[Politics] Protests/rioting in lots of places

[Triggaaar]

Read the newspaper report from his court appearance today in post 282.

I've briefly read it. In what way does that mean that a policeman was right to set a dog on him?

 

[knocky1]

When a significant minority group is marginalised it is done with great risks involved. Terms like facist, racist, Neanderthal, moron, knucklehead, scum etc etc are banded around freely without much thought as to their accuracy or their effect. Whilst offering no support in anyway to the actions of those who rioted rather than remembering in Southport, or those who attempt to trash mosques, synagogues and police stations, it should be acknowledged that many people on the right (not far, or extreme) feel utterly disenfranchised. It is what led to Brexit, and it seems those guilty of the marginalisation still have their heads stuck in the sand.

There has been a major increase in the number of foreign nationals arriving on British shores in the last fifteen years, whether they are legitimate migrants, asylum seekers or whatever. When people who have felt uneasy about this (be it fear of change or economic reasons in areas like Lincolnshire) have voiced concerns they have been dismissed as poorly educated, ill informed or worse by those who feel morally superior. Even after the Brexit result there has been a constant diatribe of insulting and patronising comment towards those who voted for it, constantly blaming them for nearly all of the problems in the UK. So even when in an electoral majority many of the voters feel vilified and ignored by the so called educated classes and politicians.

Significant minority groups need yo be listened to, but as Brexit showed, this group are more than a ’minority’. They are an undeniable factor in British culture and politics. Forget Farage and Robinson, they are just opportunists jumping onto a passing bandwagon and then trying to take the reins. Serious politicians should be listening to the genuine concerns that a sizeable part of the electorate have. This does not mean granting every persons every wish, but more of gaining a feel of how to get the less reactive and inflammatory folk who feel disenfranchised back into the fold of mainstream politics.

Basically it would be foolish to continue to dismiss and ignore the feelings of a sizeable chunk of the population as it leads to what is happening now. Less inflammatory and dismissive language is required from all sides in an attempt to find common goals. This needs to happen in big politics, but also should start being practised by the community at large, especially online. Even those in positions of so called authority should perhaps ’moderate’ their tone.

What has this minority group got to say to me? I'm listening.
Sorry won't be good enough.
Hardly any are involved with this week's horrendous rioting.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

You’re a 15 year old black kid living on a dodgy estate in London. You’re trying to keep your head down, stay out of trouble and do well in school. At least once a week / month (pick your timeframe) you’re stopped and searched by the police for no reason other than being a black kid from a dodgy estate. What sort of message does that send you about what authority and the establishment thinks of you? What affect does it have on you?

it depends on the individual.

A sensible level headed person would understand if it's done correctly and quickly with an end goal of keeping people alive and others out of trouble, it's for the greater good.

It also depends on the officers conducting the search of course and having the same officers in the same area getting to know the locals.

 

[Zeberdi]

More the point of these companies shouldn't be allowed to get away with whacking a political view on without being advertised as doing so or regulation.

I absolute despise social media, I binned most of it off years ago.

Sorry but disagree - the absolute point this thread is focussed on is that far right extremists are using social media accounts to incite hatred and organise violent behaviour.

I appreciate that we are not from the same political persuasion (I’m left of centre and I guess from your posting history, you are not) but don’t water down the truth of how social media is being appropriated by the far right, by bringing the left into the argument as well and saying they are as bad as each other because they are both ‘political’.

These riots aren’t ’political protests’, they are unadulterated violence and hatred - many of the rioters just going for the craic.

As I said, it is not the far left that is behind all this rioting nor is it far left/hard left leaders that have been dog whistling to anti-muslim racists ever since we decided to hold a referendum on Brexit.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Then there are the political-related threads which, sadly, largely mirror much of our broader society. A few people trading virtual blows day in and day out, completely ruining discourse, and meaning most people just steer clear of it - they just don't want to get involved.

I'm currently mulling a few different ideas to try and deal with this age-old problem, again, one of which is to bring back "The Bear Pit", but calling it the more appropriate "Kindergarten", or similar, where the worst offenders on the political threads will be able to carry on their same old arguments, and they'll be thread banned from parallel political threads where, hopefully, the adults will be able to debate free of the children.

Fully support this.

I was going to ask for the weekend off but I’m more than happy to turn up for the usual time and a half to do the Thread Bans.

 

[BN9 BHA]

This is Hartlepool. Taunt the police, refuse to get back when told repeatedly, and then the crowd shout Police Brutality! (it's a dog)

 

[beorhthelm]

Not by me.

The dog itself did what it was told. I disagree with the policeman who decided to set his dog on the protestor.

IMO the dog should be there in the case of emergency, or to hold the line and protect the police. Not to attack someone who, whilst being a knob, wasn't actually being violent.

after repeated warnings, mr cockwomble didn't do as he was asked. so fido told to give him a nip. now dozens of onlookers know this isnt playtime, know if they step up they'll get some to. police, public and property protected. well thats the theory. if you use the dog "in an emergency", it's probably far too late and a bit more nasty.

 

[birthofanorange]

it depends on the individual.

A sensible level headed person would understand if it's done correctly and quickly with an end goal of keeping people alive and others out of trouble, it's for the greater good.

It also depends on the officers conducting the search of course and having the same officers in the same area getting to know the locals.

Why would a 'sensible and level headed' person be accepting of such targeting? Explain, please.

 

[Triggaaar]

it depends on the individual.

A sensible level headed person would understand if it's done correctly and quickly with an end goal of keeping people alive and others out of trouble, it's for the greater good.

 

[Weststander]

A good job that prison space was freed up.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I'm not on the side of the protestors, but I don't think it was right for the policeman to set his dog on him

The only problem might have been if the dog ripped his arse out he wouldn't have anything to talk out of.

As it is, cry me a f***ing river.

 

[Weststander]

The only problem might have been if the dog ripped his arse out he wouldn't have anything to talk out of.

As it is, cry me a f***ing river.

In slow-mo, the dog’s biting rank shorts.

 

[Ike and Tina Burner]

I’m wondering what on earth is going through someone’s mind to be joining these marches and you’re not thinking it’s far right. Maybe they took the wrong bus? Is it a bit like the classic Mitchell & Webb sketch, “Hans, are we the baddies?”

They're the people who have been f***ed the hardest by basically two decades of decline and deprivation. Obviously a decent number of them are going to join the only people who seem to be on their side (I'm not saying they actually are).
The Tories don't give a shit about anyone who earns under 100k, Labour are boring centrists and everyone else is concerned about climate change and Gaza. Working class white people are very, very low down on the priorities list.
So when Reform and Tommy Robinson are the only ones saying "we know your lives are shit, here's why, here's how you can fix it" I'm not really surprised that it resonates.

 

[Triggaaar]

after repeated warnings, mr cockwomble didn't do as he was asked. so fido told to give him a nip.

But he didn't just give him a nip did he. He wouldn't let go when the protestor retreated. Had the crowd have actually been interested in violence, there's a good chance that would have caused them to react and fight. But they weren't wanting to fight in the first place.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

In slow-mo, the dog’s biting rank shorts.

What's the animal equivalent of the George Cross?

 

[birthofanorange]

Fully support this.

I was going to ask for the weekend off but I’m more than happy to turn up for the usual time and a half to do the Thread Bans.

With respect, genuinely. I think that the current situation is of far more importance than previous 'political' threads. By all means you need to do what you need to do, as mods/admin, but shunting something so crucial into a 'bear pit'/similar serves only to give added credence to the agitators, both here and in the wider community.

 

[A1X]

When they arrest them, they should also send them the bill. Taxpayers shouldn't have to clean up the mess just because they want to smash the place up.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I've briefly read it. In what way does that mean that a policeman was right to set a dog on him?

This is the relevant bit,

Sheers had attempted to push through the police cordon, shouting and refusing to move away.

 

[Triggaaar]

With respect, genuinely. I think that the current situation is of far more importance than previous 'political' threads. By all means you need to do what you need to do, as mods/admin, but shunting something so crucial into a 'bear pit'/similar serves only to give added credence to the agitators, both here and in the wider community.

I think Bozza was suggesting shunting a thread to the children's room, and allowing a similar thread on the main board for the adults to discuss things, while the children are banned. So there'd still be a thread for the wider community to see/post on. But I may have misunderstood.

 

[Eric the meek]

One world leader will be taking great comfort from all the footage. Putin.

I would stress that this is not idle conspiracy theorising. Western intelligence has found a Kremlin backed fund in the Czech Republic, funding far right movements in at least five EU countries.