British Police Go Wild, London May 10th.

I think I am missing the thrust of this thread...

Today's protests went of quite peacefully, they even got outside Parliament without much fuss.

I can't listen to the vids, but I watched them and all I saw was some blokes talking. I really fail to see how this is "disgusting" police behaviour...

people need to support the poliece, they have a very hard job and are striking for the right reasons.
when the poliece are under pressure they will have less tolerence for protestors,
there will be less time to deal with the population in a timely respecful manner.

they need our support for the simple reason it is the right thing to do for society.

occupy for the poliece


xploder

reply to post by ofhumandescent


Funny you should mention Madonna. I have a personal little grudge here involving poverty, wealth and personal protection.
Madonna has a connection with Falmouth. Many years ago I used to live in Flushing, a village just across the water from Falmouth. I used to kayak across to Falmouth to do the shopping. Early one morning I kayaked across, hungry because we were so poor there wasn't enough food in the house for all of us to have breakfast. I withdrew some money and before doing the shopping went into the St Georges arcade to buy two bruised bananas from the little greengrocers in there. I put them into my jacket pocket before I left the shop.
If you do an image search for the St Georges arcade you'll see the steps leading in. As I left the arcade I stopped at the top of the steps and began to take one of the bananas out of my pocket so I could have a little breakfast. As I drew the banana out of my pocket I looked at the insanely rich looking woman walking up the steps. I was aware my expression was one of dislike, something about her looked very distasteful to me. I was aware her partner looked across at her with an exasperated expression that seemed to say, "Why do you have to dress like a rock star? It only attracts attention."
Then to my surprise I realised the two beefy, moustached and suited men behind them were looking at me and drawing guns from shoulder holsters. Simultaneously the banana came into view and the men relaxed and without fuss returned their guns to their holsters.
They walked into the arcade, I ate the banana and left. I briefly considered calling the police then decided it wasn't worth it and carried on with my day. It was only later I realised why the woman looked so familiar though it was obvious from her clothes and boots that she was some kind of celebrity.
In the unlikely event that Madonna or the two beefy gentlemen are ATS members, no harm done, no hard feelings, but please give it some thought. Though I say no hard feelings when I examine it I have carried some resentment all these years because of the exact circumstances. I could have been shot for being poor and hungry.
Thank you ATS. It feels good to get that off my chest.



This is the route I used to take. That's the Miranda. I can't see enough to tell if that's Dave the Ferryman. I wrote a song about him to the tune of Mr. Tambourine Man. "Hey Mr. Dave the Ferryman, won't you wait for me." He used to wait for latecomers. He's a good man and the village depended on him.

reply to post by XPLodER


Very true. Under pressure is an understatement. Many of us would need a lifetime of therapy after one week on the job.

reply to post by Kester


Star for your post.

I use to be a waitress at a very posh restaurant when I was 16 & 17 that had our share of "celebrities" and most while being pleasant, the newer ones, the rock n roll ones were crummy tippers, forgot where they came from and generally vulgar (I was crudely talked to by a very famous person because I was rather pretty and built) and had to refrain from slapping him or risk losing my job. He talked to me like I was a common woman of the night and was tissed off when I didn't submit to his "charms" (guy was a real jerk). He did get away with touching my bum, but I moved away quickly and looked at him like (if you do that again, I will slap the $#@% out of you).

Did drama in high school and college and when you do a play and then it's over and at curtain call everyone stands and applauds you as you singly walk out, yes it does something to your ego................it really does. To have a couple hundred people, adults, stand and clap for you for several minutes really does something to your self-esteem.

Few people can remain humble once they get a taste of that "audience love" it truly is magical.

Sad to hear you were so poor and hungry. She should have told you to wait a second, gone in and bought you some groceries.

Interesting story.

If I told you the name of the person you would be floored, he was indeed a legend, but personally from being around him for two hours, a real jerk.

I've been told I should write a book, it would be similar to Forest Gump and Oliver Twist.

Have had a most interesting and exciting life, I'm ready for calm, tranquil and don't need any more excitement in my life - had my fill of adventures.

The police where we live are very decent, nice people. They have a lot to contend with.

Once I saw a cop pull a car over right in front of our home and he opened the trunk and yes actually pulled out two big shot guns. Had called for back up, another cop car came and a tow truck............glad I keep my binoculars near the table by the front window.

Not all police are bad.

BUT

The ones caught abusing their authority should be tried, if found beyond a doubt guilty (like video taped), they should be held accountable.

When I was in nursing a policeman wanted to date me. We went out and I noted he drank a lot (off duty). I also knew the Chief Detective of a major Midwest City and he said some of the homicides he investigated were unbelievable.

Why did I leave nursing with almost a 4.0 GPA at one of the best hospitals in the Midwest?????

Couldn't handle children and babies dying, young men coding, gunshots, stabbings, over doses.

Police have it rough, most have to numb themselves in order to survive all the screw ball people out there.

I don't like people however that are bullies and take advantage of or misuse their authority.

London, I believe has more cameras per square foot than any other city on the planet if memory serves me.

So smile, your being filmed and photographed, don't pick your nose or scratch your butt in public or someone will have a good laugh watching you.

It does seem at least to me that the police all over are getting edgier and more cocky, particularly in the bigger cities..............but they might be scared of being mobbed?

Like any profession, like any group, you have honorable people and dishonorable people.

reply to post by stumason


The thrust of this thread is that we must unite for the common good and support those who risk their lives for us.

Disgusting behaviour? If it was your daughters foot that was broken and dislocated by a police horse because she was exercising her right to demonstrate in public and was unable to get out of the way would you feel that was reasonable? Had a student ridden their horse over a young policewoman they would have been beaten to the ground. We're all equal under the law.

Your use of the word thrust makes me wonder if you have subconsciously noticed the pelvic thrust that betrays this mans strange inclinations. I'm well aware that many don't notice these signs. If you don't see it you don't see it. His use of the words "You're not big enough. You're not hard enough." along with hugging the young man close and thrusting are caught on camera. Cameras are the great equaliser.

reply to post by stumason


Whoops. I'm referring to the wrong video. You're looking at the first post. Sorry.
There was horrendous behaviour by police when the students were first demonstrating about these general issues. Many horse related injuries, people 'kettled' for hours, forced to urinate in the streets and then branded dirty etc. etc. etc.
Now police are taking their turn and suddenly their colleagues are clapping instead of beating.
However there are far larger issues at stake.

Originally posted by Kester
Disgusting behaviour? If it was your daughters foot that was broken and dislocated by a police horse because she was exercising her right to demonstrate in public and was unable to get out of the way would you feel that was reasonable? Had a student ridden their horse over a young policewoman they would have been beaten to the ground. We're all equal under the law.

First of all, I wouldn't leap to conclusions. If my daughter (and I do have one) ended up like that, the first thing I would think would be "accident", as making a horse stand on someone is not an easy thing to do! Then I would seek some compo for her and that would be that. Shizzle happens, tough, but the truth.

Originally posted by Kester
Your use of the word thrust makes me wonder if you have subconsciously noticed the pelvic thrust that betrays this mans strange inclinations. I'm well aware that many don't notice these signs. If you don't see it you don't see it. His use of the words "You're not big enough. You're not hard enough." along with hugging the young man close and thrusting are caught on camera. Cameras are the great equaliser.

On this part, I think you have taken what the officer has said and applied a totally different meaning to it. One has to ask, are you even British? If you are, then you should know that what the officer said was not sexual at all.

Personally, from what you have described, it sounds like the officer was actually saying to to they guy, probably after he said something first, "You're not tough enough".

It has nothing to do with his penis and it is rather telling that is the first place you went to. Who's the pervert?

reply to post by Kester


And there was horrendous behaviour from many protesters too, including damaging and defacing private property, attacking Police officers and their vehicles and the throwing of missiles. They (the students) seem to think that their right to protest includes running amok, setting fires, daubing graffiti and generally being little sh1ts.

It is also telling that today's march went off peacefully with no such tactics from the Police, because the general crowd was much older then the idiotic 18 year olds who hadn't a clue what they were protesting about in the first place and really were out to cause a scene. The crowd today behaved themselves and as such, the Police let the get on with it.

Many young people still think that they can't afford Uni because they have been mislead and protested as such, when the truth is far removed. By all means, challenge me on this, but I have done the research and know the figures, if people genuinely believe that Uni is now the domain of the rich, they are simply too stupid to even go to Uni.

reply to post by stumason


To give a clearer picture I'm going to post some of these videos. In some of these instances students and schoolchildren were confined and then attacked. Even police from far tougher regimes said they would never do it this way, they would shoot them if they didn't leave but would never confine them without an exit. In some of these cases students were obstructing traffic, as were police when they took to the streets to demonstrate.








This was a set-up photo opportunity used as a misleading media weapon.



And this my friends, this is the solution. This went on for hours all over London. Who do you think ran fastest, the youngsters with a cause or the hired hands in their hot, heavy and constrictive body armour?

If they became overheated in winter, what would happen if these tactics were used in the heat of summer?

Originally posted by stumason

And there was horrendous behaviour from many protesters too, including damaging and defacing private property, attacking Police officers and their vehicles and the throwing of missiles. They (the students) seem to think that their right to protest includes running amok, setting fires, daubing graffiti and generally being little sh1ts.

Very true. As an extremely vocal supporter of Lawful Rebellion I am opposed to harm, theft, fraud and damage.
Young people may have not yet learned how to behave, may be easily led and can get caught up in the moment without thought of the consequences. The mindless refrain "Tory Scum" seems to be perceived by many as a licence to destroy and deface property. It happens that I am a supporter of David Davis. Thousands of people witnessed a publicity stunt I did in support of David and the response was so overwhelmingly positive I have to admit I was reduced to tears.
Also provocateurs are used far more frequently than most people are aware. I know, I'm closely related to one who is responsible among other things for the death of a policeman who took two days to die. This is an emotive issue. Understatement.
The fire extinguisher drop at Millbank was in my opinion a sophisticated provocateur led action which fortunately failed in it's objective of killing an innocent policeman or woman for political gain. I have the details on that but it's complicated.
The fires are something I repeatedly warned about. My warnings are still there in key corners of the internet.

Originally posted by stumason


It is also telling that today's march went off peacefully with no such tactics from the Police, because the general crowd was much older then the idiotic 18 year olds who hadn't a clue what they were protesting about in the first place and really were out to cause a scene. The crowd today behaved themselves and as such, the Police let the get on with it.

Ah, idiotic 18 year olds. Thank God that was never us.

Realistically how peaceful would that march have been had groups of them been 'kettled' and sent from one corner to another fruitlessly seeking a way out? The VERY respectable architectural student whose parents live opposite me had that experience and has formed a very low opinion of the Met. He is also a keen photographer and rather than being put off has taken to documenting these events. That appears to be a common development.

I have to reiterate here that the intended purpose of this thread is to increase popular support for the police now that they have found their voice. But not at the expense of realism.

reply to post by Kester


Haha, I'm not saying I wasn't a total plank at 18!

But, there are two sides to the story and the truth is in between. The protests over the Tuition fees were, in the first instance, based on false information or misunderstanding. Secondly, they started well but as the day wore on, sections of the protesters decided that "direct action" was more appropriate, which in one way or another leads the Police to employ tactics in order to contain any further disruption. Unfortunately, this can result in the peaceful lot getting caught up with the not so peaceful lot.

Contrast those marches to the riots last year. The Met especially was acutely aware of criticism following the 2010 protests and acted in such a benign manner they got roasted for it. Basically, they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Personally, I would much rather they hem everyone in and control the situation rather than let a small minority act in such a way it will, eventually, galvanise the majority into following them. Imagine, if you will, that the Police behaved the same in those demo's that they did in the riots.

It's a fine line and they will never get it 100% right, but their primary aim is to protect life and property, remember that. If they do step out of line, then thankfully we operate in such a society where questions can be asked, procedures changed and, if necessary, anyone acting unlawfully will be brought to task.

reply to post by Kester


Totally. I have always been behind the Police, even when on the receiving end. I've been nicked a few times and if you treat them with respect and common courtesy you will get it back. I was the only one in the cell block who was allowed to walk freely around, cell door left open and even shared a smoke with a couple of them. They're just people, doing a tough job and I would prefer facing our Bobbies than almost any other force the world over.

Originally posted by stumason
Basically, they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

This I feel is the most important sentence in the whole thread.
To all those who perhaps have less experience this is how difficult if not impossible the job is.
Damned if they do, damned if they don't.
20% less is 20% less available when you're screaming out for help.

reply to post by Kester


To be honest, if they focussed their efforts on actual crime, rather than wasting resources enforcing petty laws, they would not only find they can actually manage, but might also win the hearts of the public...

I'm talking the over zealous traffic enforcement, or the raiding of cannabis farms. Other petty issues spring to mind.

Also, if they didn't all drive everywhere these days, they might have more money to hire more officers...

When was the last time you saw the Police walk the beat? Given the costs of fuel, is it necessary that they ALL drive about?

They can be more efficient, as can all Government departments. It's just after 13 years of Labour largesse where money grew on trees, they have got comfortable and forgotten how they managed in the 170 years prior....

reply to post by stumason


The only time I was put in a cell I escaped, briefly. The serving hatch was broken and the lock was dodgy. I was the first one in. They put nine of us in eventually. Each time they put another one in I reached out through the hatch and tried the door. After the ninth try the door opened. I was straight out followed by one other. The rest sat there. I went one way looking for a way out but of course there were bars everywhere. I ran back and found the other guy leaning casually against a serving hatch chatting to a cell full of women. He clearly had different priorities. I started heading off the other way then we heard a bobby coming back down the hallway. We both ran back to the cell and tried to get in through the part open door simultaneously just as the bobby turned the corner. It must have looked a bit odd to see us flailing our arms and legs as we tried to get through a space only big enough for one. We struggled in and slammed the door shut. He paused for a second or two then turned and walked away. I expect they fixed the lock but I'm pleased to say I never went back to find out.

reply to post by stumason


I think you've got it in a nutshell there.
Of course those crazy Lawful Rebellion people would tell you the petty laws are in fact statutes that only apply with consent. Let's not go there, my fingers are too tired to type out the solution to all our policing problems.

Try Supporting Tony Farrell, the police analyst who blew the whistle.

IMHO the police are only in this for themselves, and no doubt the government will bow to thier wishes because the governmemt needs its thugs to hand out injustice.

I have seen proof of the police shooting and beating people to death with no repercussion.

I have lost all respect for them, only when they start arresting the bankers for fraud and politicians for serious corruption and judges also will they regain my trust and respect.

And when they stop torturing people with electric shocks.