Should Bristol24/7 have published police-issued photos of Colston protesters?

Many Bristol24/7 readers have criticised us for publishing photos of 15 people who police want to speak to as they investigate the toppling of Edward Colston’s statue.

A criminal investigation is now underway with police wanting to speak to 18 people, and releasing photos of 15 of these to the media.

Bristol24/7 readers have been vocal in their criticism for us in reporting this latest development in a news story that has made headlines across the world.

“This is not remotely in the public interest,” wrote one reader on Twitter.

“DON’T BE A DIRTY GRASS. Take this down, should be ashamed of yourselves,” tweeted another reader.

The police did not receive any complaints from Bristol City Council, the owners of the statue, that a crime had been committed, instead asking the council to provide an “evidential statement” on what damage was caused to it.

“I cannot condone criminal damage,” Bristol mayor Marvin Rees told the New York Times in the days after the statue was pulled off its plinth and thrown into the docks.

“But also, as the descendant of Jamaicans who were enslaved at some point, and this man was a slaver, I won’t deny that the statue was an affront to me.”

Just over two weeks after the day the statue was toppled amid jubilant scenes, police published 15 photos of people they would like to speak to.

Detective superintendent Liz Hughes said that because a crime has been reported, they are “duty-bound to investigate this without fear or favour”.

She said: “I’d like to reassure people we’re carrying out a thorough, fair and proportionate investigation and have sought early investigative advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).”

It is now up to the CPS to decide what should happen next.

If there is a criminal trial, a representative from the city council might have to stand up in court to say that criminal damage has occurred against the Grade II-listed statue, which had stood in the city centre for 125 years.

Lawyers from across the UK have already promised to represent free of charge anybody brought to trial for damaging the statue.

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Read more: Who actually owns Edward Colston’s statue?

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“I’m really disappointed in Bristol24/7. Why is this being posted?” said Cath Greig on Twitter.

“It is not in the public interest to prosecute,” tweeted @Debbiesplace65.

On Facebook, Liv Kelly said that the people who tore down the statue “did an incredible thing. They should only be wanted to be celebrated!”

Grant Wells-Cockburn added: “No sympathy for the police. They could have stopped it at the time, but chose not to, now long after the event they want the public to do what they should have done. No way.”

Bristol24/7 Editor Martin Booth said: “I think that the people who pulled down the statue of Edward Colston should have their names commemorated on a plaque next to where it is eventually put on display.

“They undertook a heroic act of civic duty after decades of inaction by successive political administrations who did nothing to remove this statue of a notorious slave trader from the centre of our city.

“We took the decision to publish this police appeal because it is our job as a news organisation to tell the truth, not hide it from our readers.

“I hope that if these people ever do face a criminal trial, a jury of their fellow Bristolians will be able to see the historic justifications of their actions.”

Main photo by Harry Pugsley

Read more: Restoring Colston’s statue – graffiti, bike tyre and all