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

It is partly BECAUSE of the public that it’s a target. Most terrorist groups target civilians to cause TERROR its in the name.

Bingo. So close it to the public.

It is also easy for terrorists to mingle with crowds, commit suicide bombings, etc.

No amount of marching around in straight lines in silly headgear is going to be a match for that.

And for those who keep on about "ticket holders", you don't need a ticket to watch the changing of the guard

You do at the Tower of London. It really is a paid piece of theatre for ticket holders, with no vulnerable members of the royal family within miles of place.

@mathanxiety

Should we cordon off the walking routes in resteraunts for the waitresses.

Why would we go to all that trouble and expense when we can simply kick customers out of the way?

We could arm them too, so that they could really put the fear of god crossways in pesky customers.

Not needed really, luckily the majority of people manage to keep their children out of harm/soldier's way.

@mathanxiety

Should we cordon off the walking routes in resteraunts for the waitresses.

Why would we go to all that trouble and expense when we can simply kick customers out of the way?

We could arm them too, so that they could really put the fear of god crossways in pesky customers.

To be fair I've seen many a stray child be tripped over by a busy waitress (who usually also gets blamed)

@mathanxiety

It is partly BECAUSE of the public that it’s a target. Most terrorist groups target civilians to cause TERROR its in the name.

Bingo. So close it to the public.

It is also easy for terrorists to mingle with crowds, commit suicide bombings, etc.

No amount of marching around in straight lines in silly headgear is going to be a match for that.

Cheese eating surrender monkey......

@AnotherMansCause

I've lived here over a decade. I have very little interest in the drama and ceremony surrounding Royal life.

In other words, you've lived here over a decade, haven't particularly wondered about the RF in that time (not completely unreasonable) but have now decided to complain about the way they do things without finding out why (definitely unreasonable).

Perhaps, if you're going to complain about an aspect of the country you've moved to, find out about it first. Find out what happens, why, the history & traditions, & purpose of the the thing you're complaining about. I'm sure the country you originate from has many traditions that might seem confusing to an outsider too, but they would make sense if only you would take the time to educate yourself.

Well said!

I too, wasn't born here, but in deciding to make this country my home, I spent time learning about traditions and cultural nuances that were alien to me. Western foreigners are often lambasted for not learning about the traditions of the countries they move to, it would very dimly be the case in my home country. At some point you need to stop seeing yourself as the foreigner and understand that a decade in, you are very much a fabric of the country as well. You don't have to agree with everything, but it's bizarre to not have learnt or taken any interest in learning about the RF, or the military, given they're both pretty prominent.

Also everyone saying the royal guard should stomp around in 'regular uniform' - no. Because it's a very different psychological connotation to have men in combat uniform walking around the streets of a democracy. They are not in combat and we are not at war. The uniform they wear is representative of that. And no, you don't need to be British to understand that, just from any nation that has an army.

@mathanxiety

What do you imagine would happen, how would it work if they DID react to people getting in their way, taunting, trying to make them deviate path - all things people, both children and adults, routinely do for shits and giggles and stupid tiktok/youtube/facebook videos?

It'd be chaos.

So how about being sensible and putting up barriers so that they can do their incredibly important parading around without risking the life and limb of children who inadvertently get in their way?

Why are they marching through a crowded space, apparently with orders never to deviate from their course?

As you’ve been told numerous times, they are marching between posts. Putting up barriers creates a barrier between them and any potential threat.

I know your relatives served, but did they ever teach you a bit about their jobs? You’re not much of a military strategist if you can’t see the issue with putting a barrier between a soldier and a threat.

As for the ‘negative PR’ - do you really think it’s better for armed forces to be seen as giving way to kids? Or would you want to be defended by soldiers so well trained and dogged that they don’t break ranks for anything or anyone?

We get it, you don’t like the Brits, the RF or tradition. Enjoy living in the land of the free-as-long-as-you’re-white-and-rich-and-don’t-want-body-autonomy. At least here the people with guns and military equipment are properly trained.

Out of curiosity.

Let’s say someone is unlucky enough to have a heart attack and fall to the ground along the route. Paramedics are attempting cpr. Unfortunately it’s time for the changing of the guards.

Would they just have to trample the dying person and/or those treating them? Or is there some degree of discretion?

(Sorry if this has already been answered....30 pages....)

Also everyone saying the royal guard should stomp around in 'regular uniform' - no. Because it's a very different psychological connotation to have men in combat uniform walking around the streets of a democracy. They are not in combat and we are not at war. The uniform they wear is representative of that. And no, you don't need to be British to understand that, just from any nation that has an army.

That's a good point. I lived in a country previously where the presence of 2 armies in combat gear was common and it's really very unnerving even after years of living there

For those advocating barriers... The TOL is a big square area of land. Tower in the middle, pathway around it and battlements at the edge. If you put up barriers then you wouldn't be able to get from the tower to the battlements (the battlements contain the exhibits for the crown jewels and the dungeons).

You seem to be conveniently ignoring the multiple posts stating that the beefeaters come out before the changing of the guard to clear a path for the soldiers. Tourists have ample warning to move out of the way, the last time I went there was about a 5 minute period of the beefeaters clearing the path. They specifically tell families with kids to keep out of the way as the soldiers don't stop. The beefeaters are an incredibly friendly bunch and will answer just about any question you could think of. Also, it's pretty much common sense that if you see a crowd parting but you're not sure why to just pick a side and keep out of the area that's been cleared.

Also worth pointing out that the crown jewels are housed at the TOL, so the guards aren't just ceremonial. Barracks and an officer's mess are also located on site, they're all serving soldiers. Even the beefeaters are ex military.

Taken from the TOL website
*INFORMATION FOR VISITORS
Please be aware that sentries on duty are serving military personnel.

Visitors are advised to be respectful and stand clear when the guards are marching and performing their official duties *

Full link - www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/guards-at-the-tower-of-london/#gs.ktlo11

the grand prix, tour de France etc. have safety barriers.

@KeflavikAirport

the grand prix, tour de France etc. have safety barriers.

Tour de France? You sure about that 🤔

only where there are crowds milling around like at the Tower of London, to be fair.

Yes as I pointed out its exactly the same as other places where they have changing of the guard.

I now live in Warsaw (having lived in London, the US and other parts of England) the changing of the guard happens here at the tomb of the unknown soldier, no barriers, a barked warning, soldiers march across a big square in the centre of town. No one dares get in the way

@KeflavikAirport

the grand prix, tour de France etc. have safety barriers.

Really? All 2000 miles of the TDF? 🤷🏼‍♀️

As others have said, there are warnings given to the crowd in advance that they will be marching. These are loud and they clear people out of the way and tell them that the guards will not stop if you are in their way. It doesn’t look great, but the child isn’t kicked or even really trampled. He is knocked down, but the guard does attempt a side step and then the child moves in the same direction. It’s just an unfortunate accident. I think people are assuming that this child was caught totally unawares, but they would have been told in advance to keep out of the way and told exactly where the soldiers would be marching.

The people arguing that there should be safety barriers are being ridiculous. It reminds me of the British couple on a coach with us once in Iceland who kept complaining that there weren’t “proper” safety barriers at the waterfalls, glaciers and hot springs, just roped off lines. Totally bonkers.

As a sensible suggestion... maybe marking the routes with lines on the pavement so people know where the soldiers march and to keep away from when they are approaching?

I completely agree.

If as PPs say they absolutely cannot stop, slow down or side step for any reason, they carry live ammunition and any type of slowing down would cause chaos amongst the ranks - then they should absolutely have a clear path to walk through at all times so they can do their job properly.

Why do they need to ask people to move out of the way if it’s such an important job. The path should already be clear.

Yes we know about the Beefeaters bla bla bla. But as has also been pointed out ad nauseam, shit happens. People faint / trip / collapse / stumble. Kids get in the way. If that happening is a proper threat to security, you should have crowd control in place to mitigate for it.

The kid WAS kicked on the video! And the guard could have absolutely taken a side step. Absolutely disgusting behaviour

Jesus Christ! No he wasn't! You've had people literally slowing the video down frame by frame and there was NO kicking. The boy may have briefly made contact with the guardsman's foot but he absolutely was not kicked, or stamped on, or trampled on. Kicking and stamping would be a deliberate act in this scenario. Trampling could be more accidental but it still didn't happen.

Very clearly there was a collision, the child fell, the guardsman stumbled slightly just catching the child with his foot, then recovered himself and stepped right over the child.

Only a someone whose agenda is stronger than their eyesight could possibly say otherwise.

I’m guessing you wouldn’t take your eye off a kid at the Grand National, or a Grande Prix race, or at the Tour de France barrelling down a country road? It’s parental responsibility responsibility to understand the attractions that kids are taken to.

I'm guessing the parents had been at the Tower for maybe about ten minutes. I'm also guessing they consulted the website which says diddly squat about the need to be constantly on alert for armed men who will plough into you and give you no realistic advance warning.

For most of the attractions you mention, rails keep the public safe from hazards. Wrt the Tour de France, I don't think they sell tickets for the stretches way out in the country, and the road is clear to see. Your best vantage point might be a spot up a hill a bit from the course, not necessarily bang in the middle of the road. At the Tower, no marching routes are marked, and when you sell tickets and make no mention of dangers on your website, can you blame people who expect it to be a visitor friendly experience?

@mathanxiety

If you change soldiers to guns then it’s a perfect description of the US.

Moneer Elmasseek
@MoneerElmasseek
Disgusting, a full grown man assaulting a kid and everybody in the comments saying “well he should of made way for the queens guard”. No, you don’t trample on kids no matter how big your hat is.

And people wanna talk about how Insert any foreign country here is brainwashed.

The subject in question here is the fact that elaborately costumed British soldiers fulfilling no apparent practical purpose saw fit to knock a child over rather than deviate from their training and orders.

As I remarked upthread, there was a time when blindly following orders was frowned upon by Britons.

Are you really trying to equate this incident with the Holocaust?

That’s shameful.

This is the maddest thread. Kid wasn’t kicked, trampled, stamped on or any of the other hyperbolic terms used. The guardsman did his best to step over him but the child and his parents were entirely at fault. As other have said there is fair warning not to get in their way.

@JabNotInArm

I've watched the video and it's clear he actually tried to side step to the right when it's apparent the child is just going to stay in his path, then the child moves back and they collide. The child and his parents are to blame here. Anyone who disagrees has an agenda

Agree

You seem to be conveniently ignoring the multiple posts stating that the beefeaters come out before the changing of the guard to clear a path for the soldiers.

Why should they have to clear a path between the tourists?

It’s either an important job or it’s not.

If it’s important like PPs are saying to act as terrorists deterrents etc, then the public shouldn’t be allowed that close.

If it’s not important then the guy could have walked around the child instead of knocking him down.

@rockingelephant

I don't understand this really. If the guards are not to be distracted and disturbed then why are people allowed to get so close never mind a child especially as many of you have mentioned the rifles being loaded? And for parents with perfectly behaved children, have your children never tried to cross the road thinking it was ok where you luckily were able to pull them back or in a supermarket car park, have you never experienced any near misses with your child? The child to me looked very confused with the shouting "make way" which would have scared him hence why not knowing which direction he was supposed to go to losing balance from the shock. The mother was close by anyway, perhaps a metre away with her other two children.

To me it was totally unnecessary...

This is how I feel, but clearly a lot Don’t! Even seen comments about me 'respecting' the country I've chosen to call home now! I'm not engaging with that kind of thinking, it's the kind of thinking that personally has a man walking right over a child.

So as I've said countless times and will continue to say, I think it's outrageous that this happened, and ridiculous that these guards have to walk over children because it's their 'duty'.

I don't care if they think the parent is to blame. As other PPs have said, a parent being negligent doesn't justify walking over a child.