G20 - Policing the G20: Another View - Bank of England

The Met have declared the policing of the protests surrounding the G20 summit "a success". But what should be the criteria for measuring their performance? How legal is 'kettling'? Does kettling impinge on the freedom to demonstrate? Should there be stricter controls on kettling? How are our civil liberties gradually being eroded by the police? And why, if it spends £7.5m on policing and plans to kettle people, doesn't the Met provide a few toilets? All this and more.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• G20
• G20 protest
• G20 protests
• Met
• Metropolitan Police
• police
• policing
• summit
• kettling
• coralling
• containment
• cordon
• freedom to demonstrate
• civil liberties
• Bank of England
• Bank
• City of London
• City
• London
• Ian Tomlinson
• banker
• capitalism
• credit crunch
• economy
• crash
• unemployment
• Billy Bragg

[owlscraig]

Why do people protest? they never achive anything just mass trouble. If you disagree with somthing then protesting is not how your going to get your way

[ectomorfoo]

Even the quickest look at your history book will tell you different. Sweeping changes have often been achieved through committed political protest. Think votes for women, think Apartheid in South Africa... I could go on.

[owlscraig]

That was then but unfortunetly the hippies ruined that nowdays people see protesters as idiots

[ectomorfoo]

So when do you think Apartheid fell?

[owlscraig]

Yes but people nowdays are not protesting for a reason like Apartheid they are just doing it as they have nothing else to do

[ectomorfoo]

Interesting view... I think you'll find, though, that people protest because they care, because they're engaged, because they're *not* apathetic like everyone else.

[diamondogz]

A mass arrest without process is illegal. But they happily spend £7.5 million on it because it's our money and anyway, if they can't burn it or wipe their ars3s on it they give it to the rich.

[fourmanfilms]

Police have no right to Kettle people inless they envoke section 14 of the public order act for fear of violence. They had not enacted it and the senior officer I spoke with would not let me go. I suggest people make a formal complaint to the IPCC for false detention by Poice. Section 14 was not enacted until about 6pm in the day. Once they legally kettle they must supply food water and medical assistence tot he crowd which they failed to do.

[newall7]

who was that weirdo dancing at first what a ponce

[owlscraig]

I see your view many protesters are doing it for what they belive in and i will take my hat of for them. But there are a lot who just go to cause trouble and that just makes the protest look like they are causing trouble and for that reason many of them dont achive anything as they are taken for criminals

[IKILLEDBAMBY]

i dont know if anyboy knows, but did you see that like gang with black hoodys and balaclvas on someother videos or the news, just curios,?

[SheylaDala]

"Why would the police want an excuse to be aggressive?"

Psychological evaluation indicate people who enter into the police force tend to be naturally aggressive themselves and also have a penchant to be arrogant. I have met some police officers who are upstanding and uphold the law but even they agree the G20 was a disgrace! I am sure that Tomlinson's family don't see his death as 'unfortunate' this is the 21st century, and it happened in a developed country instigated by a police officer!