[DEAD_WEIGHT]

The way the police acted at the G20 and other protests???

I cant see any problem with the police using excess force concidering you are out numbered at least 10 - 1

I know this sudenly seems a touchy subject because someone died of a heart attack after being pushed by a copper, but in my opinion had sod all to do with the out come.

My Mrs thinks i am a prick for thinking like this but please tell me there are other people out there who also think that if the police show that they are not going to take any sh!t then maybe less people will turn up to these things and people wont push the police to these levels????

[DezW]

A certain amount of violence is required as a deterrent.

The problem is some officers go too far.

[DEAD_WEIGHT]

True but also we dont see it from there view. Put yourself in there shoes...any one there could have a knife or some sort of weapon. If it was me i would want anyone standing with in 10 feet of me.

I wait for the day a copper gets killed at one of these and then they will say the police where too soft and should have kept everyone back

[DezW]

I can see your point also mate, if the Police were robots it would be fine but being human is the problem, guys let the red mist descend and go mad.

I have seen the Police beating people right in front of me mate, as I said some of them go too far.

They are supposed to be the one's showing tough justice, but not random beatings.

[Massimo]

Whether I agree the cause or not, if people are making lawful protests, they shouldn't be hit by the police. It's bad for business and probably inconveniences huge numbers of people, but we're lucky to live in a place where we can protest without being shot, or killed... usually.

[Ares]

meh go to somewhere like China or Burma and see how they treat protesters out there - its horrific.

what I don't agree with is the fuzz hiding their id numbers.

[tac]

I was not at the G20 protests, so I cant say for sure what went on.

I have, in the past, attended completely legal, lawful political protests and witnessed at various times(amongst other things) - police charging on horseback, truncheons drawn, into a peacful crowd that were commiting no offences (that I could see); a group of officers holding a young guy in restraint (already handcuffed) and then breaking both his knees with truncheons; a young girl of about 14 or 15 being battered around the head by two (burly) policemen while running away, who continued to hit her even after blood was spraying out of the back of her head; groups of riot police deliberately goading a peacful crowd; cops in plain clothes throwing stones, cans and bottles at lines of uniformed cops and encouraging people in the crowd to do the same; and a friend of mine who was walking home from his girlfriends house in Wapping, back in the days of the notorious pickets there, with a bag of records he'd borrowed being set upon unprovoked by some officers (he was nothing to do with the demonstration) and hospitalised for 3 days - and numerous other incidents.

None of the above is exaggerated, and none of the above ever received any press coverage that I saw. The incident where police cavalry charged into a peaceful crowd and a number of people were injured was reported in (I think) the Sun as 'Student mob attacks police'!

I have also been on demonstrations where I have seen the police behaving decently, and on others where I have seen protestors being aggressive, provocative and occasionally violent - although in balance most of the violence Ive witnessed has been VERY one sided, with the police starting (and finishing!) more than their fair share. The one noteable exception would be the Poll Tax riots.

You will never, ever, find out the truth by reading papers or watching TV. News reporting on such matters is, in my experience, biased in a way you would find hard to believe if you havent witnessed it.

Attend the next G20 demonstration and judge for yourself.

For most people, attending such events and witnesssing what actually happens (and how its subsequently twisted) is a life changing experience - usually you will find out for yourself certain facts about our society that you will accuse me of being a tin-foil hat wearing nutter if I simply try to explain them to you

[Erekosë]

tac, on 08 July 2009 - 12:20 AM, said:

I have, in the past, attended completely legal, lawful political protests and witnessed at various times(amongst other things) - police charging on horseback, truncheons drawn, into a peacful crowd that were commiting no offences (that I could see); a group of officers holding a young guy in restraint (already handcuffed) and then breaking both his knees with truncheons; a young girl of about 14 or 15 being battered around the head by two (burly) policemen while running away, who continued to hit her even after blood was spraying out of the back of her head; groups of riot police deliberately goading a peacful crowd; cops in plain clothes throwing stones, cans and bottles at lines of uniformed cops and encouraging people in the crowd to do the same; and a friend of mine who was walking home from his girlfriends house in Wapping, back in the days of the notorious pickets there, with a bag of records he'd borrowed being set upon unprovoked by some officers (he was nothing to do with the demonstration) and hospitalised for 3 days - and numerous other incidents.

Likewise. I can go even younger and say I've seen the police kicking the living shit out of a 12 year-old girl. I've been at places where the police have stormed places and and just kicked crap out of everyone in sight, for no reason at all. No crime, no warning - just run in and strike at heads / bollocks with truncheons. Like Tac once you witness these sorts of events it very much changes your opinion on the society you live in.

I too was not at the G20 protests, but I'm afraid I'm now left with a deep-rooted suspicion when it comes to police behaviour. Whereas for many (most?) people the view is that police are likely to behave, I unfortunately tend to assume that they won't.

[Pip]

They arent called the monikers they have for no reason.

[Fah_Gedda_Boudit]

DEAD_WEIGHT, on 07 July 2009 - 07:53 PM, said:

True but also we dont see it from there view. Put yourself in there shoes...any one there could have a knife or some sort of weapon.

Thing to remember is that Police Officers choose to put themselves in that scenario when they join the Police. I don't think that justifies the way they behaved at all. They are, at the end of the day, public servants who work for us & are not their to "control" us but to serve & protect us.

If a protestor starts waving a weapon around or genuinely poses a threat to the safety of either the Police or another bystander, fine, whack the cnut, no problem with that....but assaulting someone who just happens to be standing in the wrong place is unforgivable & those responsible should be prosecuted for an unprovoked assault, just as any member of the public would be under similiar circumstances.

[firest0rm]

Personally all I saw were a bunch of aggressive and angry people, no sympathy for any of them. The guy that died? Just "walked" into the middle of a protest? Bullshit. It wasn't a peaceful protest, from what I saw shops got demolished. If some prick was screaming in my face with 10/20 other people I'd give him a slap too. Fair enough if it's a peaceful protest and the police get brutal, no excuse, but this protest wasn't peaceful.

[Pip]

firest0rm, on 08 July 2009 - 09:54 AM, said:

Personally all I saw were a bunch of aggressive and angry people, no sympathy for any of them. The guy that died? Just "walked" into the middle of a protest? Bullshit. It wasn't a peaceful protest, from what I saw shops got demolished. If some prick was screaming in my face with 10/20 other people I'd give him a slap too. Fair enough if it's a peaceful protest and the police get brutal, no excuse, but this protest wasn't peaceful.

You dont take the bias neo con media at face value do you? lol

[Ares]

firest0rm, on 08 July 2009 - 09:54 AM, said:

Personally all I saw were a bunch of aggressive and angry people, no sympathy for any of them. The guy that died? Just "walked" into the middle of a protest? Bullshit. It wasn't a peaceful protest, from what I saw shops got demolished. If some prick was screaming in my face with 10/20 other people I'd give him a slap too. Fair enough if it's a peaceful protest and the police get brutal, no excuse, but this protest wasn't peaceful.

To be fair mate - i work just down the road from where all the protests were, there was a massive build up in the days prior to it - we were told NOT to come into work in suits bla, bla, bla...
as with any protest there are going to be pockets of people that are their solely to cause anarchy and destruction(erekose ) but the majority were actually well behaved and friendly.

i actually popped down to the "climate camp" that took place on Bishopsgate, everyone was happy & it was a "carnival atmosphere" with the protestors selling organic home made food etc - good fun actually.
Surprise, surprise the next day the media chose to put pictures of the small group of people smashing a few windows at RBS on the front cover - not the happy people in bishops gate.
as for the police tactics, they cornered the protestors, kettled them in & kept them in a controlled cramped environment around bank - many of whom couldnt get out, go to the toilet etc.

[firest0rm]

Fair enough I don't take pictures in the media as gospel, however, it seems the people who were hurt were from that small group of people who were causing trouble which again leaves me with no sympathy. As I said if genuine innocent people were hurt then I don't agree with it but there was violence there and the police fought back, can't see a problem with that. There were some big protests on Oxford road a few months back, I think about the situation in Iraq or Iran (I pay little attention sorry) and it was very peaceful and there was no trouble whatsoever. Nobody got angry and violent and the police didn't hit anyone.