Olympic torch don't get to close.

[Fungus]

I think for some of us it is clearly the lack humanity involved in the whole situation, to treat a kid like that in favour of a bit of fire!
If someone asked or expected me to treat a child like that to protect an object any object, I would honestly tell them to f*** off. And i would think about the legitimacy of what i was doing, if it involved treating people like that.

This. The kid is right to the edge of the convoy, avoiding the rest of the crowd, and looks no more "dangerous" than anyone else following "the" torch. People just want to be part of the excitement, and aren't expecting to be thrown to the ground in front of a car. Serious over-reaction.

(BTW, it's not THE torch, it's A torch, one of 8,000)

 

[NickBHAFC18]

How on earth can you accidentally cycle into that? The streets are lined with spectators, there's buses and police cars, and security men. You don't accidentally cycle into the bubble. So, was he just a little overexcited, trying to be part of the moment? Or is it part of some challenge to get the torch* (for whatever ends)?

How bad was it, really? I've watched it 4 times, and I'm not sure it isn't made to look worse by the bike being there - what would otherwise be a slight grab and lift looks worse because the bike swings around. Th car wasn't travelling at a speed that endangered them, and there were two men taking care of the kid.

This incident occurred after the other one that was linked, a few days prior to this incident two kids had got into the bubble and grabbed the torch, you don't think the security forces got an earful for letting them get that close? Sure that time it was 'innocent' kids, but next time...? That security team would have had their duties made very clear to them after the early incident.

*So, following on from two kids getting in and grabbing the torch, you have another kid 'breaking the security bubble'. Either the latter was inspired by the former, or perhaps there is some sort of challenge among the kids in the area to get to the torch (maybe to grab it and claim you ran with it, or worse). Maybe a little rough treatment will put others off trying?

If my kid was treated like that? I may be a little concerned, but I think I would suggest to my kid that next time he sees a parade surrounded by a police escort and security team, don't try to get too close.

Spot on.

 

[Nibble]

The policeman was way out of order. I know people defend it by saying oh it's a split second decision. Well frankly he shouldn't be in the job if he can't make the right split decision. It's what we f***ing pay them to do.

 

[Nibble]

Spot on.

Well how did he get where he was ifthe police were doing there job properly. Blind.

 

[Fungus]

The policeman was way out of order. I know people defend it by saying oh it's a split second decision. Well frankly he shouldn't be in the job if he can't make the right split decision. It's what we f***ing pay them to do.

It's the old "security or safety" decision, which IMHO seems to have been decided wrongly.

 

[Mellotron]

The policeman was way out of order. I know people defend it by saying oh it's a split second decision. Well frankly he shouldn't be in the job if he can't make the right split decision. It's what we f***ing pay them to do.

Got it in one. Can't do the job? Don't do the job.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Seems there are a lot of police officers in this topic then, if they know what the officer should/shouldn't have done. At the end of the day, the officers job is to keep people away from the torch and thats what the officer did. The small mistake in the eyes of the public is that he was a bit heavy handed.

IF the kid did get in the "bubble", nick the torch and ride off - id fully expect the same people who are moaning about the police being heavy-handed, to be moaning that the police didnt deal with the kid early enough.

Some people on here should be in the police force with their every action being scrutinised, dont think they would be too happy myself.

 

[NickBHAFC18]

Well how did he get where he was ifthe police were doing there job properly. Blind.

He was obviously riding with the people who were sticking to the sides, then you see him stray into the "bubble." Watching the video again, once the security personnel has got hold of him, he actually looks to loosen his grip on the kid until he falls over the bike and they both hit the ground.

Like I said before, I'd rather security be tight than not. Maybe it was a little over the top, but I completely agree with Acker79 and couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[Husty]

I don't know what the fuss is about, kid should be lucky he wasn't shot that, as that seems to be the normal police procedure in these sort of situations.

 

[Nibble]

It's appalling behaviour towards a child. Sorry, but if you think that is acceptable you have major issues.

 

[Nibble]

Seems there are a lot of police officers in this topic then, if they know what the officer should/shouldn't have done. At the end of the day, the officers job is to keep people away from the torch and thats what the officer did. The small mistake in the eyes of the public is that he was a bit heavy handed.

IF the kid did get in the "bubble", nick the torch and ride off - id fully expect the same people who are moaning about the police being heavy-handed, to be moaning that the police didnt deal with the kid early enough.

Some people on here should be in the police force with their every action being scrutinised, dont think they would be too happy myself.

That's the point anyway isn't it? A lot of people don't join the police but we have every right to ask that our Officers act with measured judgement and a degree of intelligence. He's a kid on a bike ffs!

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

That's the point anyway isn't it? A lot of people don't join the police but we have every right to ask that our Officers act with measured judgement and a degree of intelligence. He's a kid on a bike ffs!

Oh so because its a 13yr old kid, they arent going to cause any trouble at all ? He strayed into the area, probably by accident, so the police took action. Yes, it looks a bit rough, but if there was a chance they were going to cause trouble, that chance was removed. If he let the kid in the "bubble", then thats a serious error of judgement.

 

[NickBHAFC18]

That's the point anyway isn't it? A lot of people don't join the police but we have every right to ask that our Officers act with measured judgement and a degree of intelligence. He's a kid on a bike ffs!

And lets say this kid had explosives under his hoody, then what, he's only a kid though so its fine yeah?

 

[Doc Lynam]

Oh so because its a 13yr old kid, they arent going to cause any trouble at all ? He strayed into the area, probably by accident, so the police took action. Yes, it looks a bit rough, but if there was a chance they were going to cause trouble, that chance was removed. If he let the kid in the "bubble", then thats a serious error of judgement.

To start we don't know the kids age! Secondly i would hate to look at the world through yours and clearly the coppers eyes, if you see kids as threats.

 

[NickBHAFC18]

To start we don't know the kids age! Secondly i would hate to look at the world through yours and clearly the coppers eyes, if you see kids as threats.

Doc, and what if that kid had a bomb underneath his hoody?

 

[Acker79]

To start we don't know the kids age! Secondly i would hate to look at the world through yours and clearly the coppers eyes, if you see kids as threats.

Because kids never do anything bad?

I'm not saying this kid was up to anything nefarious, but, to think anyone who acknowledges that being a child doesn't always = innocence is living with a sad world view is quite naive, imo.

 

[Doc Lynam]

Because kids never do anything bad?

I'm not saying this kid was up to anything nefarious, but, to think anyone who acknowledges that being a child doesn't always = innocence is living with a sad world view is quite naive, imo.

I'm not denying that kids have done bad things, but your logic follows a "what if" principle. If you live in that world anything and everything is a danger and possible threat. Rather then "what is," which is based on scientific, evidence, based decision making, rather than a speculative, imaginary "what if" worse case scenario, where children are seen as possible threats. This is where dangerous and incorrect decision making comes from because there is no logic behind it, this thought process creates a situation where a child can be a threat. I would image that is what the copper has been taught, making this for me a deeper problem.

 

[W.C.]

but, was the torch ok??

 

[Acker79]

I'm not denying that kids have done bad things, but your logic follows a "what if" principle. If you live in that world anything and everything is a danger and possible threat. Rather then "what is," which is based on scientific, evidence, based decision making, rather than a speculative, imaginary "what if" worse case scenario, where children are seen as possible threats. This is where dangerous and incorrect decision making comes from because there is no logic behind it, this thought process creates a situation where a child can be a threat. I would image that is what the copper has been taught, making this for me a deeper problem.

It's not a case of "anything and everything is a danger", it's a case of not ruling out as a potential threat someone entering an area they are not supposed to be in just because they don't meet preconceived ideas of what one expects the threat to be.

Children sometimes being a threat is what creates a situation where a child can be a threat.

 

[Doc Lynam]

It's not a case of "anything and everything is a danger", it's a case of not ruling out as a potential threat someone entering an area they are not supposed to be in just because they don't meet preconceived ideas of what one expects the threat to be.

Children sometimes being a threat is what creates a situation where a child can be a threat.

Lol have you seen the film In the Loop?