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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Riots - where is the army?

174 replies

5431go · 04/08/2024 22:22

WTF is going on!

Police officers are not empowered defend us! They fear they will end up in court like the police officer at Manchester Airport.

The UK is such a soft touch, it’s actually embarrassing! These rioters have no respect for those poor police officers lives so why do we pander to them with plastic shields rather than water cannons!

Realistically prisons are bursting at the seams and these guys will get off free. Meanwhile taxpayers and cash strapped councils will be lumbered with the repair bill.

OP posts:
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PoopedAndScooped · 04/08/2024 22:23

Right wing thugs !!!!

Bring in the military and armed police

KrisAkabusi · 04/08/2024 22:23

The army are not empowered to defend against unarmed civilians! They are not equipped or trained for it. Getting the army out is the wrong way to deal with it.

CuttySarcasm · 04/08/2024 22:24

I’m ex army, and once asked why we weren’t called in more for this sort of stuff. The answer is people feel very nervous having the army on the streets. We’re nice, normal people, but put a gun in our hands and understandably that makes people feel very nervous.

Forces personnel also don’t have the same powers as police. And when not in a war zone the engagement rules would be so strict we wouldn’t be able to do anything.

That being said, I did do riot training, but I’ve never actually used it. The training was actually quite scary in itself to be honest. And I’ve been trained for war!

PoopedAndScooped · 04/08/2024 22:26

The ‘threat’ would be enough to get these violent racist thugs off the streets

5431go · 04/08/2024 22:26

KrisAkabusi · 04/08/2024 22:23

The army are not empowered to defend against unarmed civilians! They are not equipped or trained for it. Getting the army out is the wrong way to deal with it.

They are armed with makeshift projectiles. It’s the police that are unarmed. They are destroying cities and people are living in fear.

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5431go · 04/08/2024 22:28

CuttySarcasm · 04/08/2024 22:24

I’m ex army, and once asked why we weren’t called in more for this sort of stuff. The answer is people feel very nervous having the army on the streets. We’re nice, normal people, but put a gun in our hands and understandably that makes people feel very nervous.

Forces personnel also don’t have the same powers as police. And when not in a war zone the engagement rules would be so strict we wouldn’t be able to do anything.

That being said, I did do riot training, but I’ve never actually used it. The training was actually quite scary in itself to be honest. And I’ve been trained for war!

Well they should “change the rules” and allow them to do more.

Why to the lives of these right wing thugs trump everyone else’s ?

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Epicaricacy · 04/08/2024 22:28

Give more power to police and anti-riot police.

It's not the army's job.

5431go · 04/08/2024 22:29

Epicaricacy · 04/08/2024 22:28

Give more power to police and anti-riot police.

It's not the army's job.

Agree, but it feels like they are scared to use more force for fear of been accused of using unreasonable force. They need to arm the police with guns, it’s just ridiculous.

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ToBeOrNotToBee · 04/08/2024 22:31

Believe me, the army are not the answer here.
They don't have the powers to deal with the disorder effectively, the optics alone are awful, and do you seriously want an armed 19 year old patrolling the streets. I can't imagine the disaster they will find themselves in should they need to use their weapon.

Slotis · 04/08/2024 22:32

The police need more power. Take their numbers of their helmets for start. Make them as unrecognisable as the masked rioters. Why we don’t have water cannons I don’t know. Nobody likes getting drenched. Where is that wanker Robinson at the moment? He needs arresting for incitement as does anyone sharing his content. This country is full of thick cunts.

Juliet194 · 04/08/2024 22:33

I think the army need to be brought in now, not necessarily armed, but the police need more boots on the ground.

My family member is a police officer dealing with one of the riots today, she's still not back home yet, she's been gone more than 12 hours. I'm nervously waiting up for her to say she's got in safely. She was working yesterday and said it was her worst shift to date.

I'm absolutely disgusted at what is happening, it's terrorism.

Greentreesandbushes · 04/08/2024 22:33

Calm down. The police are no where near calling in the army. They have plans, people etc social media and reporting are making this sound worse than it is

thursdaymurderclub · 04/08/2024 22:35

the army are not the answer and to be fair.. the police officer at manchester airport deserved to be in court!

as soon as the army come in, then the thugs know its game on! and then the real fighting will start.

i would suggest a blanket ban on all press releases.. don't give them their 5 minutes of fame

Catza · 04/08/2024 22:35

So you say the prisons are overcrowded and the rioters will get off free…are you suggesting….the army guys kill them?

G123456789 · 04/08/2024 22:38

It's amazing when the left riot...like the blm riot that caused all sorts of damage in the centre of Bristol nothing is said. When people to the right do it...call in the army, cut off their ears.
Both are wrong but the response from politicians and the media is so different

MokaEfti · 04/08/2024 22:40

Definitely water cannons

neilyoungismyhero · 04/08/2024 22:41

PoopedAndScooped · 04/08/2024 22:26

The ‘threat’ would be enough to get these violent racist thugs off the streets

Actually what threat? The army have no power to do anything other than arrive en masse..

ToBeOrNotToBee · 04/08/2024 22:41

G123456789 · 04/08/2024 22:38

It's amazing when the left riot...like the blm riot that caused all sorts of damage in the centre of Bristol nothing is said. When people to the right do it...call in the army, cut off their ears.
Both are wrong but the response from politicians and the media is so different

BLM protesters weren't torching hotels, stopping cars and only letting those through that appeared 'white English'.
The two are not the same.

kirbykirby · 04/08/2024 22:43

Why? They didn't bring in the army for any of the other various mass riots and looting over the last 10 years by disparate groups. They need to try and calm the situation not add fuel to the fire.

Juliet194 · 04/08/2024 22:44

G123456789 · 04/08/2024 22:38

It's amazing when the left riot...like the blm riot that caused all sorts of damage in the centre of Bristol nothing is said. When people to the right do it...call in the army, cut off their ears.
Both are wrong but the response from politicians and the media is so different

Pulling down the statue of a slave trader is a bit different to setting fire to buildings, damaging shops and houses, attacking police officers, stopping cars to check if the drivers are white etc...

Catza · 04/08/2024 22:46

Juliet194 · 04/08/2024 22:44

Pulling down the statue of a slave trader is a bit different to setting fire to buildings, damaging shops and houses, attacking police officers, stopping cars to check if the drivers are white etc...

I suspect the poster is referring to the 2021 riot which was wrongly linked to BLM by Farage.

ForPearlViper · 04/08/2024 22:46

They don't fear they will end up like the officer in Manchester Airport. Not if they are profession police officers. They know their jobs are to protect the public and not to dispense vigilante justice. It is the job of the courts to dispense justice. It is the job of the police to bring these people to the courts and not inflame already tense situations.

Every few years we have riots kicking off for various reasons. (This year it is obviously particularly heinous.) Every time we have people calling for the army. For the most part the police handle it. The government have been clear that they won't get away with it.

I am not clear why you think this country is a soft touch. Which country would you prefer it emulates? Would you prefer our police are going around stamping on people's heads as a norm?

We have a democratic process and a defined legal system. If you don't agree with it perhaps you should put your hat in the ring at the next election. Or go to a country you feel isn't a 'soft touch' - which probably doesn't have a democratic process. Or maybe you could advise the Home Office and police on tactics?

Narrator1 · 04/08/2024 22:49

Absolutely no irony at all in labelling people right wing thugs and simultaneously pleading for martial law.

Don't get me wrong, I massively disagree with these so called protesters, but wanting military intervention against them is basically 2 cheeks of the same arse.

FrazzledHippy · 04/08/2024 22:49

I wouldn't object to rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons at this point. Absolutely ridiculous what's going on, it's practically assumed by these thugs they'll get away Scott free. It's about time we changed that and gave them a short sharp shock

TheHateIsNotGood · 04/08/2024 22:50

Not needed it seems - mostly quiet and the yobs and other 'rentamobs' of any flavour have gone back to their dens.

Well done the police people.