 A police force has been caught in a race row after launching a competition to name one of its horses after black civic heroes. Avon and Somerset Police had intended to rename the animal as part of the city's 60th anniversary commemorations of the Bristol Bus Boycott. But the competition, which has now been withdrawn, sparked an angry backlash from the black community. In a petition calling it to be scrapped, Black Think Tank UK wrote: 'We reject police officers riding our black heroes!' They labelled the competition, which was to rename trainee PH Brutus, as divisive, and warned it could put added strain on relations between the police and the black community. A spokesperson for the campaign against it said: 'We know of no black hero that wanted to be ridden by a police officer.' Avon and Somerset Police have now apologised and said it did not intend to cause any offence. Individuals and schools across the city had been invited to vote in the online poll, from September 11 for four weeks, choosing their favourite name. They sought permission from the families of the pioneers to include names PH Hackett, PH Bailey, PH Henry, PH Prince, PH Audley, PH Singh, PH Barbara and PH Norman. The petition stated: 'Can you imagine the outrage and indignation that would erupt if the Montgomery police dared to disgrace the legacy of Rosa Parks by naming a police horse after her?' It added: 'By signing this petition and sharing it widely, we aim to send a message that true progress requires substantive change, not just symbolic gestures. 'We, the undersigned, believe in the importance of honouring black heroes and their contributions to society. 'However, we feel that naming a police horse after one of these heroes falls short of meaningful recognition in our culture. 'While gestures can be well-intentioned, we believe it is crucial to address the deeper issues of historic racial inequality in poli){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
A police force has been caught in a race row after launching a competition to name one of its horses after black civic heroes.
Avon and Somerset Police had intended to rename the animal as part of the city’s 60th anniversary commemorations of the Bristol Bus Boycott.
But the competition, which has now been withdrawn, sparked an angry backlash from the black community.
In a petition calling it to be scrapped, Black Think Tank UK wrote: ‘We reject police officers riding our black heroes!’