Exactly right.....same people out there today would of been saying how terrible people were for going to the beach a while back. A case of ‘do as I say, not as I do’
What circumstances do you mean ? Are you saying that the cause matters for any protest takes place ? And if so...who decides ?
Protests/celebrations/gatherings in general are inevitable. Not many are best reacted to with heavy-handed coppers piling in. Obviously in an ideal world everyone would have done their own little vigil on their doorstep but faced with a large group of women mourning the murder of a woman and violence against women generally, the police tactics were dreadful.
But that’s how they have been policed for many years....so what makes this one different ? With respect mate, you weren’t there...nor was I. Just seems to be one sides story coming out right now. Would be interested to hear from the other side...in the concept of fairness
So the original organisers had plans in place for a social distanced vigil with a staggered group s of smaller numbers being on the common at different times and leaving....being continuous over the night. The Met police challenged this in the high court, and won. The original organisers called it off. But the women were so annoyed that they took it into their own hands but the level of heavy handedness was not appropriate...and reflects badly on the police. It was a vigil and not a protest. The Met police leadership had made it an issue instead of working with the original organisers. The Met police leader Cressida Dick really needs to go...and I would like to know what role the Home office had too
Doesn’t mean the previous responses were right either but there won’t be many where the vast majority of the crowd is female and this is in response to the murder of a woman allegedly at the hands of a copper. Someone high up has made that call and it stinks, IMO. But it’s nice we can chat about it politely.
But that’s my point (made badly after a night shift I’m sure). I’ve been on protests for years and the self same people who are crying now...couldn’t give a toss about the way we were treated years ago...in fact they may very well have thought it reasonable. But now it effects them it’s all different. Agree with your last point....someone high up has made the call.
Something of this magnitude the call has to have come from the top. Dick was fast-tracked through to the top job despite her having been in charge the day of the Stockwell shooting when de Menezes was killed in mistaken identity. It was noticeable that the police press statement last night was read out by a female assistant commissioner but not Dick. Political interference from the likes of Sadiq Khan and the 'free passes' given to BLM and XR to cause mayhem on a regular basis without consequences has left the police demoralised and in an impossible position but Dick was never up to the job in the first place...
My understanding is that the police kept a distance while it was a quiet vigil, but once people started making speeches from the bandstand, it became a meeting and had to be stopped. I'm on the side of the Met here. It is not for them to decide which laws they enforce.
Just watched the interview with Patsy Stevenson who has become the poster child for last night's scenes. There is a lot of chat about her being an activist and the interview seems to bear that out. I'm not sure there's much of a defence for the Met's actions but to me she is full of ****, she got exactly what she wanted and is now calling for more protest (and there's me thinking it was a vigil honouring a poor woman who lost her life in awful circumstances). I should add that re my not believing her and her intentions, I dont say that lightly as women not being believed is part of the whole societal problem but I'm not buying it with her.
You are right, of course. But this was over the top; so next time you are pushed to the ground and kneeled upon for a parking offence or because you had someone in your house that was not in your social bubble, don't come complaining. All the other vigils seem to have happened without this response The Rangers celebrations in Glasgow, although called out by absolute everyone did not result in this level of aggression. Apparently there is a new civil order bill going through parliament this week, which will restrict our rights even further. I ignored Stainsey and others when they suggested this might happen...I was wrong
Frome, although the use of the word "activist" here appears quite derogatory although I am sure you do not mean it that way, I agree with you that she does seem to be looking for a fight. However I understand her anger, as I feel it too. It was a vigil.But she does seem to have lost the meaning of last night in her anger. However, this needs to be dealt with quickly (with people called to account) and a line drawn under it. Womens right to be safe in our cities does not to be addressed and quickly and not by statements like "Do not wear attractive clothing", "do not smile at people", "wear sensible clothes so you can run", "always carry your keys in your hand so you can punch someone"
You make my point perfectly Beth....far better than I did this morning. This sort of thing has happened for years...from the days when I started with ‘Reclaim the Streets’, to the J18 protests.....and people, like some of the protesters yesterday, would I expect be quite happy to watch and say we got what we deserved....and in the cold light of day we often did and definitely weren’t angels. Well now the birds come home to roost and I’m sorry, I can’t feel too much sympathy....the OB do what OB do. Welcome to my world ladies.
Genuine question.....who on here (without looking it up) remembers Ian Tomlinson ? How many were outraged then ?
