Another quote off the telly
"People have come to London today intent on causing violent disorder, not coming to peacefully protest, and that can be proven by the number of people that deviated from the agreed route" - Police Supt Julia Pendry, speaking to the BBC.
I don't doubt there were protesters who went to London yesterday intent on causing violent disorder. Don't mind the police saying that.
But do note that if you try to avoid kettling, by avoiding the agreed route, then the Met Police will consider this *proof* of the intent to cause violent disorder.
Presumably the Met knows that independently of the violent faction, groups of protesters have been avoiding large numbers of police, because they fear being detained for hours in freezing temperatures. Students have said as much to journalists before yesterday. It's possible that she's missed a memo, or intended her words to be taken as an exaggeration for rhetorical purpose, but it seems most likely that Police Supt Julia Pendry of the Met Police either mis-spoke (and should issue a correction), or is a liar.
If we're to take her words at face value, then with multiple people co-operating, presumably the intent to cause violent disorder is a crime of conspiracy. So don't be too surprised if next time, people are arrested (or trampled by horses) simply for deviating from an agreed demonstration route. The Met Police thinks it has proof that such people are violent, although whether the CPS would agree is another matter.
The British police makes much of the fact that it operates by the consent of the populace. You *cannot* police a protest by consent, if you routinely kettle people. All else being equal most protesters don't mind walking an agreed route, but they simply will not walk into a heffalump trap.
Surely there is now a risk of worse violence from protesters trying to figure out how a crowd can *break out* of a kettle, or counter a cavalry charge (if there are any history students present, presumably they're calling for high ground, pointy sticks and longbows). I don't doubt that those people exist too, and that the Met will express similar faked outrage if and when a demo manages either trick. Quite a few people on both sides will get hurt in the process, so I would think that the sensible thing for the police to do is to address the issue of crowd control tactics sooner rather than later.
I don't doubt there were protesters who went to London yesterday intent on causing violent disorder. Don't mind the police saying that.
But do note that if you try to avoid kettling, by avoiding the agreed route, then the Met Police will consider this *proof* of the intent to cause violent disorder.
Presumably the Met knows that independently of the violent faction, groups of protesters have been avoiding large numbers of police, because they fear being detained for hours in freezing temperatures. Students have said as much to journalists before yesterday. It's possible that she's missed a memo, or intended her words to be taken as an exaggeration for rhetorical purpose, but it seems most likely that Police Supt Julia Pendry of the Met Police either mis-spoke (and should issue a correction), or is a liar.
If we're to take her words at face value, then with multiple people co-operating, presumably the intent to cause violent disorder is a crime of conspiracy. So don't be too surprised if next time, people are arrested (or trampled by horses) simply for deviating from an agreed demonstration route. The Met Police thinks it has proof that such people are violent, although whether the CPS would agree is another matter.
The British police makes much of the fact that it operates by the consent of the populace. You *cannot* police a protest by consent, if you routinely kettle people. All else being equal most protesters don't mind walking an agreed route, but they simply will not walk into a heffalump trap.
Surely there is now a risk of worse violence from protesters trying to figure out how a crowd can *break out* of a kettle, or counter a cavalry charge (if there are any history students present, presumably they're calling for high ground, pointy sticks and longbows). I don't doubt that those people exist too, and that the Met will express similar faked outrage if and when a demo manages either trick. Quite a few people on both sides will get hurt in the process, so I would think that the sensible thing for the police to do is to address the issue of crowd control tactics sooner rather than later.