Should the army be brought in to control violent demonstrations

[Device]

Didn't the former leader of the BNP John Tyndall suggest bringing the army in to deal with the miners at Orgreave?

[Thorpist]

This is quite possibly the stupidest thread that has ever appeared on the sheffield forum i can't help but think that mayfair is making the woman who rang the police about her snowman being stolen look like a candidate for mensa.

You seem to think that the Tiananmen Square massacre was a shining beacon of righteousness, i despair of this sort of idiocy it makes a mockery of one of the worlds great democracies.

At most the police could have use of water cannons for the most serious situations but in our current climate that would also be fraught with danger.

As far as i can see most of the trouble seems to be caused by these new methods of controlling protesters which is shown to increase tension and therefore the likelihood of a violent encounter.

But that is not helped when there seems to be a new case of people going to protests with the aim of inciting violence, the police obviously need to work on a tactic of separating these fools from the real protest and dealing with them accordingly.

 

This is about the only sensible post I have read on here .

[eastbank]

The police are the violent thugs. Smashing people over the head hard enough to cause brain damage...and with total impunity.

 

 

i think he stumbled into the batton...and beat himself about the head....thats what will probably be in the police report....the coppers really enjoyed themselves...after seeing colleagues get hit with missiles...it was payback...in china they'd have run over them with tanks....

[Darth Vader]

Did you get smashed over the head? Did I?

 

I often wonder....

 

 

How do you get to be smashed over the head by a policeman?

 

You go to any event policed by them, whether it be a demonstration, or a football match, where they see you as a thug/enemy of the police, and not as a person exercising your democratic right, and you run the risk of being seriously injured, or even killed, by the baying mob, foaming at the mouth, that is the 'police'. It's the mob mentality in these situations. Their vision becomes 'coloured', they don't see what is really happening, because all they see is the 'enemy', like during the Hillsborough disaster, when they were ignoring the genuine screams and cries for help, and throwing people back in the pens to die.

 

Of course, when you add to the mix, the fact that they can maim, and even kill, knowing they will get away with it, and probably even be rewarded with a nice pension, it's very frightening indeed.

 

I used to go on quite a few demos, mostly CND events, and I would like to continue to exercise my democratic right by joining in protests for what I believe in, but I've seen too much of how these events are policed these days, and I must admit, I'm a coward, I don't now exercise my democratic right, as I would like, in this country, as I'm frightened of injury by the police. I know this is what the government wants, and I guess, they've won. I totally admire those that still go to peacefully protest, and risk their lives in doing so, and I'd like to thank them.

[Tony]

The police don't see you as anything. You are making the same mistake that so many people make - they think it's personal. It's not, it's just their job and they care as much about you as a sales assistant in Boots.

 

You are just another face in a crowd right up to the point where your face suddenly becomes interesting for some reason or another.

[lumberjack48]

Probably shoot the crowds

 

Have you ever heard such a daft Idea, bring in the army. Yeh and we would sure have problems then because everyone in every city would be up in arms and there just aint enough soldiers to sit on every street corner like they did in Ireland.

 

Imagine if we were sat watching the army storming kids on our tv ?

 

Like its been said, this isn't China, this is the UK.

 

 

As an ex squaddie who served in Belfast and 2 theaters of war in 82 and 90, I agree with you that it would be very stupid to employ the army in the policing role. Soldiers are not suited for police roles.

I agree with the students that protested peacefully but for those idiotic wasters that urinated on statues and attacked buildings and property, I say jail them for 5 years. I would also jail/sack any Police that used excessive force.

If by some chance the Condems felt the need to bring in the military though, I can tell you from experience that the violent students better not confuse squaddies for coppers cause it would be a mistake they would pay for dearly.

[Darth Vader]

The police don't see you as anything. You are making the same mistake that so many people make - they think it's personal. It's not, it's just their job and they care as much about you as a sales assistant in Boots.

 

You are just another face in a crowd right up to the point where your face suddenly becomes interesting for some reason or another.

 

I don't accept this. Experience tells me different. How you portray the police is indeed how they SHOULD be, though.

[clubfut]

If it was you being hit by missiles you would want the police to do something but some people think that this do gooder bandwagon isa good one to jump on. The police cant do right for doing wrong, if they stood by and let the "students" just smash london to bits they would be critisised for not doing there job. When they do their job to the exact spec of their training they are critisised for being heavy handed. We cant have it both ways. Do you want riots to be the new "peaceful protest" or would you like to be able to protest knowing you are safe and are able to get your point across. If you dont like the way the country is run DO ONE!!!

[hard2miss]

If it was you being hit by missiles you would want the police to do something but some people think that this do gooder bandwagon isa good one to jump on. The police cant do right for doing wrong, if they stood by and let the "students" just smash london to bits they would be critisised for not doing there job. When they do their job to the exact spec of their training they are critisised for being heavy handed. We cant have it both ways. Do you want riots to be the new "peaceful protest" or would you like to be able to protest knowing you are safe and are able to get your point across. If you dont like the way the country is run DO ONE!!!

Im sorry but we don't do requests.

[LibertyBell]

Yes the police lashed out for no reason against peaceful quiet people causing no problems at all. All the police in hospital tripped over or walked into doors too.

 

I know. I've read the eye witness reports of so many who were not in any way a risk or trouble makers and who were assaulted by police or charged by horses. Children / elderly people were kettled for 7 hours with no food or water or shelter.

 

The police tactics were provocative and calculated. ~Some front line officers appeared to disapprove of the orders they had to follow and knew the effect the tactics would have on the crowd.