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Original poster

To be angry at the frenzy caused by others last night

999 replies

BarometerTV · 14/03/2021 12:56

I think it was utterly disrespectful. We are in lockdown and it was not the right time for a protest. I agree with a quiet, respectful, socially distanced space to grieve - which is what appeared to happen during the day.

OP posts:
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11
Blessex · 14/03/2021 21:42

I was there. The police caused this without a doubt. And I am usually the most law abiding, system defending person. This was so unnecessary and extremely sad. They should have policed a vigil. Not fought it. RIP Sarah.

Sparechange · 14/03/2021 21:43

So while you’ve been dismissing my account as ‘just a version’ which was ‘another viewpoint’, it’s entirely possible that your niece was attending an entirely different location altogether, and that’s why she saw violent protesters that no one else saw..?

Pedallleur · 14/03/2021 21:45

It was policed differently in different areas so not even consistent. If there had to be a police presence they could have stood quietly away to one side. Surprised more use wasn't made of women police officers or a female commander if there was one available. Now it's lockdown but last year it was Twickers and Cheltenham and today its crowds poss allowed at sports events.

Sparechange · 14/03/2021 21:46

i said it was fairly obvious it wouldn’t end well if people did gather. I find it hard to believe people actually thought there would be no trouble.

We saw the Duchess of Cambridge arrive at this ‘banned’ event and pay the same tribute that we wanted to make
And we were supposed to infer from that that the police intended to violently attack us for doing the same thing a couple of hours later?

Graphista · 14/03/2021 21:50

@1stmonkey are your comprehension skills so poor I have to repeat myself?

It is entirely possible and has happened before that a force in such a situation has certain events (because there are known tensions) covered by other forces from around the country. I think the there's even been cases where this has crossed internal Uk country borders (eg a Scots force swapping with an English one)

It absolutely could and should have happened here.

the Met police are responsible for the Clapham area

While ordinarily that may be true, there are times when such a decision is inadvisable and this was one of them

Who else was supposed to police it?

Off the top of my head I would suggest due to proximity/logistics:

Cambridgeshire
Essex
Thames valley
Herts
Sussex...

you can't just draft police in from another region though ,its not just that simple I'm not saying it's simple. I'm saying it's possible - with the will to do so present

Sadly, women who buy into the patriarchy's world view are also the problem. They seem to resist the instinctive reality of their lives.

Agreed perfect example of cognitive dissonance

You don't draft in other police services to do your job just because it's difficult.

You do when you responsibly acknowledge that your presence is not helpful and even provoking. Which is why it's happened before

Flaxmeadow · 14/03/2021 21:51

Its one thing paying your respects by leaving some flowers while keeping a social distance during the day, but these protesters stayed into the night went too far.

The sight of crowd of middle class activists chanting "ACAB" is just so massively cringeworthy and disrespectful. And what's the problem with the photos of people getting arrested. No it is not "brutality", it's usually someone being an idiot refusing to disperse when asked to and then claiming poor me and surprise when they are handcuffed. Grow up

CloudPop · 14/03/2021 21:53

@CuriousaboutSamphire spot on

donewithitalltodayandxmas · 14/03/2021 21:53

@Graphista and what do you think The victims family felt about this and it going ahead , that is what also concerns me

Flaxmeadow · 14/03/2021 21:55

What it needed was 20 female officers standing in solidarity for a few hours while respects were paid and everyone went home

To get what in return? Called bastards by a mob

Dentistlakes · 14/03/2021 21:56

@Sparechange

i said it was fairly obvious it wouldn’t end well if people did gather. I find it hard to believe people actually thought there would be no trouble.

We saw the Duchess of Cambridge arrive at this ‘banned’ event and pay the same tribute that we wanted to make
And we were supposed to infer from that that the police intended to violently attack us for doing the same thing a couple of hours later?

As I understand it, Duchess of Cambridge attended in the afternoon when the crowds were smaller. As the numbers escalated in the coming hours and more vocal protesters arrived, police response does change. Again, I’m not saying what happened was right, but it’s not a pattern which hasn’t been seen repeated under similar circumstances. The mood changes as time goes on and the police do become reactive. Their response was not managed at all well but the end result didn’t surprise me.
Twillow · 14/03/2021 21:59

It was not a protest, it was a vigil to show sadness and solidarity. It was insensitively handled from the very beginning by the police.
Rights are being eroded here in the name of covid. It is a slippery slope.

Alsohuman · 14/03/2021 22:05

@Flaxmeadow

Its one thing paying your respects by leaving some flowers while keeping a social distance during the day, but these protesters stayed into the night went too far.

The sight of crowd of middle class activists chanting "ACAB" is just so massively cringeworthy and disrespectful. And what's the problem with the photos of people getting arrested. No it is not "brutality", it's usually someone being an idiot refusing to disperse when asked to and then claiming poor me and surprise when they are handcuffed. Grow up

The photo on the front of all the papers shows a 5ft 2in woman flat on the ground with three coppers on top of her. Looks pretty damn brutal to me.
LakieLady · 14/03/2021 22:05

[quote Roussette]@Lineofconcepcion

Brilliant post. I too remember Greenham Common, Miners strikes and marches and thank god we now can record on our phones. And as Sparechange says... here's the evidence. On my phone.[/quote]
My memories go back even further - Grosvenor Square in 1968, "Battle of Lewisham" in 1977, also Greenham and mounted charges at Wapping in the 80s.

They were brutal then and they don't seem to have improved much.

Newpuppymummy · 14/03/2021 22:07

Her family asked people not to go. Why would people not respect that wish?

Lucaslucas1612 · 14/03/2021 22:12

@JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows

Covid IS trumping everything else! Their livehood, their children's life and education, mental health, the medical treatments.

So (rightly) angry women can't hold a peaceful vigil over a murdered woman because someone else is struggling with COVID? Away to fuck

I find it interesting how the recent football win celebrations were allowed to go ahead without any police interference as well as BLM protests as well. Funny how a protest against men for women ends in this.
Flaxmeadow · 14/03/2021 22:13

The photo on the front of all the papers shows a 5ft 2in woman flat on the ground with three coppers on top of her. Looks pretty damn brutal to me.

If you've led a very sheltered life maybe

I live in a northern city and used to see people, including young women, arrested like this all the time when the pubs and clubs emptied. It's no big deal.

She was probably, foolishly, resisting arrest. What did she think the police would do, let her go? They are not "on top of her" in the photo, they are probably picking her up off the floor, where she had thrown herself for the benefit of a photo opportunity and she certainly didn't look brutalised in the video interview she gave after she had been fined on the spot. Infact she seemed to be revelling in it

She also called the event a "protest" in the same interview

LakieLady · 14/03/2021 22:14

[quote donewithitalltodayandxmas]@Graphista you can't just draft police in from another region though ,its not just that simple[/quote]
They managed it ok during the miners' strike. And for Greenham.

With modern technology, it should be even easier.

Sparechange · 14/03/2021 22:19

She was probably, foolishly, resisting arrest. What did she think the police would do, let her go? They are not "on top of her" in the photo, they are probably picking her up off the floor, where she had thrown herself for the benefit of a photo opportunity and she certainly didn't look brutalised in the video interview she gave after she had been fined on the spot. Infact she seemed to be revelling in it

Probably probably probably

Have you not watched the video of her arrest? She wasn’t resisting, they weren’t lifting her up.

Pro tip: you make yourself look like a total twat if you post something with a load of suppositions when there are widely circulated videos showing what actually happened (spoiler alert: not what you thought ‘probably’ happened)

Flaxmeadow · 14/03/2021 22:20

People comparing this to the miners strike, seriously?

The miners strike was a genuine working class uprising, not some chattering class attempted siege of a park bandstand

FrankieFalcone · 14/03/2021 22:20

I just feel for the victim’s family in all of this.

GappyValley · 14/03/2021 22:20

@Newpuppymummy

Her family asked people not to go. Why would people not respect that wish?
Are you sure about that? Because I’ve spent 10 mins googling it and I can’t find any actual statement from the family saying that
1stmonkey · 14/03/2021 22:21

are your comprehension skills so poor I have to repeat myself?

@graphista

Not at all, i just think you're completely wrong.

Flaxmeadow · 14/03/2021 22:23

showing what actually happened

What did happen according to you exactly? Was anyone injured?

All I saw was the police trying to control a protest and someone getting arrested. No big deal. I've seen worse on a regular basis at my local pub

LexMitior · 14/03/2021 22:24

It’s bad policing; whoever decided that kettling was the right tactic should be fired. It was that decision which was disproportionate and possibly unlawful.

LexMitior · 14/03/2021 22:24

@Flaxmeadow

showing what actually happened

What did happen according to you exactly? Was anyone injured?

All I saw was the police trying to control a protest and someone getting arrested. No big deal. I've seen worse on a regular basis at my local pub

Christ where do you live??