pandorra Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I went to watch the Olympic torch pass through Chesterfield. As we were waiting by the roadside a policeman walked past telling people to stand back behind a line. He warned people not to approach the torch bearer as "The minders had instructions to throw people to the ground if they went near". Didn't the police manage to kill an inncocent person at a demonstation in London by pushing him to the ground? As these minders are only civilians (as far as I know). Wouldn't throwing someone to the ground amount to assault? I was also taken aback by the sheer number of people and vehicles involved in minding the torch. There must have been 20 cars, probably 30 or so police motor cycles and a dozen coaches. That's not to mention the hundreds of police on foot around the route. It's no wonder the Olympics are costing so much if this many folk are required to protect a flame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byeo Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 I went to watch the Olympic torch pass through Chesterfield. As we were waiting by the roadside a policeman walked past telling people to stand back behind a line. He warned people not to approach the torch bearer as "The minders had instructions to throw people to the ground if they went near". Didn't the police manage to kill an inncocent person at a demonstation in London by pushing him to the ground? As these minders are only civilians (as far as I know). Wouldn't throwing someone to the ground amount to assault? I was also taken aback by the sheer number of people and vehicles involved in minding the torch. There must have been 20 cars, probably 30 or so police motor cycles and a dozen coaches. That's not to mention the hundreds of police on foot around the route. It's no wonder the Olympics are costing so much if this many folk are required to protect a flame. The torch procession is a national maybe evan international event in itself. Add to the fact that any old nutter can get very close (which did happen to that Konni Huq lass four years ago) and attack the person carrying it or evan try and grab the torch. This is the reason why they have beefed up the police and security en route. Not really an issue in my opinion and you're allowd to use necessary force if you feel someone is getting too close. You can't punch but you certainly push someone away if you feel that the person who has the torch is under potential threat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natjack Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Think the 'minders' in grey are police officers? The elderly Italian woman that ran out from the crowd last week to try to kiss the torch, apparently to send luck to the Italians, was 'walked' back so roughly she nearly fell over. Saw it on TV. Couldn't see the point of it because she was just left standing there, so if she'd been a terrorist or random nutter, there were no police there to take over anyway. As it was, it looked like overkill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byeo Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Think the 'minders' in grey are police officers? The elderly Italian woman that ran out from the crowd last week to try to kiss the torch, apparently to send luck to the Italians, was 'walked' back so roughly she nearly fell over. Saw it on TV. Couldn't see the point of it because she was just left standing there, so if she'd been a terrorist or random nutter, there were no police there to take over anyway. As it was, it looked like overkill. But they know not to approach, either the people who do decided to approch are idiots or think they don't have to comply with rules which are set out. If they didn't do it, they wouldn't get a push and or marched back into the crowds. Simple isn't it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grissom Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 It's the police pushing people out of the way, what a job ! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2113059/Police-guard-London-2012-Olympic-flame-travels-Britain.html This article explains what all the 47 or so vehicles are there for http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2147684/How-vehicles-does-escort-Olympic-flame-300-yard-dash-47.html Good the bomb squad are there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey104 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 It is an international event. Imagine the furore if something were to happen? What would be the comments on the forum then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byeo Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 It is an international event. Imagine the furore if something were to happen? What would be the comments on the forum then? More security needed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Shaw Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 It is an international event. But it's not so ancient. It was invented for the 1936 Berlin Olympics by a Herr A. Hitler. Whatever became of him, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandorra Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 The torch procession is a national maybe evan international event in itself. Add to the fact that any old nutter can get very close (which did happen to that Konni Huq lass four years ago) and attack the person carrying it or evan try and grab the torch. This is the reason why they have beefed up the police and security en route. Not really an issue in my opinion and you're allowd to use necessary force if you feel someone is getting too close. You can't punch but you certainly push someone away if you feel that the person who has the torch is under potential threat. The escorts were giving out very mixed messages. The police in the BMWs were driving along glad handing out of the windows which needed the crowd to cross the lines. The same was happening with the buses. Folks handing out flags and touching young kids ( no idea why). But it brought the kids in very close to the bus wheels as they tried to touch the hand of some imagined celebrity reaching down from way over their heads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien52 Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Why anyone would want to watch people walking around carrying a large gold coloured cigarette lighter beats me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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