to think that dragging a disabled man out of his wheelchair is appalling behaviour?

[lowrib]

Protester Jody McIntyre - who has cerebral palsy - being pulled from his wheelchair onto the road by police at the recent protest.

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Disgusting behaviour.

Bathbuns - I wouldn't go either because of fear of what could happen wrt police violence, and I'm not in a wheelchair. It's why I didn't go to the G8 demo in Edinburgh despite there being cheap coaches available.

I think that after they shot Jean Charles de Menezes at close range, repeatedly in the head, and there was no comeback I realised they can do anything they like.

Obviously the vast majority are v good and professional, but it doesn't matter as they can all act with impunity.

I am glad however, that not everybody feels the way I do.

YADNBU terrible scene which seems to be becoming more popular in the last 2-3 years

curlymama

yeah right you see loads of criminals whizzing around in wheelchairs. That's actually quite a sick thing to say actually.

actually in reality if they have the govt backing they really can do anything can't they?

What limit is there on their powers?

'I'm so glad the cameras have been turned on the watchers, the police hate that, no more just taking the medias slant on things at face value.'

What like the justice that Ian Tomlinson's family received? They don't give a shit that they are being filmed. They know it won't go anywhere.

The point is, just because you have a disability, it doesn't mean you can't break the law or be prevented from doing so. You cannot tell from the video what was going on.

The "oh,poor man in his wheelchair"attitude is so judgemental. Who is to say he is not subject to the same laws. Anyone would be moved out of the way if obstructing the police. Demonstration is not the preserve of the able bodied and neither is the force of the law.

sincity - no you don't because a wheelchair does not give you immunity to anything.

It's not a sick thing to say at all, it's a valid point. If I fancied comitting a crime but I knew the police couldn't arrest me or touch me to enforce that arrest if I was in a wheelchair, I'd go and get myself one. Criminals have been known to do things far sicker than that.

Anyway, as I said, I don't excuse the police for treating someone like that, but if a wheelchair user was throwing something designed to hurt a police officer, what would you expect them to do?

sincity - don't have all the details to hand but the police are allowed to use force to restrain someone or to apprehend someone but only if necessary. I doubt dragging someone who is not presenting a threat out of a wheelchair counts.

They are quite happy to break the law though. Taking off badge numbers is an old trick. Now we have digital cameras at least there is hard evidence of that.

Well congratulations to our fabulous police force. You are doing well scaring people with disabilities and school children off protesting in a democracy. Well done you.

I agree earwica, but it has to be better than them not being recorded at all?

There was also a woman who was dragged and thrown into the cells recently that was on CCTV, and I think the officer who did it got off on appeal.

Even if they get off it's still a reminder to them that they are accountable for their actions, unlike the bad old days, and a reminder to us that we should always treat those in authority with a degree of mistrust and contempt.

If the police wanted to move him they should have moved him in his chair not dragged him out of it.

This was not the first student protest that got out of hand. People went there knowing the risk. The people I feel sorry for are the ones that live or work nearby and had no choice but to be in the area.

Why are any of you suprised at the actions of the Police, it is nothing new, they have always been a law unto themselves and considered themselves above the law.

Dixon of Dock Green was fiction.

scurry - it is reasonable that from Jody's account (link above) that the copper who did this knew who he was.

And it would of been quicker to have pushed the wheelchair rather than pushing him out of it and dragging him along the pavement. Think!

At least the thug who pulled Jody from his chair was wearing his police number, unlike the thugs who murdered Ian Tomlinson.

I wonder if any of the people who think protests are so black and white (ie protesters bad/police good) have ever been on a protest? I can only assume they haven't. If you had seen the taunting and the provocation that the police indulge in then you would be horrified and perhaps a little less surprised that tensions rise as high as they do.

I feel a little bit sick watching that, physically appalled. Shouldn't have watched it before going to bed am maddened!

OK scurryfunge, you clearly don't get it. No-one is saying that disabled people can't or don't break the law. It's not 'oh let's feel sorry for the poor defenceless guy in the wheelchair'. It's 'what the hell are they doing dragging a guy who can't walk onto the ground, leaving him more vulnerable than the other protestors'? If they asked him to move and he refused, they could have just moved his wheelchair instead of dragging him out of it. As I said, that's equivalent to tying up an able-bodied person as it means he can't walk away or move from where they left him.

Absolutely AngelZigzagsSparklyYuletideLog, I didn't mean to suggest that recording police abuses isn't worthwhile. It certainly is as it shows us how 'justice' actually works.

Curly, are you really serious, are you saying dont protest or the Police have the right to assault you.

Arrest the trouble makers by all means but dont hit the innocent out of spite and malice

For those that say that "just because he is in a wheel chair, it doesn't mean he isn't breaking the law", I agree, of course people who use weheel chairs can break the law....

however, they are in a wheel chair, they do not need to be dragged out, can't the police just wheel them out of the way?

They had no idea of his medical condition, and just behaved in the most appalling way. I am disgusted.

A lot of coppers post on mnet newwave and your generalising about everyone in the blue uniform being a thug is just as bad as the generalising from the anti student camp. I know the one time I needed the police they were really great and came out mega quick. And they were from the Met I was attacked one nightin the street by someone who turned out to be a serial attacker of woman and am gald to say they caught him. But I was really relieved to see them. Also some of the footage shown on thursday clearly shows smoe people lobbing sticks and snooker balls at the police horses do you want to defend them

He did refuse to move out of the way when the police asked him to so they moved him themselves. I agree it did seem a little over-agressive but it was a really tough day so I'm willing to give them the benfit of the doubt on this one.

If that is what happened, earwicga. Who is to say he was pulled from a wheelchair? Nothing is clear. It is not always quicker or easier to move someone in a wheelchair who does not wish to be moved. Passive resistance is a demonstrator's tactic.

well I actually do work quite near that area.

Im not saying that disabled person can do no wrong but still nothing can justify hauling someone out of their wheelchair.

I think Brian Paddick was right when he said the police should be more sophisticated and target the known anarchists/trouble makers as much as possible prior to the protests.

Also anyone could see by watching the protests (as I was on Sky) that those in green hard hats were troublemakers.

Also it suits some parts of govt to have some trouble as it deflects away from the main issue.

I saw all the police travelling to the riot protest early that morning and could sort of sense the tension.

Awww the police had a tough day so it's totally understandable that in their befuddled minds they forgot to show any respect to the bloke?

I'm shedding a tear as I type for them byrel.