What was he doing wrong???

It really does beggar belief

[Red Herring]

I must confess i stayed out of this tread when it was first posted because i just could not believe what I saw on TV and wanted to hold on to the vain hope that there would be at least a half attempt to justify what appeared to have happened. The behaviour of the police officer was just completely unnecessary and over the top. I've been involved in the front line at dozens of big public order situations and there was just no justification or need for the officer to have even touched the individual, let alone pushed him over in the way he did. He clearly wasn't involved in the demonstration and was no threat to them. The police line, which wasn't even very tight, could have just split around him and continued down the road. The very most I would have accepted would have been two officers taking him by an arm each and lifting/escorting him to the side of the road for his own safety. At a time when the police are trying to rebuild public confidence in the service the way this has been handled is a massive set back. I haven't one good word to say about it. Sorry.

Originally Posted by Red Herring

I must confess i stayed out of this tread when it was first posted because i just could not believe what I saw on TV and wanted to hold on to the vain hope that there would be at least a half attempt to justify what appeared to have happened. The behaviour of the police officer was just completely unnecessary and over the top. I've been involved in the front line at dozens of big public order situations and there was just no justification or need for the officer to have even touched the individual, let alone pushed him over in the way he did. He clearly wasn't involved in the demonstration and was no threat to them. The police line, which wasn't even very tight, could have just split around him and continued down the road. The very most I would have accepted would have been two officers taking him by an arm each and lifting/escorting him to the side of the road for his own safety. At a time when the police are trying to rebuild public confidence in the service the way this has been handled is a massive set back. I haven't one good word to say about it. Sorry.

I still am majorly surprised he hasn't been brought to trial!

[Red Herring]

I just can't understand the arrogance of the CPS. No apparent explanation, just a decision and that's that. It's just not good enough.

[Biker Biggles]

I think we tend to have a slightly rose tinted view of how power works in this country.If it doesnt suit the authorities for there to be a prosecution they will move heaven and earth to make sure there isnt one.They clearly dont want awkward court cases questioning policing of these demonstrations so there wont be any.The sarge who tw&tted the woman on camera got "no further action" as well as I recall.
Nothing new in this but now more of it appears on Utube unlike thirty years ago when it could all be shoved under the carpet.Who remembers Blair Peach?

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

I just can't understand the arrogance of the CPS. No apparent explanation, just a decision and that's that. It's just not good enough.

Er, there's a very expansive explanation, here it is:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/ju...-ian-tomlinson

I'm not exactly defending them here but I don't think this is a fair criticism. I think one VERY fair criticism is why in the name of holy **** did it take 15 months to come to the decision when that by itself has prevented the assault case being brought- their actions basically prevented one of the possible courses of action and now they say they'd like to have done it, bit late. So I asked a mate who used to work for the CPS and he reckons they were basing all of their case on bringing manslaughter charges, and that the deadline for the assault case was allowed to pass because they didn't think it was relevant.

The conflicting medical evidence definately causes a lot of trouble for any case though.

[Red Herring]

OK, perhaps i should have worded that better. There is plenty of explanation as to why the CPS have not prosecuted the officer, there is however no explanation as to why an officer felt it necessary to first strike, and then push in the way he did, an innocent member of the public who represented no threat to him or anyone else. It would be my submission that the reason for the lack of any explanation is that there simply isn't one, and to me that is completely unacceptable.

[yorkie_chris]

My explanation is he is an overly aggressive nutter who is a disgrace to your uniform.

The whole situation stinks, more in the general strategies used than in the few individual cases of heavy handedness.

[Red Herring]

I don't disagree with your assessment of the individual. With regard to the strategy I think the principal of keeping an aggressive crowd moving is sound, once they are allowed to stop and congregate it usually results in extensive damage to their surroundings, as seen on a number of occasions that day.

[yorkie_chris]

Way I read it is they were not an aggressive crowd until detained for hours for no reason.

That will make near anyone aggressive, I am surprised they were so meek TBH. If it had been a football crowd or something rather than a load of hippies it would have been carnage.