Bristol city’s record in tackling racism and inequality has been defended by the UK’s first elected black mayor following the acquittal of the so-called Colston Four for toppling the statue of slave trader, Edward Colston.
Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees said there should be a focus on “real, substantial systemic change,” rather than “symbolic acts.”
Speaking on Sky News on Sunday, Mr Rees said the outcome of the trial itself does not touch on the “very real and immediate issues” of race inequality in Bristol.
The Colston Four:
Accused of illegally removing a statue of Edward Colston, Sage Willoughby, Rhian Graham, Milo Ponsford and Jake Skuse were cleared of criminal damage by a jury after a monument to the 17th Century slave trader was pulled down and thrown into Bristol’s harbourside in June 2020.
Following the result, Mr Skuse issued a statement criticising Bristol Council saying “it is shameful that Bristol City Council did not take down the statue of slaver Edward Colston that had caused such offence to people in Bristol and equally shameful that they then supported the prosecution of these defendants.”
Speaking to Sky’s Trevor Phillips, Mr Rees said “in the lives of the four individuals, it is incredibly significant because their futures faced a bit of a fork in the road in some ways.”
“Make no mistake about it, I don’t like the idea of the statue being up in the middle of the city and I’m glad it’s not there,” he said.
“I think that the debate around our history, who we choose to celebrate as a country, is important.
“At the same time, symbolic acts, while they are important, if they begin to take the place of acts of political and economic policy and real substance become a problem.” He continued to say that not all anti-racism work is done with a “banner and a t-shirt and a megaphone.”
Shifting the debate:
The mayor’s policy agenda on racism has rung true with these sentiments. On his election in 2016 he set up Bristol’s Commission on Race Equality (CoRE), which throughout his tenure has conducted research and taken policy recommendations to the Mayor’s Office. With a particular focus on education, employment, and health, the Commission has been a significant driving force in the council’s approach to tackling racial inequality across the city. In addition to this, the council has reviewed its own internal policies with its own ‘Advancing Equality and Inclusion Report’.
With the widespread public attention around the toppling of the statue, shifting the debate towards pragmatic and effective policy interventions from the council will not be easy. In debates that can often be so emotive, the important policy work that is being done can often get lost in public discourse. However, with the trial concluded, and CoRE’s work ongoing, the Mayor may stand a better chance of shifting attention back to the areas of ‘real substance’.
