I doubt this rioting was incited by police, but it has definitely happened before, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t happen again.

Also, sort your quoting out.

There’s a weird group on this forum who seem to thrive on the idea of chaos and violent disorder, but I suspect it’s just keyboard warriors over frothing their soya frappuccinos.

pmsl.. why is there no like button on here?

Organised by who?

The Kaiser Chiefs?

The Kaiser Chiefs?

Nah, they just predicted it. Should get them off the hook.

But how did they know? Makes you think

It amazes me how the police always manage to leave a lone van completely unattended behind enemy lines in these situations….so forgetful of them.

“I say PC Knacker, don’t tell me you’ve left the van open and unlocked with a box of matches on the front seat again!”

We seem to want a justice system that focuses on punishment, not reducing crime.

UK recidivism – 75% of ex-inmates reoffend within nine years of release, and 39.3% within the first twelve months.

Norway – 20% after two years and about 25% after five years.

Now this I can properly get behind. Needs at least a generation of upfront investment to get the longterm savings back in justice, social services etc, so no party with its eyes on a 5 year election cycle will be interested.

Not sure what it has to do with lasts nights trouble in Bristol though.

In the last 20 years there has never been sustained riots, to my knowledge, in term time.

In the last 20 years there has never been sustained riots, to my knowledge, in term time. Just saying.

Something else to pin on the teaching unions?

It amazes me how the police always manage to leave a lone van completely unattended behind enemy lines in these situations….so forgetful of them

Let’s not let the facts get in the way of conjecture and speculation – the Police van that was torched was parked in a parking bay restricted for police vehicles. I have been delivering food to homeless people being housed in the YMCA hostel adjacent through the pandemic. 90% of the time we have delivered over the last year there has been one or more Police vans parked there!

I wanna riot, a riot of my own!
Anyway, life’s a riot, with spy versus spy…

chewkw

What are they protesting?

Anyway, life’s a riot, with spy versus spy…

Rape = 5 years in jail
Defacing statue = 10 years in jail

‘Some people might think it’s disproportionate’

I’m usually sceptical about the actions of the police, but at the last two big events in Bristol- the mini riot this week and the statue toppling- they seem to have been admirably restrained. Unlike their Met counterparts.

Rape = maximum sentence of life imprisonment (starting point of 5 years for Cat 3/Culpability B sentencing).

Defacing statue = proposed maximum sentence of 10 years in jail.

The statue one may still be considered disproportionate but it’s a little disingenuous to compare the maximum for one against the minimum for the other.

Not disingenuous at all, due to recent CPS guidance rape has all but been decriminalised. The conviction rates are obscenely low and unlikely to improve. We’re fast heading back to the 70’s or earlier for the offence, complete with some officers victim blaming/shaming.

Yep the Bristol police have actually been very good.

The protesters have been very naughty but tbh what do you expect the COVID fatigue syndrome is kicking in and some people are going to take advantage of an opportunity to do mischief.

Also as I point out to my OAP mum that her local protest March to save Cosham hospital being sold off to housing developers would likely have been illegal under the new bill.

What guidance is that? I looked for it the other day after a similar comment and couldn’t find it.

The mood music around this is getting steadily nastier.

The leader of the local Police Federation using the term ‘animals’ to describe rioters is instructive.

He may think that and he may well be right, but he should not say it. There is supposed to be a non-emotional impartiality to policing and that is not it. ‘We’ as a country used to pride ourselves on decency (no matter how illusory).

The current gang in Downing Street have achieved their position by mobilising indecent urges in people – xenophobia, nationalism etc. The direction that this is taking is never going to be good. They have achieved power by eroding decency.

I read that the van was out of MOT since January and had been left ‘as a prop’. I was wrong about the LP standing on the sidelines, Toby Perkins made his position very clear on how appropriate the use of the baton had been. I’m sure he enjoyed it.

I read that the van was out of MOT since January and had been left ‘as a prop’

Was that on tinfoilhelmet.com?

I shouldn’t read much into the van presence, the Police station location means that road is basically their car park.

‘ tinfoilhelmet’. Jeez, can’t you come up with an original ‘funny’ between gardening and slavering at a Griggs? This constant grinding out of the same old carp seems more like a condition than an attitude.

‘ tinfoilhelmet’. Jeez, can’t you come up with an original ‘funny’ between gardening and slavering at a Griggs? This constant grinding out of the same old carp seems more like a condition than an attitude.

And making comments on social media suggesting that the van was some sort of prop left to facilitate the escalation of the violence by the authorities without either a link to some evidence or an indication that you are joking is what, exactly?

The Avon and Somerset Police Federation branded the rioters as “animals” who were “hell bent” on carrying out “politically motivated attacks” on officers who feared for their lives.

Inspector Andy Roebuck, chair of the Avon and Somerset Police Federation, said: “They tried to set fire to a police van with officers inside. To my mind that is attempted murder. I spoke to two officers who said they genuinely feared they would be killed. We should not have to put up with this.”

Insp Roebuck said ultra-left activists had launched a “premeditated” and “orchestrated” attack using the cover of the ‘Kill the Bill’ demonstration that had marched peacefully through the city.

See; using language and rhetoric such as this, is only going to inflame things further. The use of the term ‘ultra left’ (my bold) definitely politicises his argument. And there we have it. With absolutely no idea as to the individual political affiliations of those involved, he’s made an assumption that they were ‘ultra left’. They may well have been, but that’s irrelevant. He’s clearly shown what ‘side’ he’s on. Battle lines drawn.

‘ tinfoilhelmet’. Jeez, can’t you come up with an original ‘funny’ between gardening and slavering at a Griggs? This constant grinding out of the same old carp seems more like a condition than an attitude.

Well I’d be interesting to hear what the correct response should be to what is clearly a load of evidence-free, conspiracy-theory claptrap, dreamt up by somebody with the curtains permanently drawn in their bedroom at their mums house, who subscribes to David Icke’s Youtube channel and thinks that we’re ruled by lizard overlords?

The police deliberately leaving vehicles to be torched as part of a conspiracy by the Government to ‘organise’ a riot?

Meanwhile, back in the real world….

Who mentioned ‘conspiracy’? I thought it might have been placed there as a prop for a rendition of the Pirates of Penzance.

Protesting being “anti-democratic”…?

Isn’t protest something that is positively democratic?

Having attended 2 BLM protests in lockdown, carefully managed and safely organised – you can protest and maintain focus on public health.

Alternative view on things:

http://libcom.org/news/what-actually-happened-bristol-how-narrative-built-22032021?fbclid=IwAR3EoJgrh3gghsNYYWhfwf70tm3UZS-6yIjXH5rKt4pRJQNAW1XqHuq0CQQ

From my limited experience of protests it’s all too plausible really.

I would suggest that sir did not search too hard for the rape guidance case!

Here’s the case dismissal where the CPS celebrate their victory and details of those that brought it pointing out the flaws. https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/cps-statement-judgment-judicial-review-prosecution-rape-and-serious-sexual-offences

The changes have not been shown to be unlawful but their effect is to further reduce prosecutions from the poor levels currently. See also the requirement to be digitally strip-searched to get any progress when reporting a rape.

Effectively a clear run unless the victim is particularly strong. (Guess what the particularly strong may well be those that don’t get raped).

From my limited experience of protests it’s all too plausible really.

I’ve been present at quite a few protest ‘riots’ (many moons ago I might add), and all of them were started by police violence against peaceful protesters. I’ve also been at many protests where riots didn’t occur (see my comments previously about the Iraq war march), and that was because the policing was very light touch. The clear conclusion I draw from this is that police commanders, no doubt operating under political influence or instruction, decide when they want a riot to occur. They know what will happen when they wade in with batons, dogs and horses, and they always get what they want.

It was the actual guidance I was after, not just a press release about the judicial review finding that the language changes had not had the effect claimed, but not to worry – I found it eventually.

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/rape-and-sexual-offences-overview-and-index-2020-updated-guidance

I fail to see how this guidance amounts to ‘de facto legalisation of rape’, but each to their own.

Isn’t the complicating factor here the need for the Police to be seen to not tolerate covid non-compliance?

I read that the van was out of MOT since January and had been left ‘as a prop’

Police vehicles are exempt from MOT’s as they have regular checks

Perhaps it was an insurance job?

Isn’t the complicating factor here the need for the Police to be seen to not tolerate covid non-compliance?

I think you’ll find that is the elephant shaped object in the room

I fail to see how this guidance amounts to ‘de facto legalisation of rape’, but each to their own.

If the prosecution rate falls to a point where a rape victim is extremely unlikely to see justice, then I suggest the description is fair.