Sarah Everard

I don't agree with timing of the demo. It's entirely understandable but, morally imo, the wrong thing to do. However once it happened the police should have policed accordingly and encouraged safety first instead of piling in and making it worse because 'the law' says so.

 

I agree with you watcher but my response was to what went on in Glasgow.
Everyone knew. It was all over social media that rangers fans would meet and celebrate outside Ibrox. And also in George Square.
A police cordon should have been in place and supporters told to move on. But police lost the battle once the crowds got too big to police and control.

 

Ahh OK, yes agreed.

 

Ah. It had been politicised. Nothing like what you're doing here.

And, sadly, people were advising on how to evade arrest, so they all needed braying and arresting.

Because it's not like how to evade arrest is useful information at a peaceful protest that's being mobbed by aggressive coppers, is it?

 

They brayed and arrested them all? Because I only see 4 arrests in the news

 

Oh, ok. That's fine then.

 

It's not fine to arrest 4 people at a protest?
What did those four people do to get arrested that you feel didn't warrant the arrest?

 

I would love to know the other reasons these women were protesting about?

 

Priti Patel is a horrendous excuse for a person and a politician. It takes a lot to be the most contemptible member of government at the minute, but she makes it look easy.

 

?.

 

I believe I'm typing this but she makes Mrs May the architect of the hostile environment and Windrush look saintly.
Last nights display is a direct result of the culture within the Home Office. Those in positions of authority are being hammered to follow the political line.
What do you do that position? Remain in position to try and mitigate the issues whilst holding out hope for a change of government or resign on principle?

 

I fully support the idea of a vigil for S Everard. It's about time peoples' attitudes shifted on the whole issue of female safety. But, as Loko implied (I think) the whole event was messy. Strictly speaking in the current situation the organisers would have been better biting their lips and delaying the whole thing for a few weeks ( till restrictions are softer). I know that sounds dismissive but its not simply because mass gatherings in current circumstances are almost impossible to sort out within the law. Super Tyke has a point here therefore. However the Met police have cocked up big time through bad planning and insensitivity. They should have tried with the organisers to implement some 'safe covid' measures in the first place - maybe erecting distancing barriers and maybe insisting on amplification so that the crowd could hear any speeches without cramming forward to hear. In any event they did nothing other than ban the event.
Banning it altogether was strictly speaking the correct thing to do as I've said but it was also silly because it was never going to discourage people from turning up.
So....when the event happened it was a mess from a social distancing aspect and a mess from a policing aspect. Some police officers on the front line no doubt did their best and showed sensitivity and restraint while some overreacted and manhandled/incited people in the crowd. Nobs. However, it would also appear that a minority of attendees were nobs as well and determined to behave in whatever way they wished regardless of police requests. It's not all one sided anti-police stuff here. The responsibility for all of this however for me on balance is the leadership of the Met. They should have put measures in place KNOWING that the vigil was going to take place in any event.
Shame on anyone harming anyone else whether police or public but it was a big miscalculation by the police. I could go on and explain my views more but Im rambling

 

Well said, mate.

 

Supertyke is trying to win the Most Reactionary Poster award again.

 

no offence mate but “they arrested 8 Women who had traveled from Newcastle.” Really? What’s your source for that; and I won’t accept the Daily Mail.

 

Do you know all this bull about women travelling from Newcastle, covid deniers, anti-police, anti lockdowns, and ACAB is typical of supporters of this right-wing government.