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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Man-handling climate change protestors

999 replies

Leafyhouse · 20/06/2019 23:17

Anyone else watch with horror as a climate change protestor was forcefully removed by Mark Field from the Mansion House speech? I mean, I'm no fan of political activism, 'direct action' and so on, but she wasn't presenting him with any direct threat, just shouting and being annoying. AIBU to think that his behaviour was totally unacceptable there?

OP posts:
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5
smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 21/06/2019 12:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Oliversmumsarmy · 21/06/2019 12:13

I was just going to say murdering an MP isn’t an isolated instance

IcedPurple · 21/06/2019 12:13

@IcedPurple , google Airey Neave. Google Brighton Bomb. Or Stephen Timms. Maybe you are too young to remember how nasty shit gets when people use undemocratic means to attack MPs.

You're comparing a protest by an unarmed climate change protester to the Brighton bomb? Are you having a larf?

Just say you don't believe people have the right to peaceful protest. At least not for causes you disapprove of. Because it's quite obvious that is what you think.

Oliversmumsarmy · 21/06/2019 12:13

She didnt go for him but she was going for someone.

IcedPurple · 21/06/2019 12:14

I was just going to say murdering an MP isn’t an isolated instance

Thankfully, in the UK, it is.

How often has it happened in the last 10 years? Or even 50 years? How many of those have involved unarmed female protesters at events with professional security?

Alsohuman · 21/06/2019 12:14

Who was she “going for”?

mbosnz · 21/06/2019 12:14

The Tory party seems to be collectively engaged in a race to the bottom at the moment. Is this a constant thing?

bellinisurge · 21/06/2019 12:17

So you know my mind too @IcedPurple . Do grow up. I of course believe in the right to peaceful protest.
I don't believe in people gaining unlawful entry into places and attacking MPs. Did he overreact? Obviously, with hindsight. But he didn't have hindsight and the security people didn't intervene.
If she had been a Leaver gammon and he had been an ardent Remain advocate, I would say exactly the same thing.

smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 21/06/2019 12:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 21/06/2019 12:18

Yes, she was 'going' for the lecturn Hammond had vacated, presumably to continue the speech they were all chanting at the beginning of their protest... the microphone was possibly still switched on.. and it would have made a good picture regardless!

IcedPurple · 21/06/2019 12:20

I of course believe in the right to peaceful protest.

You're giving a good pretence to the contrary. Why else would you compare a peaceful protest to the Brighton bomb ffs?

attacking MPs

Who was attacked? With what? When? Have you seen evidence none of the rest of us have?

But he didn't have hindsight and the security people didn't intervene

Funny how everyone else at the table had 'hindsight' and didn't feel the need to assault the protester. And security would have intervened appropriately within seconds, as they had been doing earlier.

BigChocFrenzy · 21/06/2019 12:20

bellini That's an excuse for assaulting any demonstrators, anywhere any time

Or any trespasser any time
Any neighbour who gets their ball from your garden , because neighbours in the past have assaulted, even murdered

These demonstrators had been through a security screen, so were as safe as it is possible to be
Greenpeace have never once allowed violence in all the thousands of events they have put on

btw, the IRA and Islamic terrorists never performed their murders under cover of a large demonstration
That's just not a terrorist threat

mbosnz · 21/06/2019 12:21

But he didn't have hindsight

Seemed to be somewhat lacking in foresight, too. . . if he couldn't see how this was likely to play out. . .

TheQueef · 21/06/2019 12:22

His statement is pure bobbar.

sashh · 21/06/2019 12:22

People like you make me sick.

For pointing out there is a petition?

Do you react like that to every petition?

Here's one to rename fire ants www.change.org/p/rename-fire-ants-to-spicy-boys?source_location=petitions_browse

And one to make a film

www.change.org/p/marvel-make-ant-man-3-happen?source_location=petitions_browse

So how do you feel now? If one petition makes you sick how are you going to react to me now?

IcedPurple · 21/06/2019 12:22

It's not killing fucking Eve.

Or The Bodyguard. Some people have a strange view of reality. If we were all allowed to assault people because of our 'feelings' the world would be a pretty grim place. I guess we have to accept that male Tory MPs are our betters and have rights that don't apply to the rest of us plebs.

BeerandBiscuits · 21/06/2019 12:24

How many elected representatives have we had murdered at a packed posh dinner recently?

How many passenger planes had been flown into skyscrapers before 9/11?

BigChocFrenzy · 21/06/2019 12:25

"I don't believe in people gaining unlawful entry into places and attacking MPs" Hmm

Since they had to go through a security screen, it is debateable if the actual entry was unlawful

they did NOT attack any MP

The MP attacked one of them

ffs, this is getting like Trump about Charlottsville
No, both sides were NOT equally violent

One MP - out of the 100s of diners - was violent
Noone else

NO demonstrators were violent

Oliversmumsarmy · 21/06/2019 12:26

btw, the IRA and Islamic terrorists never performed their murders under cover of a large demonstration
That's just not a terrorist threat

You have a short memory. Cast your mind back to 18th April this year

IcedPurple · 21/06/2019 12:29

How many passenger planes had been flown into skyscrapers before 9/11?

Terrible argument. Firstly, if the US had had aiport security procedures similar to that practiced in the rest of the Western world, that attack would have been averted.

Secondly, where does it end? Are we allowed to use violence against anybody at anytime just because although statistically the chances of you being attacked are minute, hey, you never know, there's a first time for everything?

BigChocFrenzy · 21/06/2019 12:30

So some people think it's ok to assault someone because of what ifs ?

Why can't I manhandle a bloke out of the supermarket because he cat-called about my arse ?

So many men have been rapists, murderers, serial killers

NO, because I have a sense of proportion
and being irritated and offended does not give me the right to attack someone

TheHopefulTraveller · 21/06/2019 12:31

You lot have Stockholm Syndrome.

There is no parallel universe in which Mark Field's response was appropriate or proportionate.

How depressing to see this Express and Mail crap on MN.

Unfinishedkitchen · 21/06/2019 12:31

He looked a bit practiced and keen on the old grabbing a woman by the neck thing. If I were a friend of his wife I’d be concerned.

Alsohuman · 21/06/2019 12:32

This is interesting.

mobile.twitter.com/MarkFieldUK/status/1126432512727764992

bellinisurge · 21/06/2019 12:32

Of course this isn't like Trump and Charlottesville. If I'm not allowed to say that he was acting (albeit stupidly) out of a genuine fear for the safety of MPs, you are not allowed to spin this as somehow this is like Charlottesville or that I am condoning violence against women. Or that am am against peaceful protest. Or any other of the things you are trying to spin at anyone who disagrees with you.