Forum menu
STW Police officers
 

[Closed] STW Police officers

 hora
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Yunki be quiet and grow up.


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 10:38 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

๐Ÿ˜†


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 10:40 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Then when they are targeted by the police, dragged away by the scruff of their necks and locked up, they start crying and whinging.

That reminded me of this:

See if you can spot the moment he realises the camera is on him

An Italian footballer would have been proud of that dive ๐Ÿ˜†


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 10:42 am
Posts: 21016
Full Member
 

I've been on lots of demos.
๐Ÿ™‚

You always get a minority willing to cause trouble.
But, take your blinkers of and you can see that applies to both sides.

Both sides hide their identity - badge numbers get removed and obscured on one side, balaclavas are worn on the other.
I've seen plain clothes police officers launch bottles at their colleagues and protesters ruin a peaceful demo by provoking the police.

Both as guilty as each other.

The them/us mentality in some of these posts feeds the problem.
The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental one.

Anyone on either side who doesn't get the 'peaceful' bit shouldn't be allowed to compromise this for the rest of us, police and otherwise.

Peace.


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 10:50 am
 dazh
Posts: 13390
Full Member
 

Both sides hide their identity - badge numbers get removed and obscured on one side, balaclavas are worn on the other.
I've seen plain clothes police officers launch bottles at their colleagues and protesters ruin a peaceful demo by provoking the police.

Both as guilty as each other.

+1

I went on quite a few marches/protests when I was younger. From my own personal experience I found the police easily have it within their power to avoid a riot with a light and friendly touch. I'm not going to claim they deliberately start them, but they know full well what will happen if they go in heavy handed with batons/horses/snatch squads/kettling etc. I'm not going to speculate on who decides which tactic is used on any one occasion, but I suspect there's more at play than just events on the ground.


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 11:48 am
 hora
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

The violence against protestors at the countryside alliance march. That I couldn't understand. It shocked me.

You always get a minority willing to cause trouble.

With the concealing of badges- that shocked me when I heard/read that too- I see both sides but you can't taint a whole force(s) because of elements that seem to be up for a ruck' too.

The Police have a difficult job and getting more difficult. I didn't know this but Gtr Manchester only has 8,000 officers to cover a population of 2.7m.


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 12:04 pm
Posts: 66109
Full Member
 

dazh - Member

I'm not going to claim they deliberately start them,

I am. Or if not [i]riots[/i], then disorder.

Example- a criminal justice bill demo I was on (ancient history this but just proves this isn't a new tactic) Kettled (we called it boxing, same thing) a subgroup of about 50 of us by blocking both ends of a narrow street, held us there for ages, very squeezed in- not pleassant but we were a very laid back group and quite self-policing, so nobody really flared up badly, it was just very boring for all concerned tbh... it just gave the impression they weren't sure what to do with us next.

But then when some guy needed a piss, someone (don't know if rank and file, or an officer) decided to go in heavy and pinch him for disorderly behavior. (obviously he didn't have much choice, since he wasn't allowed out for bathroom breaks) That created the flashpoint which turned a totally peaceful standoff into a very messy one. And of course, what was on the news was "protest turns violent, 20 arrests"

This could sound very anti-police, it's not supposed to be, just an account of how things play out- there were probably a hundred or so officers involved there and I bet 99 of them were good people just doing a very unpleasant job. But the sad reality is, when one or two decided they were fed up policing a peaceful protest, the 99 good people were the tool they used.


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 12:32 pm
Posts: 9440
Full Member
 

I didn't know this but Gtr Manchester only has 8,000 officers to cover a population of 2.7m.

8,000 was the highest its ever been hora (around 2010) current figures are heading towards 5,500


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 2:36 pm
 hora
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

5,500?!


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 2:56 pm
Posts: 9440
Full Member
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

@ninfan, priceless. I see the photographer got a picture of the police "holding him down"

@yunki the original video it's clear the police when in for some specific individuals most likely as a result of a prior incident. Then the crowd reacted. As
@northwind says the police didn't have any riot gear so they weren't really expecting trouble

I can't say shouting f off back to eton is particularly peaceful either


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 4:33 pm
 dazh
Posts: 13390
Full Member
 

I can't say shouting f off back to eton is particularly peaceful either

That's probably the funniest thing you've ever written on here. ๐Ÿ˜€


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 4:39 pm
Posts: 11937
Free Member
 

Page 1:

Someone sprayed graffitti on the war memorial. I have no sympathy with anyone there.

Page 2:
you can't taint a whole force(s) because of elements that seem to be up for a ruck' too


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 4:51 pm
Posts: 3900
Free Member
 

northwind says the police didn't have any riot gear so they weren't really expecting trouble

And they didn't really get it either.
I dunno where all this mayhem is that folk keep mentioning; I didn't see anyone getting thumped, no one got batoned or glassed, nothing was thrown, there were no riot police tapping their shields, no dogs or horses, and no claret.
It was all over, without escalation, within 5 minutes. There was one other bloke arrested but the film makers censored that by running some text across the incident at the crucial moment, so we'll never know why...
Good plodding!


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 6:02 pm
Posts: 1799
Free Member
 

Hora
I work in greater Manchester and it is scary how many police are on the streets patrolling now, and I mean really scary.
Especially on a night shift


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 6:56 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

I can't say shouting f off back to eton is particularly peaceful either


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 6:58 pm
 hora
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Heaven help us if theres ever a repeat of the riots


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 7:04 pm
Posts: 1343
Free Member
 

Yunkie wears glasses! Who knew!!, to be fair the fella would be slated round here for having a posh accent!! And posh folk swearing never really works !! ๐Ÿ˜‰


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 8:33 pm
Posts: 150
Free Member
 

I'm not sure why I watched it, but compulsion took over & I got to the end, that's when the text commentary announced that the crowd ran to avoid kettling.

How would an innocent peaceful protester be aware enough to run to avoid an aggressive police tactic if they had done nothing wrong to be worth running for?


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 8:38 pm
Posts: 66109
Full Member
 

2unfit2ride - Member

How would an innocent peaceful protester be aware enough to run to avoid an aggressive police tactic if they had done nothing wrong to be worth running for?

Er... Whether you've done anything wrong or not, being stuck inside a kettle sucks. Anyone who's seen it or experienced it knows to try and stay out of it- you're neutralised as a protestor inside the box, and you lose all freedom of movement including ability to leave. And maybe you do nothing wrong but a couple of other people you're stuck in with do, you can easily end up being treated as part of "the mob". Bearing in mind that kettling can be deployed as a tactic to turn protests messy, that's a very big deal.

Avoiding getting surrounded and trapped in is just sensible. (in the G8 demos, I chatted to a lady who was out shopping, decided to watch the demo for a little while, and got trapped in when the police moved)


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 9:41 pm
Posts: 25940
Full Member
 

See if you can spot the moment he realises the camera is on him
An Italian footballer would have been proud of that dive

Meh, can't see his feet - who knows what caused him to "fall" ?

The 2 blokes "holding" him ought to be embarrassed about failing to keep him upright though (unless, of course, one of them caught his leg and also tripped up ?)


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 9:49 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

2unfit2riot- have you ever witnessed any public disorder?
A football match?
A late night brawl?

If you are an innocent person in a large crowd, and a confrontation breaks out nearby, the fight or flight response kicks in..
If people are tussling with the police in that scary, claustrophobic environment, if you're innocent, the first thing you want to do is put as much space between you and the violent scene as possible..
As much as the pushing and shoving and people running in every direction is scary enough (the thought of falling over is not an option) it's the sound.. The very loud roaring and screaming
If you hear that, and it is coupled with people trying to escape it, the urge is very primal, and the urge is to get away from that sound.. the visual aid of the hi-viz jackets makes it easier to see where the trouble is too

unless you're up for some violence of course


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 10:09 pm
Posts: 150
Free Member
 

Really? I used to go to proper violent meetings but they were 1980's football matches & although people around me were [s]getting knifed[/s] having a bit of difficulty I as a yoof who showed no interest in being involved, had no trouble not getting nicked, I think the police are just doing a job. Much like social workers, they will never get it right for everyone.


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 10:41 pm
Posts: 0
Full Member
 

Avoiding getting surrounded and trapped in is just sensible. (in the G8 demos, I chatted to a lady who was out shopping, decided to watch the demo for a little while, and got trapped in when the police moved)

I was on Princes Street watching a handful of folk banging drums, blowing whistles and some (a very few) shouting at the police who had blocked the whole road off in front of them (and everyone else). I was standing well away from this but realised that the police were quickly massing around behind the spectators and got out quickly but they must have swept hundreds of anxious and confused shoppers and tourists up in the kettle. Then they kept them there for ages, while the real trouble makers were pulling cobbles out of the next street.

Anyway, I'm disappointed this wasn't about PC Hipsta..... although I've just seen that's been done so I'll leave it.


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 11:02 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I have sympathy with officers sent to deal with these highly emotionally charged situations but it is after all an integral part of the job of "policing". I have no doubt that policing is a role that can only properly be undertaken by those with the correct temperament and attitude and it requires real bravery and professionalism to remain calm and not respond to provocation and escalate a volatile situation. Unfortunately there are some in uniform whose actions seem no more considered or antogonistic than the heated and emotional protesters they are responsible for controlling. Whilst underneath the luminous jackets they are humans and also subject to fear and adrenaline the need to effect an arrest (hooded person making off in to the crowd at start of fracas) and deal with the accompanying protest or complaint from others does not justify a swift and apparently eager resort to overwhelming, and frankly violent use of force by SOME of their number. For my part the most alarming part is how those securely detained well behind a police line are thrown to the ground with their hands cuffed behind their backs whilst others bundle on top of them. Seems unsurprising that onlookers become enraged and respond in equally tribal and violent manner despite the risk of arrest, assault and prosecution!


 
Posted : 14/05/2015 11:30 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

It is a difficult one. As police we are expected to maintain the Queens Peace, and sometimes force is used that the wider public may see as excessive, but is often justifiable in the wider context. We were criticised in equal measures at the last set of major riots for doing too much/not doing enough from both sides. I'm not suggesting there aren't people with a more relaxed attitude to violence in my job than myself, and sometimes i am not comfortable with the eagerness of some officers to arrest, but I can tell you it is a very fine line to tread, and the vast majority of people i work with are incredibly caring and hardworking.


 
Posted : 15/05/2015 12:07 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Really? I used to go to proper violent meetings but they were 1980's football matches

Yes really ๐Ÿ˜†

If you were at 80s footie then you are not gonna be of quite the same disposition as a bunch of innocent leftie student types are you.. ๐Ÿ™„

sillybilly

(waaaah.. I miss the footie ๐Ÿ™ )


 
Posted : 15/05/2015 8:14 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Perhaps bringing back terraces and reducing gate prices would give the dispossessed spotty anarchkids a more focussed and enclosed outlet for their teen angst and raging hormones?


 
Posted : 15/05/2015 8:33 am
 hora
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

miketually - Member
Page 1:
Someone sprayed graffitti on the war memorial. I have no sympathy with anyone there.

Page 2:
you can't taint a whole force(s) because of elements that seem to be up for a ruck' too

As I posted earlier- the mob has previous form on this defiling that monument. I can't help my reaction dude.


 
Posted : 15/05/2015 8:50 am
Page 2 / 2