What was She doing wrong???

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

It's another case of - if you weren't there and in that position, then can you really judge?

None of us know what was said or what else was happening or had just happened before that video was shot so how can ANY of us pass judgement, right or wrong?

The camera WAS there and I see no evidence of the woman offering violence to the Thug that slapped her then hit her with his Baton. If she had hit him or another officer prior to the footage she should have been arrested - no?

So I can judge.

Nothing she could have said warranted the reaction, and surely anything that did warrant that reaction would also warrant her arrest?

Originally Posted by chompy

ive always been brought up not to hit a woman.

She approched this officer in a manner that he might have felt threatening

I don't recall seeing her swinging for him. I also don't recall her being right in his face.

I can see it's a tough job, but those actions nearly turned that section of the protest into a riot from the point where the toilet guy got pushed for the second time. I couldn't see was whether or not he had tried to force his way through. But the pushing sparked the woman into yelling at the cop who then reacted unwarrantedly with force, imo. Heavy-handedness angers people. Angry people have the potential to kick off. The cops NEED to keep cool heads if they are to keep control of the situation.

[Spiderman]

Watched the video a good few times now. The copper in question clearly intended to give her a back hander. Yes she was shouting but listen to what she was sying.It was in no way provoking violence from anyone least of all the cop.

His 1st push was fine and justified, he did his job there, the 2nd was clearly a strike followed by his get into an attacking stance (anyone who has or does do martial arts of any kind can clearly see this stance) he asseses the crowd quickly and decides he needs/wants his stick out.
The fact he hits the woman in the legs with it is again unjustified. Call it a distraction vlow or whatever you like there was no need for it. She was not attacking him or making her way toward him in any threatening way. If he, at his size and build felt threatened by her he could have dragged her behind those other cops and arrested her. By not doing so he shows her behaviour wasn't so bad it needed to be followed by an arrest. So what strike her twice?

Simple. Same as the other guy was pushed when he was politely asking if he could leave. See how he was treated?

A demo is perfectly legal to attend. It should also be perfectly legal to leave when you want to. The police dont alow for that so they are denying the right of Freedom of Movement to a msss of people with only one intention in mind...to get them to tun violent.

What about the protestors who abhor violence and when they see it happen want to leave...and the cops wont let them. What choice do they have.

The hittting someone, male or female, should not eb the real question here imo. Its the bigger picture you have too see to understand the political orders given to the police.

if they keep doing this to poepl who go on protests they hoe it will make then think twice about attending another one.
But people have the right to protest, thats what this so called democarcy allows us to do.

And to those of you who say she deserved it, i'm sure you'd feel exactly the same way if that was your wife, g/f or sister right?

And someone said "she should count herself lucky to live in a country thats so soft blah blah blah"...so now some people should be gratefull thy were born into a democracy yeh? Just at a time that the same Govt who sanctions this behaviour is busy going to other countries and "giving" them the same democracy they so value over here. Please.

Originally Posted by plowsie

The problem, which I stated earlier, is, it did. RBS Bank?

I fully acept that, but noone was to know that would happen at the time, and at the time, his responce was unjustified IMO.

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

Batons aren't made of wood.....sorry to be pedantic.....

They aren't? *googled*...polycarbonate! Makes sense...foo, I learnt something today .

I think Spidey just conclusively closed/won the argument here....

The people of this country have the right to protest peacefully. If the police deem the protest unpeaceful then they have the right to respond accordingly. I'd have said that woman approached that copper in an unpeaceful-like manner, so she got what she deserved.

My definition of a riot is when a crowd of people get out of hand and hard to control, like they were in the video. A peaceful protest is when a crowd march or gather peacefully to express a view, not push forward shouting and acting aggressively in an intimidating manner.

Originally Posted by Spiderman

Watched the video a good few times now. The copper in question clearly intended to give her a back hander. Yes she was shouting but listen to what she was sying.It was in no way provoking violence from anyone least of all the cop.

His 1st push was fine and justified, he did his job there, the 2nd was clearly a strike followed by his get into an attacking stance (anyone who has or does do martial arts of any kind can clearly see this stance) he asseses the crowd quickly and decides he needs/wants his stick out.
The fact he hits the woman in the legs with it is again unjustified. Call it a distraction vlow or whatever you like there was no need for it. She was not attacking him or making her way toward him in any threatening way. If he, at his size and build felt threatened by her he could have dragged her behind those other cops and arrested her. By not doing so he shows her behaviour wasn't so bad it needed to be followed by an arrest. So what strike her twice?

Simple. Same as the other guy was pushed when he was politely asking if he could leave. See how he was treated?

A demo is perfectly legal to attend. It should also be perfectly legal to leave when you want to. The police dont alow for that so they are denying the right of Freedom of Movement to a msss of people with only one intention in mind...to get them to tun violent.

What about the protestors who abhor violence and when they see it happen want to leave...and the cops wont let them. What choice do they have.

The hittting someone, male or female, should not eb the real question here imo. Its the bigger picture you have too see to understand the political orders given to the police.

if they keep doing this to poepl who go on protests they hoe it will make then think twice about attending another one.
But people have the right to protest, thats what this so called democarcy allows us to do.

And to those of you who say she deserved it, i'm sure you'd feel exactly the same way if that was your wife, g/f or sister right?

And someone said "she should count herself lucky to live in a country thats so soft blah blah blah"...so now some people should be gratefull thy were born into a democracy yeh? Just at a time that the same Govt who sanctions this behaviour is busy going to other countries and "giving" them the same democracy they so value over here. Please.

thank you

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by chompy

yes they can but it was already violent in other area's therefore there was potential it could have turned that way. if they let them 2 people get away with it then others would have tried getting through. Its better for them to stop to people while they can then having to stop 1000's of people later when they are rioting

The day before this, over 4000 Motorcyclists, with support of the Met protested, riding from Trafalgar Square, down past Downing Street, round Parliament Square and then parked up outside of the Westminster Council Offices (ok so we took up MOST of Victoria Street......

Not a single angry word between a biker and a cop that I am aware of.

Like i said, if you weren't there, in that situation, having to make split second decisions in order to protect yourself and property, you cannot judge. End of.

I suggest that before you pass judgement on people trying to do their jobs, whether he made a mistake or not, you should try being in the position he was. Outnumbered, with people trying to incite violence against the Police. Then you might have a SLIGHT understanding of how he might have felt, then, you can pass judgement and say whether or not he was right or wrong.

Originally Posted by Spiderman

Lots of sensible stuff

Totally agree. Nice post.