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AIBU?

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Original poster

Very pleased about the Ian Tomlinson verdict

85 replies

marmaladetwatkins · 03/05/2011 22:16

But very surprised. I was expecting them to find in favour of the assaulting police officer.

AIBU to hope that boorish police officers might think twice before acting like a bull in a china shop knowing that the won't necessarily be protected by the law?

OP posts:
izzywhizzyletsgetbusy · 03/05/2011 23:24

The Met haven't got much integrity left to scoop up, marmalade - I've thought for some time that something has gone very wrong with their selection process.

IloveJudgeJudy · 03/05/2011 23:36

I, too, was very pleased with this verdict. I was beyond astonished when the CPS dropped the case in the first place.

I do hope that the CPS make a case against the police officer and that it comes to trial. So far as I understand it, this particular officer has made a bit of a hobby of striking people in demonstrations. I hope an example is made of him.

I feel that the police, or whoever sent the case to the pathologist Patel, were trying to make sure that nothing further happened.

Did anyone hear Ian Tomlinson's stepson, Mr King, speaking on PM tonight. He got quite choked talking about this even though it's been two years. I can quite understand it as it's taken a lot out of Mr Tomlinson's family to try and get this far.

worraliberty · 03/05/2011 23:42

No probs funnys to be honest, if I hadn't have seen the clip I would have assumed it was just more police bashing.

izzywhizzyletsgetbusy · 03/05/2011 23:49

The police are the ones carrying batons for the bashing of, worra

Remember the poor guy carrying the 'shotgun' disguised as a chair leg? More target practice for the armed response unit.

TeiTetua · 04/05/2011 00:38

I think the underlying idea that the police have (all police everywhere) is that in any kind of conflict, any potential opponent must believe that they have no rights and the police will never be punished for anything they do. Thus, the police maintain a high level of confidence, and maybe they can intimidate a lot of people into good behaviour, and if that doesn't work, they'll deal out the violence and prove the point. For any sadistic individual on a police force, it's carte blanche to get out there and do some damage--right up to the point of murder.

It's only when some crazy chance like a Yank with a video camera who provides actual evidence against an individual police officer, that something has to be done. But you can well believe that the authorities will do anything they can to make the evidence point some other way--anything that lets the police keep on bashing people and never suffering for it. Shooting too, once in a while.

Too bad that inquests get decided by juries. It puts the Met and the prosecutors in rather an awkward situation. Because if this copper gets sent down, who'll want to bash people next time there's a riot?

Of course we will never never never hear anyone in the police or the judicial system say anything like this. Perish the thought.

alicethehorse · 04/05/2011 00:55

"if it hadn't been for the footage that conclusively demonstrated that Harwood was lying, he'd have got away with it."

Sadly that's very true I'm sure.

duckypoo · 04/05/2011 00:58

But why would you have just assumed it was police bashing Worra, I don't understand that attitude. Authority figure accused of wrong doing=automatic dismissal of accusation, unless presented with 100% proof of wrong doing. Why would you just assume it was bullshit, policemen/women are just as capable of being idiots as the rest of us.

Very pleased with the verdict.

Original poster
marmaladetwatkins · 04/05/2011 09:28

"Marmalade, re. Jean Charles de Menezes, I think you are inadvertently repeating one of the lies the police told to try to justify their appalling fuck-up. I'm pretty sure the inquest verdict was very clear, that he did NOT fail to follow police instructions. There was no instruction, he was not asked to stop. Nor did he jump the gates, that was one of the coppers chasing him. (IIRC the confusion in the control room meant they weren't told to stop him getting on the tube, which you'd think would be a pretty high priority if they had genuinely believed he was dangerous.)) Mr de Menezes was an innocent man who did nothing wrong at all and would have had no idea why people were shooting at him."

Oh my god, I really did not know that. I must admit I stopped following the case after a while because it was really upsetting me, thinking of how scared the victim must have been and how his family in Brazil must have been feeling. I was sickened to think that he would be gunned dead for failing to follow police instructions but knowing that he was shot for fuck all really is beyond the pale. :(

OP posts:
sausagesandmarmelade · 04/05/2011 09:30

Also pleased...

Power tends to go to the heads of some police officers who need to realise that they are not above the law.

Hope that criminal charges follow.

DiscoDaisy · 04/05/2011 09:37

If the PC does get charged and go to court would it be possible for him to have a fair trial though?
(I have no views either way on this case but I always thought everybody was entitled to a fair trial)

sausagesandmarmelade · 04/05/2011 09:38

The Jean Charles de Menezes case was an absolute disgrace.....

Felt so sorry for that innocent young man...and his family.

The cover up after the event was also sickening...

sausagesandmarmelade · 04/05/2011 09:41

Why wouldn't he get a fair trial. He un-lawfully killed someone...there is plenty of evidence. That the case has been highlighted in the media does not mean that he would be unfairly tried.

Hope he goes down for this....and that the others he hit also charge him.

SCUM....and a disgrace to the Metropolitan Police

Original poster
marmaladetwatkins · 04/05/2011 10:00

I hope he gets tried for this. I don't see how they can't try him now.

OP posts:
ccpccp · 04/05/2011 10:24

Tomlinson was a pished tw@t who had been walking around baiting riot police all day. The hands in pockets shuffle was deliberate provocation - dont paint him as innocent.

Its nasty that he died though, but just as likely that he would have died in a bar fight that night or something if he hadnt been pushed over.

lubberlich · 04/05/2011 10:34

Excellent verdict - thank god for filmed evidence eh? What he did to the BBC cameraman just before starting in on Mr Tomlinson was bad enough.
Having been on the wrong end of a few nasty bastard coppers at demos in time it is always satistying to see one of the cretinous inadequates get their comeuppance.

@cccpccp
Bollocks.

ScousyFogarty · 04/05/2011 10:35

the Tomlinson verdict was straight forward. The CPS should now prosecute, the police officer

For goodness sake, on occasions they prosecute petty shoplifters in
my city

ccpccp · 04/05/2011 10:44

"Having been on the wrong end of a few nasty bastard coppers at demos in time it is always satistying to see one of the cretinous inadequates get their comeuppance."

Get a haircut and a job.

Original poster
marmaladetwatkins · 04/05/2011 10:51

ccpccp, are you a troll on a wind-up or just a thick twat?

Either way, you're coming across as a knuckle-dragging mouthbreather.

OP posts:
ccpccp · 04/05/2011 11:07

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

Ormirian · 04/05/2011 11:08

Agree.

PO behaved like a thug.

Original poster
marmaladetwatkins · 04/05/2011 11:12

Thanks. I can now ignore you quite happily :)

OP posts:
AllTheYoungDoods · 04/05/2011 11:14

Very pleased. Was absolutely disgusted at how this case progressed in the early days and very saddened by the fact that it was just because there happened to be footage of him being shoved to the ground from behind, and ditto of the BBC cameraman, that this ever got to trial. I felt physically sick watching some of the student fees riot policing and really hope that any evidence of police brutality from those riots is given the same airing.

Thought the BBC coverage of it last night was excellent too.

knittedbreast · 04/05/2011 11:14

im very pleased to see that they reached this verdict-i didnt think it would ever happen mind.

i and friends of mine have been on the wrong side of real police brutality-sadly many of them are just bullies and this case highlights that. the police are supposed to protect and enforce the law. had i been the officer who did that on camera i would have been sentenced long ago, that twat is no different.

ccpccp · 04/05/2011 11:18

Well in truth you cant, marmaladetwatkins. There is no ignore poster button on MN.

If you dont want to invite debate you should keep your opinions to youself and not post on AIBU.

knittedbreast · 04/05/2011 11:19

hold on, so having your hands in your pockets is a reason to be hit with a baton now? or being drunk is a reason to be given a good shove?

i guess being asian or balck is justifiable reason for being searched more aswell? of donating cash to greenpeace is a justifiable reason for hving your car stopped by police all the time?