Germany-Netherlands game 'canceled for security reasons'

[Wrong-Direction]

So France have nearly twice as many police as us. How many would they need to have to stop such an attack?

I meant the fact we have no weapons or the majority of coppers don't.

 

[portlock seagull]

I hate that I feel like this, but I can't help feeling you're right.

Look at Cameron's speech the other day. He knows that his Government have made their bed with the cuts to public spending, and he can't lose face by making a u-turn now. I read what he said as "Hey, it's going to happen, and we're not going to risk looking stupid by changing our minds on cutting back on police and the military and the security services. So look after yourselves, people, be vigilant, and do the work that you thought you were paying taxes for. And remember: it's not the Government's fault! It's those ISIS *******s!".

Alright, he chucked a bit of money at MI5 & MI6 as a token gesture to make it look like he was actually reacting to events. But that's massively shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

I am a cynic of course. But experience, age or even call it wisdom (!) teaches you so. Our politicians have proven time and again they're self serving and almost the polar opposite of who you want leading in a crisis. Something changed, it wasn't all roses in the past but I can't help feeling public duty and moral compasses held more sway amongst the political class of yesteryear. And make no mistake. This is a crisis. And a bloody long one that's arguably just beginning. Our leaders are weak. Our established democracies crumbling in the face of energised, youthful and worryingly violent extremists. And they have the ear if not yet sympathy of a disenfranchised sizeable second generation who don't see themselves as Europeans. Further exacerbated by millions more arriving each year who don't share our liberal values or heritage. I really don't like what's happening. Not because I'm racist. But because I read a lot (A LOT!) of history and time and again mankind has proved it can't get along when different cultures and religions feel threatened. Usually resulting in untold misery and destruction. It's best to "keep em apart" therefore rather than force coexistence in my opinion. That's what's happening in Europe now. It's going to get ugly, maybe quicker than any of us realise. Certainly more than our politicians probably do.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I think we all know when the shit finally hits the fan over here many hundreds of people will die, due to insufficient policing/security

Probably more due to Islamic fanatics with a medieval belief mechanism routed in the seventh century, no regard for human life and a cache of semi-automatic rifles.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There's a trial started today at the Old Bailey, where the jury was told if they had any connection to victims in Paris, they could be excused duty.
I believe there was also a foiled plot for the VE Day celebrations. I can't remember the details of that.

I've found the link. It was VJ day not VE day.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...dist-killed-after-plot-to-kill-the-Queen.html

 

[beorhthelm]

I think we all know when the shit finally hits the fan over here many hundreds of people will die, due to insufficient policing/security

tedious nonsense. some people are practically willing there to be an event to shout "told you so".

So France have nearly twice as many police as us. How many would they need to have to stop such an attack?

it could be 1 inquisitive, sharp eyed officer noticing something. on the other hand a group of 7 could slip past 220,000. i recall the border guards missed picking up one on the run in the hours after the event.

quality not quantity is name of the game.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

it could be 1 inquisitive, sharp eyed officer noticing something. on the other hand a group of 7 could slip past 220,000. i recall the border guards missed picking up one on the run in the hours after the event.

quality not quantity is name of the game.

They had no reason to suspect him at the time and there was no evidence to say that he was involved so they didn't detain him.

They now know that he probably hired the car that was used in the attacks but at the time he reached the border, this information wasn't known to the authorities and they wouldn't have known that anyone from Belgium was involved so therefore he would have appeared like anyone else looking to return back into their own country (Belgium)

I don't think it had anything to do with the quality or quantity of officers

 

[Soulman]

I meant the fact we have no weapons or the majority of coppers don't.

The good thing is that although we may not have the numbers re police in comparison, we have arguably the best armed forces to back them up if needed.

 

[dazzer6666]

England and Wales 129,584 (227 per 100,000 of population)
France 220,000 (356 per 100,000 of population)



As you just said (and those stats illustrate) France has a far bigger police force and they've just got done big time. And got done not long before that too.

It goes back to the old IRA phrase doesn't it? "You have to be lucky every time, we only have to be lucky once." The rules of the 'game' have changed immeasurably and I'm not sure any country believes with absolute surety that it can protect itself.

Is population the right measure ? France is more than twice the size of the UK so arguably would expect to have a larger force.

 

[8ace]

The first reports I saw mentioned "rescue vehicle" so I did wonder where ambulance came about due to a bad German:English translation or similar.

You'd think it would be difficult to nick an ambulance.

 

[Chicken Run]

I hate that I feel like this, but I can't help feeling you're right.

Look at Cameron's speech the other day. He knows that his Government have made their bed with the cuts to public spending, and he can't lose face by making a u-turn now. I read what he said as "Hey, it's going to happen, and we're not going to risk looking stupid by changing our minds on cutting back on police and the military and the security services. So look after yourselves, people, be vigilant, and do the work that you thought you were paying taxes for. And remember: it's not the Government's fault! It's those ISIS *******s!".

Alright, he chucked a bit of money at MI5 & MI6 as a token gesture to make it look like he was actually reacting to events. But that's massively shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Well of course the alternative is Jeremy, good luck with that! Oh and Thatcher would be dribbling like a rabid dog if she was IC.

 

[Mackenzie]

We're any explosives actually found?

 

[pasty]

But you can be pretty pissed off at the stupidity of those who leave stuff lying around without thinking about it.

Guilty as charged M'lady. About 2 weeks after 7/7 I accidentally left my small rucksack on a train at London Bridge on the way to work. I realised I'd left it on the train and with all the security going on thought I'd best find a police officer straight away and tell him. I was called a few choice names, as the train had already left on it's next journey, but they then stopped it at Norwood Junction and took my bag off, and I had to go and pick it up on the way home, whereupon I got another bollocking from another police officer

 

[Vegas Seagull]

I'm calling a false alarm

Good call, own goal by the Germans. Poor

 

[pasty]

Good call, own goal by the Germans. Poor

Damned if they do, damned if they don't. If they hadn't cancelled and it wasn't a false alarm........