G20 London - The crusty Invasion

[Steven W]

Sad state of affairs when only 4,000 people turned up for this, yet tens of thousands turned up for a Welsh Pro Hunt Rally.

The media blew it all out of proportion about the potential for violence so many who thought about going along decided not to go.

Four people breaking a window isn't violence.

Can't believe all those people who just turned up with cameras hoping it would all kick off. Ridiculous.

Being penned in is wrong. That was before anyone had smashed a window or caused any trouble.

[DeludedGuy]

Sad state of affairs when only 4,000 people turned up for this, yet tens of thousands turned up for a Welsh Pro Hunt Rally.

The media blew it all out of proportion about the potential for violence so many who thought about going along decided not to go.

Four people breaking a window isn't violence.

Can't believe all those people who just turned up with cameras hoping it would all kick off. Ridiculous.

Being penned in is wrong. That was before anyone had smashed a window or caused any trouble.

I agree with some of that, mainly about the big fuss everyone made out of it, but at the end of the day 1 person died as a result of the protest, official reports say the police who were trying to help the dyeing man were attacked with bottles, in my book that is unforgivable.

Also, is it just me, or are these protesters, protesting about nothing? They certainly haven’t made me more aware or anything I wasn’t already aware of, and they certainly haven’t convinced me to join their ranks; dreadlocks, sandals and unemployment doesn’t suit me.

It seems to me that these people dislike authority; they group up and make lots of noise, but fail to put forward a reasonable well thought out alternative solution. Instead they claim everyone is brainwashed by the media and that we are all zombies.

Grow up, get a job and stop smoking so much cannabis, and you’re not Jamaican.*

*Doesnt apply to 100% of the protestors, just the majority.

[Zak33]

Sad state of affairs when only 4,000 people turned up for this, yet tens of thousands turned up for a Welsh Pro Hunt Rally.

The media blew it all out of proportion about the potential for violence so many who thought about going along decided not to go.

Four people breaking a window isn't violence.

Can't believe all those people who just turned up with cameras hoping it would all kick off. Ridiculous.

Being penned in is wrong. That was before anyone had smashed a window or caused any trouble.

true, but the very fact that ANY windows were broken, proves that the Police were right to pen them in.
Any criminal damage is wrong. Large groups of people are a danger to themselves and others.
I'm very pleased the Police were out in large numbers. I know a Met cop, and the worry was for a terrorist strike IN the heart of the protestors, causing maximum damage, AND then the stampede that would follow.

In 2009, in the world in which we live, where people are losing their jobs every day, guilty bankers AND innocent factory workers, everyone should be working, not walking the streets of london in large groups chanting.

I think it's time the UK woke up and got it's nose to the grind stone tbh

[Lee H]

I saw this on Sky News last night and laughed my arse off when they were showing them dancing to Machete ( a quite good Drum and Bass song - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWC5xZVOWFI ) and they called it an impromptu song they had put together.

[shaithis]

true, but the very fact that ANY windows were broken, proves that the Police were right to pen them in.

Unless of course, the mob was reacting to being penned in, which is how it looked to me from the BBC reports.

You cannot corner a protest and expect them all to just stand there, being stopped from going on their way. They let everyone know where they were going to march beforehand, why the police stopped them I have no idea and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the trigger for the outburst.

I am sure there was blame on both sides yesterday.

[Zak33]

Unless of course, the mob was reacting to being penned in, which is how it looked to me from the BBC reports.

You cannot corner a protest and expect them all to just stand there, being stopped from going on their way. They let everyone know where they were going to march beforehand, why the police stopped them I have no idea and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the trigger for the outburst.

I'd like to agree, and when I was younger, I prolly would have... but now I disagree with that. If you're going on a protest march anywhere near the group of INTERNATIONAL LEADERS, in massive bands of people, you shuld be wise enough to expect to be herded, shepherded and if need be, penned in.

To break windows and break into a building is not excuseable.

Imagine if it was YOUR business that had it's windows put through, and a few offices ransacked. You'd not be happy... well.. I wouldn't anyway.

[shaithis]

Imagine if it was YOUR business that had it's windows put through, and a few offices ransacked. You'd not be happy... well.. I wouldn't anyway.

Indeed I wouldn't be. But I would be equally un-impressed with the police for herding them right outside my business instead of letting them go on their way!

[Zak33]

...un-impressed with the police for herding them right outside my business instead of letting them go on their way!

but they couldn't, for fear of a spread of potential danger.

The police didn't break the windows... the protestors did. It's not a blame free issue, just because the Polie had a job to do.

[shaithis]

but they couldn't, for fear of a spread of potential danger.

The police didn't break the windows... the protestors did. It's not a blame free issue, just because the Polie had a job to do.

In a utopian world I would agree......but I am more realistic.

You stop a peaceful demonstration and you run the risk of something non-peaceful happening. I am not saying it's right but we have seen it happen more then once in the past and I refuse to beleive that the police was oblivious to the potential repercussions of stopping them.

IMO, the police knew what would happen once they stopped them, yet still did it....the cynic in me might even say that's exactly why they did do it (especially as it happened right outside RBS!), it gave them a reason to disperse them with a bit of force.

Funny how nothing at all nasty happened right up until they were stopped.....what danger exactly did the police fear the spread of?

[schmunk]

In a utopian world I would agree......but I am more realistic.

You stop a peaceful demonstration and you run the risk of something non-peaceful happening. I am not saying it's right but we have seen it happen more then once in the past and I refuse to beleive that the police was oblivious to the potential repercussions of stopping them.

The pictures I saw displayed groups of people in hoodies with their faces covered over - I would contend that these people were not there solely for peaceful protest.

[TheAnimus]

Also you can't let a vast heard of people walk in to a restricted area through fear of them becoming violent if you don't thats stupid.

Would you give someone a machine gun, because you fear if you don't they will shoot you with their handgun?

[JPreston]

true, but the very fact that ANY windows were broken, proves that the Police were right to pen them in.

Erm...the fact that some windows were broken somewhere, proves that the police are right in arbitrarily detaining dozens of other people for several hours in a cramped area without access to food water or toilets, never mind legal representation? Is that how this country works now? Seemingly so.

It used to be the case that we had the 'right' to be arrested, i.e. hear what we are accused of, consult with a lawyer, and so on. Now we can just be penned in like cattle and held indefinitely. Still, the govt have massively shot themselves in the foot this time. They are reduced to dumbly pointing at some broken windows when asked to justify widespread false imprisonment and the blatant perversion of the fucntion of the police from protection of the public, to protection of Zanu-Labour. I know a crime when I see one, thanks - and sooner or later the criminals will be held accountable.