[News] British Police

[beorhthelm]

I’m not anti-police in the slightest but police tactics used in such situations often determine whether tensions are escalated or de-escalated between protestors and the police. The kind of harsher responses that many seem to cry out for, only result in more violence. The BLM protests started peacefully by all accounts and only turned violent when police started kettling and charging at protestors on horseback, resulting in injured protestors and officers. The questions is, was that sort of response necessary when the protests had been, up until that point, peaceful.

kettling and sending horses in are different response, the second follows an escalation because the containment of first has been breached. by all means the kettling may cause escalation, but only from those intent to escalate, many protests do not go that way. and to add, there wasnt a "charge" was there? just their presence to block path.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

It's obviously a difficult job and easy to criticize with hindsight but I wonder what the Met Police officers coming under attack yesterday thought of their Avon and Somerset colleagues standing back and watching criminal activity going unchecked for 83 minutes in Bristol. The 'Police intervention would make it worse' line seems a bit of a convenient cop out. It reminds me of Police tactics used in the 2011 London riots where inaction seemed to encourage more people to break the law.

 

[The Wizard]

According to people I know who were there, it turned violent when police started to kettle protestors, a tactic that almost always ends in scuffles between protestors and police. From there it escalated by the account so I’ve been told and have read. I have no reason to doubt their trustworthiness, but I am cautious about the narrative often played out in the press.

There were no police on horseback at the first protest, that was the second one. The police should just have let them into Downing Street then? It’s all caught on camera, and even if it wasn’t what choice would the police have at that point. It’s clear both groups have people who are looking for trouble, we have EDL pea brains and people who use the BLM to incite riots/looting and assault police.

Both are unacceptable, and both should have been outlawed during a pandemic. Instead Khan and others sent in a severely outnumbered and ill equipped police force and then made excuses for the chaos, let’s be honest after the first BLM protest happened and unarmed police were assaulted by the minority and the authorities did nothing, you could see this shitstorm coming a mile off, it was only ever going to end in anarchy and people having no respect for the authorities.

 

[drew]

police have a cunning strategy of keeping a distance, protecting bystanders, then using CCTV to knock on doors in the following weeks.

we could live with a more para-military police like elsewhere, were the first sign of trouble its cracking heads, tear gas, baton rounds. this doesnt really stop the trouble though.

Need to make better decisions though. 3 stabbings and a rape suggest the public weren't being protected when the Police stood back from the rave in Manchester.

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

With you on the highlighted and amended bit.....cant agree on the all accounts bit....seen and heard enough to think otherwise ..I think the police (from what I have seen) re these protests have been incredibly tolerant

I agree. Nationwide the police have done a great job and allowed protestors to peacefully go about their business. What happened in London, both at the BLM protests and yesterday, however was horrible to watch. I had friends who were there (at the BLM protests) who tell a very different story to that of the press and, whilst I admit there will of course be bias and perspective to account for, I have no reason to doubt their trustworthiness. I don’t condone the violence, I merely question whether the response was proportionate.

 

[carlzeiss]

Have to say that when ever I've had my collar felt it was thoroughly deserved and that the rozzers acted impeccably .

 

[LamieRobertson]

Have to say that when ever I've had my collar felt it was thoroughly deserved and that the rozzers acted impeccably .

You get many in Amazonia?

 

[Justice]

[/B]

And he is of course quite right -just that the parents are often as bad and don't take responsibility for their little darlings. All too often in my teaching career, I was met with a denial of all problems, assuming it was the school's fault, or the statement that he/she is fine at home . .By their standards he/she probably is!

Goves daughter tweeting she can’t get to see her dealer during lockdown

 

[Springal]

Need to make better decisions though. 3 stabbings and a rape suggest the public weren't being protected when the Police stood back from the rave in Manchester.

No way police are going to go into a gathering of 3000 people like that. Would be carnage. Just wait for them to wear themselves out and kill the power during day light. It’s terrible what has happened but anyone going to illegal raves / squat raves knows the risks of scum bags. Same as in the 90s.

Was in the press last week after a Forest rave in Liverpool full of lads with machetes

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

kettling and sending horses in are different response, the second follows an escalation because the containment of first has been breached. by all means the kettling may cause escalation, but only from those intent to escalate, many protests do not go that way. and to add, there wasnt a "charge" was there? just their presence to block path.

As someone who has been kettled during a protest on more than one occasion, I think it’s a huge assumption that tensions are only escalated by those wanting a scrap. There are several videos circulating of the police on horseback charging at protestors, whether to disperse, to intimidate, I can’t say. Ultimately it lead an officer and a protestor needing medical attention.

 

[Stat Brother]

Thanks for the reply. I respectfully disagree but also hope the mods will take action when racism is reported.

How many racist posts have you personally reported, to the mods, over the last week or so?

 

[Stat Brother]

So glad someone said what you just said.

Not only was Swansman's Ban inappropriate but he raised issues which could have been discussed because the Police in this country have acted questionably in the past in this Country.

People rounded in on him like a pack of wolves. I think Swansman gets a raw deal on here sometimes.

Some of his posts can be a wee bit off the wall occasionally but he doesn't come across as an evil or wicked person.

He said Horsham was the best town in Sussex.

 

[The Wizard]

As someone who has been kettled during a protest on more than one occasion, I think it’s a huge assumption that tensions are only escalated by those wanting a scrap. There are several videos circulating of the police on horseback charging at protestors, whether to disperse, to intimidate, I can’t say. Ultimately it lead an officer and a protestor needing medical attention.

Well no, what led to a police officer needing ‘medical attention’ was one of the ‘peaceful’ protesters throwing a bike at a horse. And what led to the violence yesterday was the police soft hand approach to threats against national monuments that rightly evoke a lot of emotion in people, some of those people just happen to be EDL thugs and bandits who went there looking for a scrap.

 

[Arkwright]

I don't blame the police it's their customer's I blame !

 

[BN41Albion]

British police are the envy of the world because they prioritise public safety above all.

Of course they are not perfect, but who would want to live in a country where the police approach crimes with all guns blazing... literally, in many parts of the world.

Yeah, we do have excellent police in this country (nowadays) compared to many, many other countries. Most police are very decent folk in this country, for a start, and are very approachable, and often humorous. You don't find that in too many countries.

 

[beorhthelm]

As someone who has been kettled during a protest on more than one occasion, I think it’s a huge assumption that tensions are only escalated by those wanting a scrap. There are several videos circulating of the police on horseback charging at protestors, whether to disperse, to intimidate, I can’t say. Ultimately it lead an officer and a protestor needing medical attention.

as have i. and i didnt say those who want a scrap, the fact is a prostest will only escalate if people want it to. people taking masks (pre-covid), fireworks, flares, ready to throw things, isnt normal peaceful behaviour.
the incident with the horses was not a charge, it was horses walking not even a cantor. the horse bolts reacting to something. the crowd having seen that then attack the mounted police surrounding the fallen rider. go ahead and defend that.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

There were no police on horseback at the first protest, that was the second one. The police should just have let them into Downing Street then? It’s all caught on camera, and even if it wasn’t what choice would the police have at that point. It’s clear both groups have people who are looking for trouble, we have EDL pea brains and people who use the BLM to incite riots/looting and assault police.

Both are unacceptable, and both should have been outlawed during a pandemic. Instead Khan and others sent in a severely outnumbered and ill equipped police force and then made excuses for the chaos, let’s be honest after the first BLM protest happened and unarmed police were assaulted by the minority and the authorities did nothing, you could see this shitstorm coming a mile off, it was only ever going to end in anarchy and people having no respect for the authorities.

Don't be a tit.

It's just 'others'.

Khan doesn't direct day to day ops at the met

 

[Springal]

Bloody Khan too - his fault for the London riots in 2011. Soft touch

 

[Weststander]

As someone who has been kettled during a protest on more than one occasion, I think it’s a huge assumption that tensions are only escalated by those wanting a scrap. There are several videos circulating of the police on horseback charging at protestors, whether to disperse, to intimidate, I can’t say. Ultimately it lead an officer and a protestor needing medical attention.

The Independent give a running commentary of the Saturday 6th June 2020 protests and violence.

The trouble began at 5.45 with bottles thrown at the police. The protestors had been given a free rein throughout to march to the Home Office and US Embassy. The police only started moving the thugs back at 7.00. Not a mention of kettling throughout the preceding hours.

Sadiq Khan summed it up when he said the violent minority of protestors had let everyone else down, detracting from a very important message.

 

[Eeyore]

Bloody Khan too - his fault for the London riots in 2011. Soft touch

It's also clear now that he was to blame for the Blitz, the plague, and his easing of health and safety regulations led to the Great Fire as well.