To pursue a guy that kicked a pigeon full-force?

[LMCOA]

So this happened a couple of months ago. I was absolutely fuming, and unable to control my reactions. Talking about it now is inspired by another active thread.

So it was mid-afternoon. I was walking down the tube platform (open station), behind some guy. There was a pigeon sat on the floor. The guy walked up to it, with purpose, and full-on kicked the bird. Proper hard.

I shouted "Oi, you disgusting p**ck" or some such nicety, and continued to follow him along the platform. He didn't react to my shout. Once he reached the end and couldn't go any further, he pulled his hood over his head. I was desperately trying to get his photo (I know, I know, out of order), which he was well aware of, but he kept turning round.

He got on the train and sat down. I sat next to him. He moved. I followed. It was like a game of cat and mouse. I made sure the passengers on the train knew why I was trying to get his picture.

I got off the train and immediately went to speak to a member of staff. They were horrified and said that they were going to hold the train at the next station and the police called.

That's where the story ends.

I feel better for sharing.

AIBU for being proud that the train was being held up for a pigeon?

Well, the police do genuinely have more on than following up on blokes who kick pigeons, so it is unreasonable to bother them for that.
But hopefully, your exploits will ensure he thinks twice before he is an arse to pigeons the next time.
Just be careful, the kind of person who kicks an animal (whatever type) like that, might not mind giving you a kick either.

What an absolutely disgusted vile imbecile- I would’ve reacted just like you😡

So glad you did this. I too have a go at people for kicking at them. The most recent being bloke telling his small child to chase it saying kill it kill it. His excuse was that the child doesn't know what kill it means. But as he grows up he will know and think it's ok to do whatever to pigeons and who know what else

Good job op!

Should the police be called if he kicks a cat? A dog? A kid?

Where is the line?

If he is purposely kicking animals in public that is definitely a police matter.

A footballer has just been prosecuted for doing that!

Thank you. I think you did a great job on calling him out and maybe he'll think twice in future. I can't believe how horrible some people are and poor old pigeons (and seagulls) often get badly treated. I once talked to a kid who was throwing stones at a baby seagull but this is on another level.

You did a good job OP . He sounds like a vile twat

Thanks all!

Just to say, he didn't just give him a little nudge out of the way. The poor bird was booted, hard, onto the tracks.

Also, I don't agree that the police shouldn't have been bothered by this. What a funny thing to say.

You are fucking amazing.

You did the right thing OP. Disgusting excuse for a human that guy was. Poor pigeon.

I hardly ever post, but had to for this. Good for you! Hope he never does it again.

If he kicked it onto the tracks that is incredibly serious he could have caused an accident

You did the right thing

Eh. It's a pigpen.

Pigeon!!

Well, good on you for reporting it and I hope he was prosecuted in some manner as someone with this behaviour is likely to do other cruel things. I may be wrong, but I think I read somewhere cruelty to or torturing ofanimals is a precursor to other heinous crimes against people. A bit of working their way up to other acts. With that said, you’re very lucky he didn’t turn around and do something to you.

I don't like the behaviour but where does it stop? What if it was a rat? Spider? Fly? Many consider pigeons as vermin, I certainly don't lose any sleep when I hit wood pigeons in my car.

I have pet rats and spiders so I would probably have been more mad!

yanbu. What a cunt. Something wrong with those saying ‘it’s just a pigeon’

What?

If the police were called it would have been because a dead pigeon on the tracks is a potential hazard = deliberately putting a hazard on the tracks is a police-worthy offence. They weren’t being called because of concern over the pigeon’s health.

Am very surprised anyone was able to get close enough to a pigeon to kick it. They generally flitter away pretty sharpish if approached.

YANBU to shout at him but YABU (massively) for pursuing him to the extent that you did. Be very careful about doing that in future - it's wrong of you to go after him if he's weaker than you, and dangerous if he's stronger than you. Also the sort of person who kicks a pigeon is probably the sort of person who's more likely to be carrying a knife.

@ChagSameachDoreen it's a deliberate act of cruelty and violence towards a living creature. It isn't acceptable and other people shouldn't have to witness it.
I'm fully aware that we practice speciesm and meat paradox. But people who are openly aggressive towards animals are usually abusive towards more vulnerable people.

I mean you do sound unhinged. Calling him out on it and alerting staff who allegedly called the police? was enough

Well done, you're braver than me. Cruelty to animals has the potential to escalate so he needed calling out on it.

Doesn't matter that it was 'only' a pigeon it still feels pain.

Shame he didn't fall on the tracks as well.