Christmas shoppers and children terrified by armed police on streets with machine guns

Ok so this is not from the best "news" source but pretty alarming non the less.

Families Christmas shopping have been left alarmed by armed police patrolling a city centre - with one mum complaining her young child was left sobbing. Critics branded the sight of officers with large semi-automatic weapons in Newcastle 'inappropriate', 'grotesque' and 'extreme

But others insisted they felt 'reassured', while Northumbria Police urged anyone concerned to have a chat with the armed cops. The gun -toting officers sparked a debate on the issue after they were spotted in the city's key shopping areas, including the festive market around Monument, on Saturday.

Suzanne Charlton write: “I think it’s fantastic and exactly what we need in this day and age in my opinion all police should be armed,” while Maureen Raeburn said: “I for one am pleased there out on the streets, they do a good job and I definitely feel safer with them there.” The force told people not to be alarmed by the sight of Firearms Support Unit (FSU) officers in Newcastle city centre and said: “We understand people may be concerned to see armed officers but they are not there because of any specific threat or intelligence that something is going to happen.” Encouraging the public to approach armed police in the street, the force added that cops would still be performing the roles of a normal patrol officer. The forces’s Facebook post continued: “It is a really busy time of year and public safety and public confidence is our absolute priority. “We would encourage people to approach the officers if they see them out and about - they do what they do because they want to keep you safe.”

So is this the start of armed police in the UK? Are we simply supposed to get used to this so in a generation or so it will be the norm?

Opps, forgot to actually add the link.

Daily Mirror article

a reply to: nonspecific

The fact that the officials are encouraging people to interact with the armed police seems to back up your assessment.

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: nonspecific

The fact that the officials are encouraging people to interact with the armed police seems to back up your assessment.

It is quite scary that they seem to be pushing for acceptance without any real justification other than deterring shoplifters and pick pockets I agree.

I see nothing alarming at all.

More MSM news using a couple of "Snowflakes" as our US cousins like to call them to make a big story out of nothing.

UK citizens have the right to be protected by armed NON trigger happy police which is not the same issue in other countries.

It is good to read that Northumbia police are inviting people to "chat" with the armed cops in order to feel more reassured...

I live in France and the police and army patrolling (especially during this particular terrorist alert period and after what has happened in the last 10 years over here) are armed too, (sometimes with automatic weapons)... civilians can go and chat with them quite easily so that they understand why the police are armed to protect the general public and the police are only to happy to discuss with the general public in helping them understand better why they carry weapons.

I am sure that the information that these armed law enforcment officer has been correctly shared with the general public via different local news outlets and no-one can deny that they have not already heard about it.

If those children and their "snowflake parents" were shocked then maybe it should be up to their parents to take of their bloody blinkers to communicate and educate their children correctly and in the right way so that their children may understand things as to why the police officers are armed.

Warmest regards

Lags

a reply to: nonspecific

originally posted by: Lagomorphe
I see nothing alarming at all.

More MSM news using a couple of "Snowflakes" as our US cousins like to call them to make a big story out of nothing.

UK citizens have the right to be protected by armed NON trigger happy police which is not the same issue in other countries.

It is good to read that Northumbia police are inviting people to "chat" with the armed cops in order to feel more reassured...

I live in France and the police and army patrolling (especially during this particular terrorist alert period and after what has happened in the last 10 years over here) are armed too, (sometimes with automatic weapons)... civilians can go and chat with them quite easily so that they understand why the police are armed to protect the general public and the police are only to happy to discuss with the general public in helping them understand better why they carry weapons.

Warmest regards

Lags

a reply to: nonspecific

I really do have to disagree that this is not something to cause concern.

We do not need machine guns unless there is a valid reason and one has to my knowledge not been given so why are they there?

To me this is just a way of introducing armed police on a regular basis when there is neither the want or need for them from the populations point of view.

a reply to: nonspecific

Just don't be jumping any barriers or otherwise act in an aggressive or intimidating manner and everyone will be fine i imagine.

I guess one keyword mentioned is trigger happy. Not that you can be 100% sure a law officer wouldn't be.
I don't really think they are there to harm you and your children, but to harm the people that want to hurt you and your children.

Being already armed and onsite could probably save lives too if something were to happen as oppose to the where is a cop when you need one sort of thing.

Yes, there may be accidental deaths from being in line of fire. I imagine that is inevitable sadly, but I think in the overall picture, if I lived in a big city that was having problems with really bad people, I'd feel a little more comforted.

It is a slippery slope though indeed with the pros and cons of it all.

a reply to: nonspecific



"So is this the start of armed police in the UK? Are we simply supposed to get used to this so in a generation or so it will be the norm?"

Welcome to the real world. Upgrade your micro-view of the world.

As I recall, it was the guns of others that has allowed you to maintain yourselves in the manner you have. Far better that your police are holding the guns than some bad "others" from elsewhere.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: nonspecific

Just don't be jumping any barriers or otherwise act in an aggressive or intimidating manner and everyone will be fine i imagine.

So be sure to comply and do not object to anything in case you get shot then?

Seems reasonable, especially if it is after cufew and you do not have your ID card on you I suppose.

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: nonspecific



"So is this the start of armed police in the UK? Are we simply supposed to get used to this so in a generation or so it will be the norm?"

Welcome to the real world. Upgrade your micro-view of the world.

As I recall, it was the guns of others that has allowed you to maintain yourselves in the manner you have. Far better that your police are holding the guns than some bad "others" from elsewhere.

Typical gung ho American comment, I was expecting this to be fair and really not interested in you views regarding this matter, your countrys so called "great" system is not actually turning out all that well is it?

a reply to: nonspecific

What curfew? That's not happening in the UK, might be in the post at some future date all the same.

In three to five years this will be the new normal in our western, "free" countries.
They tell us it´s because of the terrorists, but they know that they played their game till it crashed.
Now they are creating a kind of illusional "security" for themselves.
Ah, they and them are those that militarize the police, that observe all of us average citizens and create profiles about us, that exploit us, that betray us, that try to control us via mass media, etc.

It starts like this, first you see just some militarized and armed to the teeth cops here and there, from time to time. Then it gets more and more, slowly. So that the majority of the average people will accept this reality subconsciously, thinking it´s against terrorism, just to protect the people.

But in reality we, the average people, are the potential upcoming terrorists for TPTB, people that maybe want revenge from the rich and only because of that powerful criminals for exploiting people worldwide, for creating wars, crises and inequality. That´s why they observe all of us, or at least try to. That´s why they are militarizing the police, that´s why there are more and more "law and order" agendas ruling the western world, since 9/11. That´s why there is a constant threat from muslim terrorists, that´s why the "IS" "can´t" be defeated by the west. That´s why all of these terrorists were known by the western "anti-terror" forces, under observation. That´s why only flops, failures and fumbles of these "anti-terror" forces made the terror acts, that happened, happen. That´s why everytime the state of emergency seems to run out(in France), some terror suspects get caught and another terror attack was "prevented in the last second". That´s why people are divided with this ridiculous right/left thing. I could go on and on...

But i just wanted to say that this is just the beginning. And if the average people don´t stop this in any way, soon it will be too late to stop it!

Why do i have to think of that movie They Live everyday, since months...

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: nonspecific

What curfew? That's not happening in the UK, might be in the post at some future date all the same.

That was my point mate, it's a slow yet slippery slope and once the machine guns are out there and acceptable there is not a great deal we could do about it is there?

a reply to: nonspecific

just my opinion - but children in the UK dont burst into tears just because a constable has a firearm - the problem is thier hysterical parents

Its the same thing with parent passing on their fear of spiders, or ducks, or whatever, Children are not born with fear, they are taught it.

a reply to: nonspecific



how quickly you people forget....

Your decline greatly exceeds our own, even after we have spent much lives and treasure for you to maintain yourselves.
Next time we'll let you earn the right to learn the German language.

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: nonspecific



how quickly you people forget....

Your decline greatly exceeds our own, even after we have spent much lives and treasure for you to maintain yourselves.
Next time we'll let you earn the right to learn the German language.

Piffle.

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: nonspecific

just my opinion - but children in the UK dont burst into tears just because a constable has a firearm - the problem is thier hysterical parents

My kids would be pretty spooked to see the police walking round with bloody great guns I can tell you and with good reason.

How many boys would just love it if the policeman took the mag out, cleared the bolt, and gave the firearm for the boy to have a really close look at ? Not that the policeman would actually do that !

originally posted by: pikestaff
How many boys would just love it if the policeman took the mag out, cleared the bolt, and gave the firearm for the boy to have a really close look at ? Not that the policeman would actually do that !

If someone tried to give my kids a weapon created only for intimidation or killing humans I would beat them with the big end.

And before anyone calls me snowflake or lefty looney or any of those other macho nonsense so called insults I have no issue with guns for hunting food.