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G20 - Another protester assaulted by Police

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Gromit | 14:33 Wed 15th Apr 2009 | News
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A police sergeant seen in video footage hitting a woman during the G20 protest in London has been suspended, Scotland Yard has said.

He is shown hitting the woman in the face with his hand and her leg with his baton after allegedly being sworn at.
The sergeant works for the Territorial Support Group.

"The officer has been identified and suspended pending further investigation. The officer works as a sergeant in the territorial support group," he added.
Earlier, police said the actions of the officer featured in the footage raised "immediate concerns".

David Howarth, the Liberal Democrat's justice spokesman, has called for a "full-scale inquiry".
"The fact that this video shows another example of an officer with his number obscured assaulting a member of the public indicates that there is a systematic problem here, not just a series of individual acts of misconduct," he said.


It is easy to see how a large crowd would be angered by seeing the police attack people. Surely it is only luck that this did not provoke a full scale riot.

Are acts of violence by the Police now permissible against people exercising their right to protest?
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The two recent incidents caught on camera clearly demonstrate a serious lack of discipline and self control from so called professionals whose training (at our expense!) should raise them above the likes of you and me. So I think the police apologists who have posted here are out of order.
Unfortunately for the police, such incidents as these do nothing to enhance the respect of the public which has been eroded over the last few years. My own opinion of the police as an instrument of the state was drastically formed during the time of the miners strike, a black period indeed.
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The Police are so overburdened with PC red tape and namby pamby requirements I can understand why they lash out.

For good or ill, the Police are our only defence against the mob. Far better that a few heads get broken than our cities become sacked.

Segilla, it was the corruption, incompetence and bare faced lies of the police during the 70s (especially) and 80s that ushered in red tape and took away their right to prosecute criminals and brought about the C.P.S.
I deal withe police often, and truth be told I'd sooner put up with a dozen surly coppers than one mouthy bag head. Does'nt make it right though.
Police got it wrong in this instance, discipline them and move on.
police overburdened with PC... nice one.
well Parrafin, thanks for that, I guess chatterbank is where the yoghurt knitters go to pat each other on the back, I don't tend to go there much myself. Still, poor old spock seems to have got himself into a lather, bless, haven't had so much fun in weeks. You see how easy it is to turn a gentle little spocky into Ghengis Khan? All you have to do is doubt their evangelical rantings and viola, they could join the BNP, and you know the really fun part, they are so blinded by rage they can't see it!
Just a thought. What if the policeman had attacked a demonsrating Islamist in the same way. Can you imagine the sh1t that would have thrown up!!!
I think it didnt go far enough , had his tazer ran out of charge??

Seriously though , if you are there for trouble you are gonna get trouble, its still not too late to exert authority over all minority scum which blight society which is ruled by fear of crime be it in whatever form ............
It surprises me that people are trying the 'how would YOU react' argument. Is lashing out in temper considered a normal reaction now?

It reminds me of Jens Lehman, the former Arsenal goalkeeper. Opposition players went out of their way to rile him. At every corner, Craig Bellamy or Robbie Keane or someone would be in blocking his way, giving him abuse, winding him up. And almost every time, he'd lose his rag and shove them. It was so easy to get him booked it was laughable.

He'd always come out with the old 'Well, how would like it' argument as if he was standing in a pub car park rather than the six yard box and as if his reaction was the most natural thing in the world.

No, Jens, you're paid to be professional. Rise above it. Grow up.
Whereas we should still allow the right to peacefully demonstrate, nothing should alter this, BUT.

The rules of engagement should be tightened up, and a set of rules laid out.

Any group wanting to protest should first apply for permission. And if their demonstration is justified, then areas should be set aside, for the demonstration to take place.

These areas should be plainly defined, the Police should then form up a slight distance away from this area.

And then anyone caught causing trouble outside of these specified areas, and coming up face to face with the Police, should feel the full weight of the law rained down hard upon their shoulders.

This way the genuine peaceful protesters would receive no hassle from the Police. But those out to cause trouble and disobey the rules, would consequently deserve the necessary punishment that was metered out.
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AOG

And how would that stop a newspaper seller on his way home from work, being attacked from behind by the Police?
He would know not to enter no-man's land.If indeed he was just a newspaper seller on his way home.

Recent additional video footage, suggest that he was a alcoholic, who had been causing trouble throughout the day.

At one time he stood in front of a police vehicle and refused to move when requested.The police had been keeping their eyes on him, which was easy because of his easy recognised football shirt etc.

At the time he was knocked to the ground, he had entered an area he should not have been in. We do not know but most likely he had been requested to back off, but he just turned his back to the police, and who knows he most likely voiced some drunken obscenity towards the them.

Until there has been an official enquiry no one should jump to conclusions. You for one Gromit should follow what you yourself has always maintained, innocent until proven guilty..

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Can you give us a clearer idea of what you mean by this?

"Any group wanting to protest should first apply for permission. And if their demonstration is justified, then areas should be set aside, for the demonstration to take place."

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