...to think that the policeman at the G20 protest wasn't being unreasonable?

[Naetha]

Is it just me, or do other people think that the media furore over the female protestor who got hit with the baton has been blown all out of proportion?

The woman aggressively confronted a policeman at a generally violent/aggressive protest (certainly not a passive, non-violent demonstration) several times, when the policeman was already being confronted from two other directions by other angry protestors. The first time he pushed her away, she came back, the second time he backhanded her (not particularly hard), she came back and then eventually he used his baton.

Is it just me that thinks he was just doing his job in keeping the peace (which this woman was trying her hardest to disrupt) and shouldn't be made a scapegoat for this media farce?

People who talk about this as police brutality make me laugh - look at Myanmar, Thailand, South Africa, Haiti, even the US. This is nothing.

"This woman was at a demonstration about the G20"

she was at a vigil for Ian Tomlinson, wasn't she?

Maybe Beanieb but how could he possibly assess that? Perhaps what we should be looking more closely at is the reaction of his colleagues? Did anyone grab his arm and stop him? Or berate him? They can hear what is being said and know what went before. Do we? It's tough, but there are two sides to every story.

for those confused about the context of the aggression link to whole video

supergluebum, if you look at the link I posted, at 31 seconds in you can see the behaviour of his colleagues, and the way the policeman loses control.

He backhanded a woman who was shouting at him. And then calmly got a baton out and gave her a vindictive whack on the back of the legs for good measure when she didn't back down like a good little girl.

I don't much care if she's a thoroughly horrible person, it's not at all the point.

He was being unreasonable, and YABU to think otherwise. And a bit scary, actually.

YANBU

I would love to know what she really shouted

clearly the policeman just isn't good policeman material. I feel sorry for him only because he's ended up in a profession he is clearly unsuited for. To freak out so much at a person shouting at him, to slap someone round the face like that - I mean COME ON! what an absolute idiot of a man!

I don't understand this comparing us to other countries.

It makes no sense (as policywonk's link showed).

So if a policeman punches someone in the face because they raised their voice to them we should be grateful because in other parts of the world they might have shot them?

If someone is in care and is beaten they should be grateful as in other parts of the world they might have been left to starve on the street?

If I have a baby and it is compromised during the birth as a result of medical negligance I should be grateful as in other parts of the world I would have had to give birth with no medical help and we might both have died?

It's all nonsense. This is our country, we have rules and standards, and by our rules and standards, the police are not allowed to go around attacking people simply because they are shouting at them.

Totally agree, BigBella.

Plus the police are meant to be trained to deal with volatile situations.

I hardly think one woman shouting abuse (if it was abuse - she might have been shouting, "Quick, come over here. There's a man dying because one of your lot violently pushed him over,") represents one of the more stressful encounters the police have to face.

We need to keep an eye on the police. I don't care what other countries have in terms of police brutality - we have our own standards here, thank you.

Demmed silly thread.

I don't care what she shouted.

No member of the police force should be that provoked that they hit someone for verbal attacks.

So yeah, OP, it is just you. Or next time you give your husband a bit of lip, don't whinge on here if he takes out a poker and smacks you across the knees with it. Because I expect you deserved it.

See? Shite argument isn't it?

And I find it chilling that anyone thinks that was acceptable. Absolutely chilling.

well, she wasn't shouting "Quick, come over here. There's a man dying because one of your lot violently pushed him over," because by the time she was attending the vigil for Ian Tomlinson's death (which is where she was slapped) he was already dead and gone the day before - because apparently of the actions of another policeman

she was calling him scum for pushing another protestor.

I'm not condoning aggression, not in the slightest, but if he had pulled out the baton and beaten her in a frenzy surely that would be differently than

"And then calmly got a baton out and gave her a vindictive whack on the back of the legs for good measure when she didn't back down like a good little girl."

The bit you have added is vindictive. You are making an assumption about his motive. I say again, we cannot hear what she said. There are two sides to every story. And she lost sight of the reason she was there in the first place....as far as WE know. She might have gone there that day to antagonize. Who knows. I expect that he is being punished now.

and didn't back down like a good little girl No she didn't. Some may say good for her, but how pumped have you got to be to keep going for more? How aggressive?

so what you're saying is one slap is not worth making a fuss about and that if it had been a 'proper' beating then it would be?

You are telling other people not to make assumptions and then say "She might have gone there that day to antagonize"?

So if someone badmouths you it is fine to physically assault them?

If someone is walking past you quite slowly in a way which winds you up it is fine to shove them over and then give them a whack with a truncheon for good measure as well presumably.

SGB, maybe he should have restrained her vs beating her?

I still don't buy your argument tbh.
He shouldn't resort to physical violence.
End of

Right, this is the point I leave the thread, because anyone who is suggesting that the appropriate response to being back-handed by someone bigger and stronger is to be all subdued and obedient scares the fucking life out of me.

It's NOT ON. It's not on to do it to kids, it's not on to do it to wives, and it's not on to do it to members of the general public who are pissing you off.

supergluebum - do you think that if she were a woman at home and was antagonising her partner it would be okay for him to hit her?

Because that is what it sounds like which is frankly very worrying.

dittany - do you have any stats to back up that statement? It wouldn't surprise me as I've encountered some vicious ones in my time but I'd be interested to see them

dittany, just to clarify/agree (I'm not sure which) a point you made in your post. I made a similar point on another thread about this. We expect our soldiers and police officers to defend us, protect us. Switch aggression on and off. But for the armed forces, who do 4, 5, 6 even longer, months detatchments overseas, we expect a lot from these men and women. We ask them and the police to an extent, to give up their real lives, their innocence, their rose tinted spectacles and deal with the dross of society. Then act all shocked and affronted when things go pear shaped. Aggression cannot be turned off like a tap, not always anyway.

BigBellasBeerBelly.....punches??
he did not punch her

Erm...

If you read the rest of the post you will see that I am using exaggerated examples to highlight how ludicrous the op's argument is.