Let's talk about protests as this week comes to an end...
As an independent writer, journalist, broadcaster, since 2015 I've been writing and reporting extensively about Bristol's tradition of protests and activism. First as a foreign journalist, in French and English for French, German, Canadian and American media, such as Radio France Internationale, France24, the Public Art Review, Nouveau Projet, Socialter and Deutsche Welle.
I've documented past event through interviews with local historians, artists and activists, including Robert Del Naja from Massive Attack, graffiti artist Inkie, Dr Edson Burton, Councillor Cleo Lake, Dr Shawn Sobers and many more, notably for my book about Bristol's music, art and activism.
I'm currently conducting more research on the media coverage of protests, from the 1960s to our days, with a strong focus on the 1980s, the mid-2000s, the 2011 protests, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the events of the past 12 months. In the UK but also France and the USA.
I recently wrote about the toppling of the Colston Statue, the Anti-racist protests in Bristol and education, the Students' Rent Strike, NHS workers' demands for pay rise and other issues.
After following the recent protests here in the city, discussing them with protests, other news producers, activists and students involved in the movement, and while reading reading multiple reports, it remains quite clear that these few days' protests in Bristol have been mostly peaceful.
But did the media coverage reflect that fact? Online media have largely displayed photos of police vans in flames and used headlines such as 'Bristol Burns', instead of detailing the facts.
Yet the public shouldn't have to look too much into the sensationalist images from - mostly - freelance photographers enamoured with the glamour of close shots on 20-max rioters at night. And the media should be more careful about clickbait posts and zoom-in, as they focus mostly on fire and brutality.
The consequences of such coverage is an increasing discredit of these legitimate protests against a bill attacking our rights... to defend our rights.
Representation of the protests matters. And especially in such case that concern all of us.
I've been lecturing a class on the matter of visual journalism and representation to students since December 2019, at the University of the West of England.
In this case, the protests against the "Police and Crime Sentences" Bill are legitimate and will go on.
More protests took place on Friday 26 March, again, peacefully. But the media has betrayed part of the reality, even local media here in Bristol.
This should be corrected and serve as a lesson in good journalism.
Another issue that shouldn't be forgotten or overlooked is: Safety for women, which sparks this affair... Where is the coverage about that matter?
Bristol has a long history of protesting for the good of us all and that shouldn't be undermined by a few extremists or the police's response. I've lengthily detailed part of that history in my book, such as the Old Market Riots, the Bristol Bus Boycott in 1963, and St Paul's Uprising in 1980 and 1986.
But what is a book compared to free online content in these days?
In my exchanges with fellow Bristolians, filmmaker friends, news producers, broadcast journalism students and podcasters, this worry hasn't faded away for now.
So I hope a few more days of reflection, as the protests grow and rally more supports, will resonate further from here.
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