London Protest Police Horse which Bolted

[kgal3542]

I am not able to load the videos of what happened due to dodgy internet connection, I have seen some photos. Can anyone update on the condition of the horse? The poor thing looked looked so frightened, am concerned for the horse and it's rider. There are also conflicting reports that the horse trampled a protestor, and another that a protestor was bitten.

Oh that's sad. That's not my experience.

They used to use police horses for our local band competition. They escorted the bands down the street, and plenty of them were spooked by the bass drum and the brass band behind them. Plenty of the riders had to hang onto them as they were on the verge of running off. They’re not the unflappable creatures people think, they’re still flight animals underneath.

I’m an instructor and we’ll used to big, fit horses and I’ve seen police horses charge after someone in the village mentioned above (someone drunk smashed a beer glass on the horse’s back) and I wouldn’t have wanted to be in their way! One of my own horses was being assessed for suitably by the police when we bought him. My friend is a groom for the police and says she wouldn’t want one of her horses living that life. I think they’re great in minor crowd control situations, but shouldn’t be in riots like that. I’d vote for water canons myself.

I think they’re great in minor crowd control situations, but shouldn’t be in riots like that. I’d vote for water canons myself

I agree.

Ps, the ones they used to bring to the village were quite happy to be stroked by people, but my friend that works with them says a lot of them are sour, grumpy horses - they don’t get much turnout or have much of a life. She even took one home to retire because it was so nasty they couldn’t retire it elsewhere!

Yes to water cannons although the snowflakes will complain they are wet. Perhaps they will then go home...

I don’t think dogs or horses should be put into this violent type of situation.(I am also against horse and dog racing). It is cruel and unnecessary - I’m sure they can use drones for the view and motorbikes/cars/tanks for other stuff. Don’t care what your cause is, if you are harming innocent animals in the process of making your cause known, you are scum. There is always a minority in any protest who are there for thrills and rioting in my experience.

I agree @Mistymonday, I hate to think about the trauma these poor animals go through not knowing why they are in the middle of people shouting, throwing things etc. Think it’s time to retire animals from jobs where they could be injured, because they don’t have the ability to realise what might happen to them.

From wiki

'Wiki

'Use of water cannon in riot control contexts can lead to injury or death,[2] with fatalities recorded in Indonesia (in 1996, when the cannon's payload contained ammonia),[3] Zimbabwe (in 2007, when the use of cannons on a peaceful crowd caused panic),[4] Turkey (in 2013, when the payload was laced with "liquid teargas"),[5] Ukraine (in 2014, with the death of activist and businessman Bogdan Kalynyak, reportedly catching pneumonia after being sprayed by a water cannon in freezing temperatures)[6] and South Korea (in 2016, when a 68 year old farmer died after injuries sustained by a water cannon the previous year).[7] Water cannons in use during the 1960s, which were generally adapted fire trucks, would knock protesters down and on occasion, tear their clothes.

On 30 September 2010, during a protest demonstration against the Stuttgart 21 project in Germany, a demonstrator was hit in the face by a water cannon.[8] Dietrich Wagner, a retired engineer, suffered damage to his eyelids and retinas[9], resulting in near-complete loss of his eyesight.[8][10] Graphic imagery was recorded of the event, sparking a national debate about police brutality and proportionality in the use of state force.

According to a report issued in the United Kingdom[citation needed], using plastic bullets instead of water cannons was justified because the latter "are inflexible and indiscriminate", although several people had previously been killed[11] or seriously injured by plastic bullets.[citation needed]''

A bit wet...

People really don't know what they're talking about do they. Do some research before saying yeah yeah get water cannons. Our government has decided not to use them for a reason. If you want that changed, write to your MP.

This was posted earlier up the thread so maybe the posters who are very much in favour of water cannons are aware of the risk to the public and the indiscriminate nature of them, and more than happy with that.

Oh I have just noticed a second vote for tanks, on the thread, as well.

They didn't use horses fir crowd 'control in northern Ireland because molotov cocktails. They had to find alternatives. And if people are going to start chucking boris bikes they had better find an alternative here as well.

Drawing a parallel between this and Northern Ireland is bonkers and crass.

No its not. It was in response to a pp who gasped with horror at the thought of water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets being used here in the UK. I was merely pointing out that their use has considerable precedent on these islands.

So you think the plan is the rest of the UK looks like the troubles?

What about de-escalation?

Car bombs, petrol bombs. Buildings blown up. Casualties among the general public.

Police opening fire on people running away. Murdering them.

This is what you want? To be MORE like the USA?

What are you taking about FFS?

I 'gasped with horror' at your suggestion that those methods be used in the recent protests instead of horses, yes. I think we'd all have been pretty horrified. I know there is precedent, but that doesn't mean it's appropriate.

Telling someone what they think is such a crap discussion technique that I don't engage with it.

You compare a massive peaceful protest against an appalling act by police against an unarmed man, which attracted a handful of people who wanted a ruck

With the troubles?

Are you on the wind up?

Your answer to this situation in USA is to call for the police to behave the way they did there? Shoot people, cover up, lie etc???

Maybe you want to clarify.

I haven't suggested any methods be used instead

I have pointed out that water cannons can result in way more damage than getting a bit wet, and that our government won't use them because they are indiscriminate. And that 2 posters on the thread have called for a response with tanks.

Have you got me mixed up with someone else.

Sorry Shiny - the comment was meant for Destroyed.

I think there will be an internal police review. The situation apparently arose as a group of officers were in a riot situation without riot gear ( police mistake no 1). The mounted officers were acting in part to protect these vulnerable officers. I am not sure exactly how, perhaps by deflecting the crowd, or by gong directly to them. Whatever, the tactic was poorly executed ( mistake no 2). It appears to be a rather ad hoc manoeuvre, and I doubt the mounted officers would be skilled enough to play it by ear. I might have considered charging towards the guy ready to throw the bike as a feint, it would probably have put him off. But the mounted police doubtless have very strict protocols which may not allow this. Finally, I have noted, and I will probably get flamed for this, that prior to her involuntary dismount, the injured officer’s hands and reins were well up the horses neck, suggesting a not very experienced rider (mistake 3). I know that mounted officers are not necessarily experienced horsepeople, and are trained to ride in service, depending too much on the horses training. Best will in the world, horses take their cues from their riders.

&shiny do you realise that a bolting police horse can do a lot of public damage too? My police horse sized horse dislocated my shoulder trying to get past me from a standstill when spooked - purely by knocking me. Imagine that at faster speeds..

Yes, of course. I've seen the damage they can do on the news over the years, when deployed for riots.

Are you saying you support tanks or water cannons or what? You seem to be saying well police horses cause damage so... Something.

I’d support water cannons personally. I’ve already said that on previous posts. There must be other ways if using them other than full on. I don’t support having horses or even police hurt by protesters.

'There must be other ways if using them other than full on.'

Like a garden hose you mean, set to sprinkle rather than blind