Royal guard video kicking child in the way

[DickMabutt73962]

I wasn't born and raised in the UK and am not into the culture of 'tradition' but I don't understand the majority of reactions to this video blaming the parent and saying of the guards 'it's their job'.

Can anyone more enlightened explain to me why this was necessary? As far as I can see the guard is marching, not saving London from attack. I don't see why a side-step wouldn't work. And if this is a register thing then maybe future control of how close members of the public are able to get in their path

www.indy100.com/viral/queen-royal-guard-trampled-kid-tiktok-video-b1983965

When Lord Guthrie fell off his horse at trooping the colour the soldiers sidestepped to avoid him. They could easily have done that in this case. They’re marching on the public highway.

Well if you think 7 hours of ranting about how much you hate the British is going to change anything …

Why aren't you worried that the parents couldn't ensure their child stayed safe?

Please respect our soldiers and our cultural 'traditions'. The boy was not hurt, children don't get exceptions, these are working soldiers on duty, there are many other jobs where even children would not be allowed to get in the way. they also usually give a fair warning to get out of the way

@mathanxiety

Kid stood in wrong place, got knocked over, that’s it , why on earth do you care so much?

I am here because I am gobsmacked at the number of people here who don't give a rat's ass that a child was trampled by a grown man.

I have often got the impression both in the UK in person and online here that there is a really deep streak of authoritarianism in Britain, and this thread confirms that.

But he wasn't trampled by a grown man? If you look closely, the guard DOES try to step to the side, but so does the boy, and they collide. And then the guard very carefully DOESN'T stand on the kid. Literally just a split second accident, from which no harm came.

I would feel differently if the guard had had several seconds in which to take some sort of evasive action and yet he deliberately carried on and ploughed into the child, but that's just not what happened here.

@skodadoda

When Lord Guthrie fell off his horse at trooping the colour the soldiers sidestepped to avoid him. They could easily have done that in this case. They’re marching on the public highway.

That's not the public highway, it's in the grounds of a Royal Palace. Tourists are visitors there. The guard didn't trample on him, he bumped into him as the (not that small) child got in the way.

Another reason the monarchy is ridiculous and outdated

Was the small child a threat to Her Maj's safety?

They're not marching on a battlefield.

@mathanxiety

Kid stood in wrong place, got knocked over, that’s it , why on earth do you care so much?

I am here because I am gobsmacked at the number of people here who don't give a rat's ass that a child was trampled by a grown man.

I have often got the impression both in the UK in person and online here that there is a really deep streak of authoritarianism in Britain, and this thread confirms that.

No-one was trampled. Don't be so melodramatic.

A child and soldier collided after the guard issued a clear warning while carrying out his duties. Neither was hurt. The soldier checked on the child later.

If, by authoritarianism, you mean expecting the public (in this case the parents) to behave sensibly, then yes, I guess that's true.

He didn’t even need to stop. He could have taken a side step no problem. But even if he did need to stop, yes I would prefer that. If the planNing and guarding is so weak that one guard being one or two steps out of sink with the others is enough that a terrorist can get in, then there is a problem. As someone else mentioned, they’re human and sometimes faint, so it is totally unreasonable for national security to depend on them moving like clockwork. Perhaps more efficient use of gates and walls could be used instead. If there would be any actual difference to security if they walk around a child or stop to avoid squashing a child then it’s because they didn’t train or plan appropriately.

Would you prefer they stop for the child and then a terrorist uses this as a chance to attack?

Explain to me exactly how this might happen, @TinyLittlePandaSneeze.

Bear in mind that a terrorist could sneak in for an attack after they had passed along their predictable route which they traverse at predictable times daily, cunningly disguised as a tourist.

I think that (following their comment quoted below) if @mathanxiety has kids they won't let them near roads without a barrier, on trains, near a pond, the Grand Canyon, in a crowd at a concert. Maybe their child goes to school in a padded suit. I could go on.
Let's put up a barrier, let's blame someone else - or maybe as a parent take some responsibility, if you choose to go to a place with armed soldiers doing their job then keep your kids out of the way!

Quote from math anxiety: "You wanna let the public wander in an area where armed, real soldiers are carrying out a thoroughly professional mission, and you feel that the level of threat is such that the patrols and the arms are warranted, maybe put up barriers and keep the public from getting in the way"

" If the planNing and guarding is so weak that one guard being one or two steps out of sink ...."

HAHAHAHA!! - get back in your sink and make sure you don't touch the hot taps!!!

@mathanxiety As others have said you seem to have a very anti british sentiment to all your posts. America has more than its own fair share of deep institution issues in this world I suggest you stick to fighting those. I always find it funny that most Americans claim to be Irish, as if it's some badge of honour, well over here we literally don't care. To be honest why don't you waddle on by and take more interest in your own traditions that date back as far as ours, how many have you now? 😄. The Op has already shown their true reason for posting earlier as an anti british swipe and here you are doing just the same, you have no interest in the incident it's just a good reason for you to attempt to pile on have a 🍪.

You have Irish guards, Welsh Guards, Scottish guards they rotate between ceremonial and asset guarding and then combat. You do know that "the guards" have been deployed to Afghanistan? It's not always the same regiment as such

You missed out the Grenadiers and the Coldstream Guards, who would be most offended, as they are the 2 oldest guards regiments! (Friend's brother was in the Coldstream Guards and he bangs on about it at every opportunity.)

Scots and Welsh guards fought in the Falklands, and the Coldstream were in Iraq as well as Afghanistan.

@Heshcher

He didn’t even need to stop. He could have taken a side step no problem. But even if he did need to stop, yes I would prefer that. If the planNing and guarding is so weak that one guard being one or two steps out of sink with the others is enough that a terrorist can get in, then there is a problem. As someone else mentioned, they’re human and sometimes faint, so it is totally unreasonable for national security to depend on them moving like clockwork. Perhaps more efficient use of gates and walls could be used instead. If there would be any actual difference to security if they walk around a child or stop to avoid squashing a child then it’s because they didn’t train or plan appropriately.

Have you watched the video?

Just goes to show that a very large proportion of the armed forces are little more than professional thugs.

@DickMabutt73962

There are some priceless pieces of regalia at the Tower which warrant the Queens Guards.

Yes, lest the ones that were 'acquired' during colonial rule try to find their way back

Let's give it back to dictators and corrupt officials. It'll make its way to the people who need it somehow.

Unlike American soldiers of course who have never, ever committed any real atrocity.

If, by authoritarianism, you mean expecting the public (in this case the parents) to behave sensibly, then yes, I guess that's true.

No, by authoritarianism, I mean "advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom" or "principle of blind submission to authority, as opposed to individual freedom of thought and action."

Problematic thinking associated with authoritarianism is absolving individuals of personal responsibility for injury to others based on perceived importance of their role or status or goals, lack of patience with individuals who by nature or in certain circumstances are not inclined to toe the line (children for example), refusal to question such elements as 'tradition' or institutions considered to be pillars of society (the Coldstream Guards, for example), a tendency to wrap oneself in the flag, belief that the end justifies the means, and other dead ends not compatible in the long run with the functioning of a democracy.

So, mathanxiety, what part do the parents play in all this? Are they absolved from all blame, or should they be ensuring their kid behaves themselves?

Unlike American soldiers of course who have never, ever committed any real atrocity

I'm happy to start a thread on that if you'd care to join me. We could talk about Northern Ireland too if you wish.

But this thread is about a British soldier trampling a child outside the Tower of London.

@mathanxiety

You wouldn't expect the guards to stop at Arlington Cemetery would you?

I am here because I am gobsmacked at the number of people here who don't give a rat's ass that a child was trampled by a grown man

Oh come on now, you are being ridiculous. You are deliberately making it sound so much worse than it was because you harbour an anti-English or anti-British agenda. He was neither trampled nor kicked.

He was knocked over accidentally because he was standing somewhere he shouldn't have been, and then immediately stepped OVER, not stepped ON. There is a big difference.

Any soldier carrying out similar duties in any country would have done the same and if they didn't, then God help whomever/whatever they were supposed to be guarding.

And no-one is saying they don't care that the child got knocked over. They are saying that the soldier cannot be held responsible for something outside of his control and his first priority MUST be to keep on doing what he's paid to do. Because the consequences of him not doing that and allowing himself to be easily distracted are potentially far worse than anything the child might have suffered.

I have often got the impression both in the UK in person and online here that there is a really deep streak of authoritarianism in Britain, and this thread confirms that.

It's not quite a repeat of Tiananman Square, now is it? Get a grip.

[quote Dottybackorcid]@mathanxiety As others have said you seem to have a very anti british sentiment to all your posts. America has more than its own fair share of deep institution issues in this world I suggest you stick to fighting those. I always find it funny that most Americans claim to be Irish, as if it's some badge of honour, well over here we literally don't care. To be honest why don't you waddle on by and take more interest in your own traditions that date back as far as ours, how many have you now? 😄. The Op has already shown their true reason for posting earlier as an anti british swipe and here you are doing just the same, you have no interest in the incident it's just a good reason for you to attempt to pile on have a 🍪.[/quote]
Thank you - I was going to ask @mathanxiety where they're from as they have such anti British sentiment.

Agree if that was a police officer there would be a different reaction. The soldier wasn't doing anything critical, most aren't these days, and should have stopped