Disgusting!

[MisterMole]

I find it unbelievable that a humble police officer, who was simply doing his duty and trying to control the rioting hunters outside Parliament, is being tried for causing actual bodily harm.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4795491.stm

What's happened to common courtesy and respecting the police and law? Have hunters gone mad?

If Mr Harrap wants someone to blame for his injury he should look no further than the pissed up terriermen who started the riot in the first place. When they started chucking bottles and fireworks at the police wasn't it reasonable for the police to defend themselves?

 

[Ereiam_jh]

It's up to the CPS really Gerald

 

[CARREG]

Were you there Moley............Carreg

 

[wurzel]

"What's happened to common courtesy and respecting the police and law?"


Ahh, Blairs respect agenda!

No thanks!!!!

 

[endymion]

I passed through the demo and this was before I started sabbing and getting involved. I'd just moved to London and didnt even know there was a protest arranged. I got off the tube at westminster cos it was taking ages and I wanted to see Big Ben.

Honestly the scene that met was bloody shocking, it was a sea of fox limbs and heads stuck onto placards and banners.

Was this really the way to convince the public that hunters have respect for their quarry? Not to mention the abuse and lairiness of many there.

But then I cant complain, I think it's great when the pros start gobbing off showing their true colours. Great PR for us antis!

 

[combat_claire]

Are we talking about the same demo of 2 years ago? I have the coverage still of all the newspapers from that week and not one of those eager photographers seem to have snapped those banners that you reckoned to have seen.

We did the maths of that demo back on Fitz and I came up with:

Shall we do the maths? All figures from BBC, Daily Telegraph & IPCC

Protestors in Parliament Square - 8000-20,000 (used 15,000 in calculations)
Number of People arrested outside parliament - 11
Number of protestors injured - 17
Number of police injured - 2
Number of complaints over policing - 200
Number of police served notices of disciplinary action - 31


Which by my reckoning means that just 0.1% of protestors were injured and 0.07% were arrested. There are no figures that I can find for how many officers were on duty that day in Parliament square, but no matter how you look at it the majority of people remained peaceful and were there to make their point by waving banners and shouting slogans.

There is no doubt in my mind that the police reaction to the minority was totally disproportionate. If the roles were reversed and I had been watching an anti-hunt demo at home on Sky, I'm sure that I would still have come to that conclusion.

 

[Doreys_Mum]

NOBODY from the Surrey Union even knew there was a 'riot' until they watched the news.... and then they had no idea it was the same protest!

Speaks volumns I think.

 

[Ereiam_jh]

I used to be involved with the anti criminal justice bill demos during the nineties. I well remember people being dragged down alleyways and having the [****] kicked out of them by riot cops. Of course that was before CCTV although I guess they just turn it off nowadays.

 

[Ereiam_jh]

Yeah and come to think of it I remember seeing film of the battle of the beanfield wit coppers (bless em) dragging pregnant women out of their homes and (yes you've guessed it) kicking [****] out of them.

Then there was orgreave etc.

Look at what the forces of law and order (that's us) are doing in Iraq, rape pillage and torture, that's what happens when you give them a free reign.

The only thing that will safeguard our rights is ourselves. We cannot rely on the government and the police.

 

[endymion]

That very one. And there was loadsa fox bits all over the place. However, I was offended more by the vast sea of tweed.......I still get the nightmares

 

[endymion]

I agree that most people did behave but the nutters at the front were going crazy at the police. It's London, if you try to whack an officer he's likely to hit you in the face with his truncheon. Then shoot you. Probably.

 

[combat_claire]

Cheeky sod! Not one member of the Fitzwilliam wore tweed that I recall...we were the cool contingent taking it easy on the lawn in rugger shirts and jeans...

from what I heard there was a lot of confusion about what was happening up front, I was well away from it - but no matter what was taking place there is no way that it can be justifiable force when a 30 year old unarmed bloke is hospitalised by a smack in the face from a police baton, nor can it be justified that a police officer pushed a member of the Fitzwilliam to the ground who had already turned away to obey his instruction. Nor can I underestimate the fear I felt seeing friends and other protestors staggering past me with serious head injuries...and trying to reunite myself with members of my group, while unhelpful police officers pointed us in wrong directions...