Seán H ([info]ohnefuehlen) wrote,
@ 2009-06-29 13:49:00
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Say what?
In an article about the Metropolitan Police's botched handling of the G20 protests, something jumped out at me:

Chairman of the committee Keith Vaz said the public "clearly don't understand" the reasons for using kettling and other public order strategies.

"What's acceptable, what's within the police rule book - the use of distraction tactics, for example, slapping or hitting people - shocked the public," he told the BBC.


Wait. Unprovoked violent attacks on protesters is an official police tactic?

You're right, Vaz - I don't think the UK public quite understands that.

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[info]harlotqueen
2009-06-29 12:57 pm UTC (link)
Proof the Met are on another planet...

(Reply to this)


[info]blazingskies
2009-06-29 01:03 pm UTC (link)
I don't often post about political topics on my blog. The reason for this is that a lot of issues are somewhat 'hot-button' for me, and things like that comment from Mr. Vaz just makes me want to jump up and shout F*** YOOUUUUUU!!! Rather than engage in polite debate about it.

What he doesn't seem to understand is that just because something is 'In the rulebook' does not make it right, or acceptable, or even defensible. For instance, it was police policy at one point to strictly segregate football fans at matches with ten-foot-high fences to prevent hooliganism and violence from breaking out. That went well, didn't it?

I'll finish this comment before I get enraged again.

(Reply to this)


[info]captain_magpie
2009-06-29 01:34 pm UTC (link)
That is genuinely shocking.

(Reply to this)


[info]flickums
2009-06-29 01:48 pm UTC (link)
This may seem like a random question...but...why don't you run for office?

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]ohnefuehlen
2009-06-29 02:07 pm UTC (link)
I don't fit with any political party, I don't have the energy and I have other plans for my life :) Politics is a full-time job and I've got uni starting in September.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]flickums
2009-06-29 02:22 pm UTC (link)
True. I just figured that you seem to really care about how your country is run and politics seem to dominate your LJ over anything else, so I was just curious about whether or not you planned to take it any further.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]ohnefuehlen
2009-06-29 02:31 pm UTC (link)
Oh, being politically active, sure. I just don't see this ever taking the form of actually holding public office.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]infinidimincorp
2009-06-29 02:20 pm UTC (link)
Oh, this is a smoldering issue! I am grinning ear to ear that this will finally change. I've been reading about the 1935 riots in Sheffield, when an order was not given for police officers to turn out the lights in the town hall and beat up protestors. That's how it was phrased in court, "an order was not given." and thus it didn't happen.

Yeah, the police are being held up now, and it's high time.

(Reply to this)


[info]paradox213
2009-06-29 02:46 pm UTC (link)
It gets better. The article in the metro (I know, not the best source of news ever), quoted someone saying: Peaceful protesters should be allowed to leave and not be beaten up by police (I may be paraphrasing). Sounds fine, why shouldn't peaceful protesters be allowed to leave? Anyone?

(Reply to this)


[info]polocrunch
2009-06-29 10:33 pm UTC (link)
Plz see my latest post re: police violence towards protestors.

(Reply to this)

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