Disturbing footage from outside parliament

[Wildswim]

I think this is a disturbing incident and agree with the MP for raising it in parliament (not that anyone was there to listen).

A woman was manhandled into a van by a posse of policemen. She had been peacefully protesting and not causing any disturbance.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8983215/Tory-MP-rages-police-bundle-old-woman-van-protesting-outside-Parliament.html

I agree that the real concern here is that peaceful protest has been made against the law, without any noticeable fuss. I'd bet that most people don't even know it has happened.

Once something is a crime, the Police have to enforce the law. I'm sure we can all name occasions when individual officers have done terrible things, but this isn't one of them. The problem lies with the people who made the law (and to a certain extent with the electorate which let them get away with it).

Yes @hoodathunkit, I’m entirely serious. Standing quietly outside parliament presented no risk to anyone. All anyone had to do to remain safe was stay a minimum of two metres away. Instead the police, in their zeal to enforce a law that shouldn’t exist, put themselves at risk by picking the protesters up and carrying them. There’s no logic whatsoever to it.

If she was breaking the law by protesting where she should not have (outside parliament) then the cops have no choice but to arrest her.

If they didn't she would have been joined by her anti-vaxx, Qanon, batshit friends and before you know what is happening it would have been very challenging to deal with.

By the looks of the video some of them were already there with phones and cameras at the ready.

This has all the hallmarks of a PR set up and I've seen so many similar examples recently.

I'm not saying that the police are always right or never do anything wrong.

I value individual freedoms, but we have to be mature grown ups and not engage in protests that break the law duing a pandemic. If people do break the law in this respect then the police have no alternative but to deal with them and should have our support.

You can disagree, but it is illegal to remove this right. This is an illegal law.

I am not a lawyer, however I suspect that there is no such thing as an "illegal law"

we have to be mature grown ups and not engage in protests that break the law duing a pandemic.

If we disagree with a law, we should have the right to peacefully protest against it. That's fundamental to a liberal democracy.

If we disagree with a law, we should have the right to peacefully protest against it. That's fundamental to a liberal democracy.

The virus doesn't care about your opinion

That's why we are enduring a short period of deprivation of certain liberties.

So called "peaceful protests" are dangerous to life at the moment.

You might want to protest. I understand. I want the moon on a stick. But guess what? Whan you are a grown up livingin the big bad world you can't always have what you want all the time.

@Wildswim

we have to be mature grown ups and not engage in protests that break the law duing a pandemic.

If we disagree with a law, we should have the right to peacefully protest against it. That's fundamental to a liberal democracy.

Precisely.

And this tells me all I need to know about the mentality of this defence of the current erosion of our rights.

she would have been joined by her anti-vaxx, Qanon, batshit friends

This probably wouldn't even have been in the news if it were a young black man.

I wonder if this MP would have kicked up a fuss in that case too?

@ghostyslovesheets

she was arrested for breaching Covid restrictions (the group where asked to disperse and refused) she then resisted arrest causing her to be carried - had she a) moved along or b) walked calmly to the police van it would not have been so dramatic and given the covid sceptic politician a platform :)

I think she might also have been in the prohibited area around Parliament. The media have certainly taken the bait, no doubt she’ll be delighted.

@fatblackcatspaw

I think its illegal to protest outside parliament in normal times.

Yes, I think you’re right.

I am not a lawyer, however I suspect that there is no such thing as an "illegal law"

There is, if a law breaches our international treaty obligations.

@Hayeahnobut

This was a set up. Going limp is a tactic used by protester groups to hinder the police, she knew exactly what she was doing.

I respect her wish to protest, but don't buy the poor innocent old lady story.

Going limp also means it generally takes 4 officers instead of 1 to arrest someone thus diverting manpower from other duties.

Notice she dressed for the occasion as well, add ‘respectable’ to ‘poor innocent old lady’.

@skodadoda

Notice she dressed for the occasion as well, add ‘respectable’ to ‘poor innocent old lady’.

What? A nondescript coat, scarf and trousers? You’re really scraping the barrel now.

@hoodathunkit

Since when did police enforcing laws become police doing whatever they want?

But they are not "doing whatever they want" are they?

They are arresting a woman who is not co-operating and is breaking the law and putting others at risk.

I have been on loads of demos and protests and have seen the police acting really badly before, but this looks like the police doing thier job in a very difficult situation.

Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

If you were a police officer how would you deal with an uncooperative protester who went limp?

Just let her do her thing and ignore the risk to the greater public?

I think you misread my post.

PP's have said that police officers just do what they want.

I'm saying thyeg are enforcing the law.

I'm a police officer btw.

@GreenlandTheMovie

The Coronavirus Act 2020 is not a constitutional document and therefore its important for democracy and the rule of law that it can be challenged

So what is a constitutional document ? Where would you expect the Coronavirus Act 2020 to be challenged ?

@fatblackcatspaw

I think its illegal to protest outside parliament in normal times.

I don't think it's illegal but I'm pretty sure you need a permit!/permission

I fail to see what is disturbing about this, as previous posters have said, being old doesn’t exclude people from having to stick to the law. The lady made her own decision and as such should bear the consequences.

@wildraisins

This probably wouldn't even have been in the news if it were a young black man.

I wonder if this MP would have kicked up a fuss in that case too?

Very valid point.

@flaviaritt

I am not a lawyer, however I suspect that there is no such thing as an "illegal law"

There is, if a law breaches our international treaty obligations.

You're one of those 'freeman on the land' oddballs aren't you?

She shouldn’t have been arrested because the right to peaceful protest is a fundamental tenet of our society

She had the right to peaceful protest. She still does. She just can't do it as part of an organised group who disobey social distance rules.

Lockheart

No. And it’s not odd to expect your government to respect international human rights laws they have signed up to.

jorisbonson l agree, if everyone being arrested just had to go limp to avoid it, nobody would be arrested. As this is mumsnet many of us will be aware just how difficult it is to manoeuvre a even a small toddler doing a limp protest, into a pushchair. There's no easy or dignified way of doing it with a full grown adult. She had the option of cooperating.

Didn't see the police do this when our historic monuments were being destroyed!!!

I hope I get carried off by policemen at the age of 72

Well, she should have done as she was told and then she wouldn't have been ' manhandled ' or ' bundled ' anywhere. Spreadeagled or not.