NWN-18062020

NEWBURY NEWS LETTERS

Thursday, June 18, 2020 16

Newbury Weekly News

Your views POST : Newspaper House, Faraday Road, Newbury, RG14 2AD EMAIL editor@newburynews.co.uk talk to us Email letters to editor@newburynews.co.uk with your full name, a terrestrial address and daytime phone number. DEADLINE: MONDAY NOON

Racism ca’tnbe ignored, it must be stamped out I READ with interest the story headlined ‘Black Lives Matter peaceful protests to rally in Newbury’ ( Newbury Weekly News , June 11). I am appalled by the killing of 46-year- old African American George Floyd, an act of senseless police brutality and racism in full view of distressed ordinary citizens capturing the whole incident on their mobiles (May 25, Minneapolis, Minnesota). It’s shocking that it’s still happening in the 21st century. Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, George Floyd’s death sparked powerful protests in towns and cities around the world, with huge crowds of ordinary citizens taking to the streets protesting against police brutality and racism – Black Lives Matter. The protests are no longer limited to African Americans, as seen in the civil rights movement. People from all races, age and gender have joined the protests. This is a historic moment and already change is occurring. Americans are facing the hardest times ever. Worse than the great depression. The highest coronavirus pandemic deaths in the world, shocking unemployment rates, benefits that won’t even feed a family and no medical healthcare for those who lost their jobs. Americans continue to protest regardless of the threats to their safety. Everyone involved in the protests,

I was disgusted by man urinating in shop door I ASSUME all towns and cities closed their public toilets. I read in another paper that someone said that the toilets should stay open with an attendant keeping them clean and letting one in and out at a time. I agree on this one as I was down town walking up to the Clock Tower on Friday afternoon at 2pm. I saw a chap cross the road into the door of a shop that I knew was closed. As I passed this chap he was doing up his zip and when he had gone I saw he had urinated down the wall. What a filthy thing to do. KEITH HAINES Poplar Place Newbury What is the make of this car on a postcard? I HAVE found this postcard and would like to know if any one can identify the make and model of this car. Registration 386 PA. DR COLLOFF Kintbury

Will we punish Italians for Roman occupation? WITH the current obsessions with the issues of slavery and Brexit, I am keen to know what action will be taken against Italy for the imposition of slavery upon Britons during the Roman occupation from 43AD to 410AD. That period far exceeds the agonising delays over Brexit, so now that we are following the Farage scheme to avoid, where possible, all contact with our European neighbours, can we be assured that further retributive actions, such as banning holidays in Italy, rejection of the Roman Catholic Church, closure of all Italian restaurants, banning Italian wines, pasta and other goods and services as well as the total destruction of all archaeological evidence and records will be swiftly brought about? NM DALTON Ball Hill Shameful to target the Cenotaph Union Flag CAN any sane person, civilian or military, think of a greater insult to this nation of ours than the despicable, shameful and appalling attempt to burn the Union Flag on London’s Whitehall Cenotaph? So much for ‘The Glorious Dead’. ALLAN MERCADO (ex-RAF) Lower Raymonds Newbury

including in our local towns and cities, despite the high risk of contracting the deadly virus, demonstrates how sickened people are of institutional racism. Racism can’t be ignored, it needs to be stamped out. JEANNETTE SCHAEL Crookham Close Tadley Proud of Newybuforr two peaceful protests HAVING seen the various protests over the last couple of weeks on the national stage, it makes me proud to live in Newbury, seeing the well-organised, social distanced and peaceful, (despite the attempt of the few to disrupt) protests held over Friday and Saturday. Credit is due to the organisers, the participants and the police. There are a couple of key reminders the protests bring; a reminder of the right and privilege of freedom of speech and expression that we all enjoy in this country, a privilege hard fought over generations and by many social groups, and these protests seek to remind of the continuing fight to ensure this right is equal and remains for all. The protests also serve as a reminder that racism (and many forms of discrimination) is still a threat to our way of life, and we all must work hard to ensure that it’s eradicated and that all our children, and all future generations, are educated on our historical past, and the struggles people

have had to overcome in the name of equality and freedom. Education is key to ensuring an equal, liberal, accepting and safe society to be

enjoyed by everyone. STUART GOURLEY Speen

Moving and thought- provoking BLM protests I WOULD like to thank the small group of individuals who organised the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Newbury over the weekend. I attended the event in Victoria Park on Saturday which I found both moving and thought-provoking. Listening to the testimonies of men, women and a wonderfully impressive 10-year-old girl of how frequently unconscious racism had blighted their lives must have affected everyone there. A few weeks ago I and my fellow West Berkshire Council ward councillor received an email from a young person suggesting that in order to combat racism in our society we needed to include this in our schools National Curriculum. The dreadful events in the US have lead to a renewed awareness of racism in our own society. But rather than agonising over the past, tearing down statues, let us direct our energies toward the future and how we can change our world for the better. MARTHA VICKERS District councillor, Central Ward, Newbury

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INSIDE: A colour-in rainbow page to thank our wonderful NHS staff

See page 8

TOGETHER WE’LL BEAT CORONAVIRUS

Confusion as police stop people driving for walks

Woman drove five times the limit ‘to visit a friend’ A DRINK-driver has been charged for flouting new restriction of movement rules. Officers from Newbury arrested the woman, aged in her 20s, on suspicion of drink-driving on Saturday. Tests showed that she was five times the legal limit. Posting on social media, Thames Valley Police said the woman told offi- cers that she was driving to visit a friend

Force chiefs are told motorists should not be punished for driving reasonable distance to exercise