Page 6 | Man-handling climate change protestors

Leafyhouse · 2019-06-20T22:17:49+00:00

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?

Alsohuman · 21/06/2019 09:55

I feel like l’m living in a parallel universe reading this thread. How can anyone possibly defend this? Look at his face in the freeze frame before you start the clip. That’s not fear, it’s fury. I hope he’s successfully done for assault.

FiddlesticksAkimbo · 21/06/2019 09:56

That’s not fear, it’s fury.

You're absolutely right. I don't blame him. And it doesn't actually matter!

CuriousaboutSamphire · 21/06/2019 09:58

I think a milkshake is much worse than grabbing someone and ejecting them forcibly.

Holy shit!

So a man who gets embarrassed in public is worse than a woman being physically manhandled in a private venue?

OK! I suspect that perfectly sums up misogyny!

PanGalaticGargleBlaster · 21/06/2019 09:59

So how do you deal with a protester disrupting a private event who refuses to leave?

BigChocFrenzy · 21/06/2019 09:59

I'd be very annoyed at protestors disrupting my posh dinner,

but I'd have been disgusted if any guest had manhandled a peaceful protestor like that
Total over reaction

He knew what she was, because the whole bunch were shouting their slogans

He was angry, not scared
He's a thug in posh clothes
He wasn't protecting anyone, just punishing an annoying uppity woman

I doubt if he would have manhandled a bloke, if they had been say Sinn Fein or pro-Palestinian demonstrators,
i.e. anyone he might actually fear had dangerous friends

Alsohuman · 21/06/2019 10:00

Did anyone ask her to leave?

FiddlesticksAkimbo · 21/06/2019 10:01

He wasn't protecting anyone

He didn't need to be!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 21/06/2019 10:01

He was angry. Read his letter to the met police written in April:
www.mark-field.org.uk/sites/www.mark-field.org.uk/files/2019-04/Letter%20to%20Met%20Commissioner%20on%20Climate%20Change%20Protests.pdf

It wasn't out of character, he was urging the police to be much firmer with the protesters. He decided to take it into his own hands yesterday.

BarbarianMum · 21/06/2019 10:01

Personal safety 101.
If you think a person may be armed and dangerous, you do not grab them by the scruff of the neck (thereby leaving their arms free) and attempt to frog march them out if the room.

I'd have far more sympathy for the "I thought she was dangerous" narrative if he'd rugby tackled her or lamped her with a chair. But he didn't think that, did he.

BigChocFrenzy · 21/06/2019 10:01

It's not an MP's job - or right - to remove people

That's for the police / security

He just had to swallow his pride and wait for the professionals

Sparklingbrook · 21/06/2019 10:02

Oh god, do we have to turn this into an “abuse of women” issue? I’ve no doubt he would have done exactly the same thing I’d the protestor had been male. Aren’t we all supposed to be treated equally?

Yes, if the intruder had been male I think it would have been deemed by many more as justifiable, and be much further down the top news stories.

FiddlesticksAkimbo · 21/06/2019 10:03

It's not an MP's job - or right - to remove people

Creative!

ShatnersWig · 21/06/2019 10:03

@Alsohuman Look at his face in the freeze frame before you start the clip. That's not fear that's fury

In your opinion. At the same time, if you freeze frame as he's marching her out you could equally express the view that the protester is smirking and is well aware they've scored the best imaginable PR.

Who's right, who's wrong?

FiddlesticksAkimbo · 21/06/2019 10:06

Oh god, do we have to turn this into an “abuse of women” issue? I’ve no doubt he would have done exactly the same thing I’d the protestor had been male. Aren’t we all supposed to be treated equally?

Yes, if the intruder had been male I think it would have been deemed by many more as justifiable, and be much further down the top news stories.

I think you're right Sparkling, but this has more to do with what's news and what isn't than whether he acted lawfully. Men are undoubtedly allowed to eject female trespassers.

mbosnz · 21/06/2019 10:06

So how do you deal with a protester disrupting a private event who refuses to leave?

Call for police and/or security to come and remove them? Them being the people with the lawful right and responsibility, not to mention training, to use reasonable force to do so? Ignore them until this happens?

LoafofSellotape · 21/06/2019 10:07

In your opinion. At the same time, if you freeze frame as he's marching her out you could equally express the view that the protester is smirking and is well aware they've scored the best imaginable PR

Tbh there couldn't have been a better outcome than this as far as she is concerned. Best publicity ever.

ShatnersWig · 21/06/2019 10:07

If you think a person may be armed and dangerous, you do not grab them by the scruff of the neck (thereby leaving their arms free)

But he didn't. To start with he is clearing going for her arms and she struggles (as you would). Now, I think it's where he frog marches her out by the neck that is likely to be the crossing the line moment.

Again, many of us are not specifically saying right or wrong, we're saying we could understand WHY someone might do this and that should be borne in mind in any investigation. It may well be right that he has to go or facing charges. It is not a clear cut punch a la John Prescott (who was never charged).

CuriousaboutSamphire · 21/06/2019 10:08

the protester is smirking and is well aware they've scored the best imaginable PR. It does look like that! They would have been very happy with the expected coverage!

Nobody acted well, but his actions were overly aggressive. It really doesn't ever look as though he was afraid, he just looked angry and determined.

TheQueef · 21/06/2019 10:09

Victoria Derbyshire now, showed a longer clip and how long he had to gauge his reaction.

nuttynutjob · 21/06/2019 10:10

Field apologists bingo card

"He had a drink.... "
"It's HER fault..."
"SHE provoked him...."
"She didn't get injured"
"I don't know what to believe"
"It's not it's like real abuse though"
"He feels awful about it"
"There are two sides of the story"

Pedallleur · 21/06/2019 10:11

Unfortunately for Mr. Field, his parliamentary colleagues are beginning to desert him. Sir Peter Bottomley not helping Mr.Field either with his commens on R4 this am about women 'making a fuss'.

This from The Secret barrister this am
twitter.com/BarristerSecret?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

LakieLady · 21/06/2019 10:11

Extract from a speech given by Mark Field:

The UK remains committed to helping women all over the world to feel safe and protected in the work they do, so they can speak freely and be part of the change we all want. My remarks at the Westminster Hall Debate on Women Human Rights Defenders.

…

What a hypocrite.

Beingnicetomyself · 21/06/2019 10:13

FiddlesticksAkimbo the question of whether the force was "reasonable" depends on many factors, not just whether she received any injuries.

It's very difficult to judge without knowing the full circumstances (which I don't, not just from viewing that short clip) but on the face of it it looks pretty bad.

LakieLady · 21/06/2019 10:14

Oh god, do we have to turn this into an “abuse of women” issue? I’ve no doubt he would have done exactly the same thing I’d the protestor had been male. Aren’t we all supposed to be treated equally?

Not in matters of physical force.

Because of the (generally) greater size and strength of men when compared with women, the degree of force which would be proportionate for a man to use against another man is likely to be disproportionate when used against a woman.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 21/06/2019 10:15

nutty add to that list
'she enjoyed it really'.