Black Lives Matter: Handful of ‘counter-protesters’ boo at St Andrew Square demonstration

The group of men booed anti-racism protesters at the foot of the Melville Monument.

A small group of “counter-protesters” have gathered to heckle a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square.

The group of around 20 men, who called themselves “A Force for Good” booed the anti-racism demonstrators, who have gathered in the city centre square in their hundreds to demand the removal of the statue of Henry Dundas, which stands at the top of the Melville Monument.

Describing themselves as “British patriots”, A Force For Good say they plan to protect historic statues from being pulled down across the country.

A small group of “counter-protesters” have gathered to heckle a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Edinburgh’s St Andrew Square.

Dundas, a 19th Century politician, is infamous for his work to delay the abolition of slavery, and has become a focus of debates around historic racism in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Black Lives Matter protesters want the removal of his statue, and have demanded wider reforms to tackle structural racism in Scotland.

Speakers at the demonstration have included Dundee-born poet Fadeke Kokumo Rocks, and author Irvine Welsh.

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