellion reflected on the day of the Black Lives Matter protest.
He described how “powerful speakers shared their experiences of racism in the UK and implored black, brown and white allies to acknowledge the historic and systemic racial injustices on which the British empire was forged.”
A day after the Edward Colston statue had been toppled, Extinction Rebellion Bristol retweeted their support for a crowdfunding page helping with the legal fees of the Bristol protesters.
The crowdfunding page can be found here and raises money for protesters who were at the Black Lives Matter march who can not afford legal fees.
So far it has raised £26,928 which is above the initial target of £20,000.
The crowdfunding page also mentions that "the low employment rates are truthfully the reason we’re doing this. As we don’t want anyone to have an unfair trial.
"With the remaining money we’re looking to create a space for BAME youth the practice performance art such as poetry/ slam poetry."
Most recently, Extinction Rebellion Bristol has supported the move for the Edward Colston statue to be moved and put on display in a museum.
They tweeted: "Although we’re sad Colston wasn’t left to soak for a few more days, we are pleased that M Shed Bristol intend to display it with red paint in tact. Their history of Bristol #protest exhibition is well worth a visit, once it’s safe, inc #busboycott & #suffragettes."
