to think that Labour's stance on moped ramming is stupid

[longfingernails]

The Metropolitan Police have been knocking over moped muggers with their cars, and releasing the footage as a deterrent. It's a fantastic idea which has cut moped crime dramatically.

Predictably, the Shadow Home Secretary has said 'it shouldn't be legal for anyone'.

Why is Labour's instinct always to side with the scumbag criminals over the victims, the police and the decent people?

Sounds like the policing from 'Life on Mars'.

This is so uncomfortable on so many levels.

If the scumbags on the scooters don't go out robbing people they won't be at risk of being knocked off the mopeds, their choice.

If the scumbags on the scooters don't go out robbing people they won't be at risk of being knocked off the mopeds, their choice.

Maybe next time we hear of an MP fiddling their expenses we should send an area car to ram raid their office?

Good Idea

I don't give a shit about the rights of moped muggers. I'd prefer them to get knocked off their bikes than some poor innocent person get mugged, traumatised and possibly injured by them. Good on the police for getting tough with these feral scumbags.

People seem to forget (or ignore ) with rights come responsibilities. If you ignore other peoples right to be safe from violence then you must be willing to accept violence used to stop you.

I'm with the police on this

But yes a few well off chaps get their phones nicked on a night out in Islington and yeeha lets run those fuckers down.

A friend of mine was robbed by moped muggers in broad daylight. She’s a trainee teacher and was waiting for the bus home from work. The bastards mounted the pavement to get to her. She had a phone case with a strap that was wrapped around her wrist, they yanked it out of her hand with such force that she ended up with a dislocated wrist and a torn rotator cuff which she is still recovering from after months of painful physical therapy.

If those bastards break a few bones getting knocked off their mopeds by the police then it serves them fucking right.

I agree Angelo

In a civilised society the sentence for mugging isn't someone maiming or killing you without trial.

You can choose to live in an uncivilised country if you want. No rule of law, no right to a fair trial, no jury of your peers, no proportionality of sentencing. I hear Syria and North Korea are nice this time of year. No moped mugging I understand.

I hope your friend is recovering well Angelo.

Finally the police have been given some power that actually enables them to catch criminals. They just need to be given more power like this for other sorts of crime now so they can actually do their job.

These people on mopeds are given the opportunity to stop when they know the police are chasing them. If they have not committed a crime, they can pull over. If they choose to ignore the police, then they are up to no good. I think the chance of any truly innocent person being knocked off a moped are slim.

What a stupid thread, these mopeds riders are refusing to stop to police, which in itself is an offence. This is not a case of police speeding out of side-roads to smash into them with no warning. These are criminals that are refusing to stop for the law service that our taxes pays for in order to 'keep the streets safe'

If knocking them off their bikes is the only practical way to get them to stop and be held to account then that's their look out.

This policy sickens me.

The police should lead by example and go through the correct channels. Everyone despises a nasty thug on a moped, but everyone deserves to be treated fairly in the eyes of the law. This undermines justice.

I also have a concern about vigilantes seeing this as carte blanche to behave as they wish.

Next thing you know the police will start shooting innocent (black) people and not getting prosecuted, like they do in my country (USA).

God help us if Labour ever get into power. WTF would happen to our country if they banned police from catching criminals?

And, as a PP said, the sentence for robbery is not 'serious injury/death'. Where are we living, Saudi Arabia? This policy is abhorrent in a civilised society.

And it's not a Labour/Tory split on this issue, it's an 'practises critical thinking/hard of thinking' split.

In other countries if you don't stop when the police tell you to they shoot you! London is declining fast and this level of crime is becoming the norm and we will just shut up and let politicians get away with it!

God help us if Labour ever get into power. WTF would happen to our country if they banned police from catching criminals?

What an utterly ridiculous thing to write. Criminals were caught under Labour. Now we have the Tories and knife and gun crime is soaring.

But whatever, I wouldn't vote for Labour at the moment. But not because I can't understand crime data and causation.

May I just remind everyone that moped theft is committed by the kind of people that smashed in Michael McIntyre's car windows. His children were in that car and he was threatened with violence.

I'm for it. These are violent thugs who have found a low risk way of mugging and getting away. Well the police have just upped the risk.

To those saying "if I knocked someone of their bike..." or words to that effect. It would also be illegal for you to handcuff someone without their consent too. Are you against police handcuffing? Pretty sure neither you or I are allowed to carry pepper spray or a tazer. Not allowed to carry any sort of weapon. Yet the police are and for a good reason.

They put themselves in harm's way to keep the rest of us safe. Maybe 2 wrongs don't make a right but of the second wrong keeps my family safe then I'm for it.

To the PP that wrote ACAB, grow up

Criminals were caught under Labour
They used to be under Blair, but now under Corbyn they have gone extreme left and seem to think it should be illegal for police to arrest anyone on a moped committing a crime.

Sorry, once you step on the wrong side of the law you are giving up your human rights. End of.

I think it’s great something is finally being done, the police are trained to dismount them without causing major injury; and the moped riders will have plenty of chances to stop before it reaches that point. Prior to this they knew they were untouchable, and when they are mounting pavements, throwing acid, using force and stealing bikes which are people’s livleyhoods that’s what’s bloody dangerous. They have purposely found a way of carrying this out which has, up until now, evaded police capture. I’m surprised by the people in London against it (not surprised about everywhere else to be honest, it’s easy to see things happening in the papers but not want for them tricky decisions to be made to sort it when it doesn’t affect you). I, for one, am bored of reading at work all of the tips to stay safe as there have been more of the bloody muggings just up the road.

Also if ‘vigilantes’ start doing it they will be punished.

End of? Stunning argument for the abolishment if human rights. Stunning.

Human rights cannot be waived or given up. Because if criminals can, then refugees can (they're breaking the law), then unionists and protesters can, then you can introduce dodgy laws and everyone's a criminal and no one has human rights.

Human rights are there precisely so no one can be exempted from them. Even repulsive people. If you don't understand why, I suggest you crack a history book.

Stunning argument for the abolishment if human rights. Stunning.

Criminals still have all their human rights but if they are caught they have the choice to exercise them or give them up. Once they run from the police they have chosen to give up some rights. Their choice.

Stunning to think some people prioritise criminals immunity over victims right to justice. Stunning.