Coronavirus: social, economic and other changes as a result of the pandemic

[Serial_Apologist]

What's upsetting (to me, at least) is that although one is unequivocally sympathetic to a basic protest, it gets led/taken over by people whose tactics seem obtuse. Anger is a legitimate, often necessary, spur to action: uncontrolled anger is counterproductive.

Well, as I was saying, back in the olden days, we would have made short shrift of any interlopers and, effectively, agents provocateurs. Not that many general onlookers would join our demos, though, so most of us were acquainted - we must've looked pretty scary, though we weren't, really - just a bunch of well-meaning, caring people . Today I'd be disinclined to attend a demo, due to the serious effect of all those whistles and vuvuzelas which now seem de rigueur since the 2003 anti-Iraq war demonstration, on my tinnitus.

[LHC]

Well, as I was saying, back in the olden days, we would have made short shrift of any interlopers and, effectively, agents provocateurs. Not that many general onlookers would join our demos, though, so most of us were acquainted - we must've looked pretty scary, though we weren't, really - just a bunch of well-meaning, caring people . Today I'd be disinclined to attend a demo, due to the serious effect of all those whistles and vuvuzelas which now seem de rigueur since the 2003 anti-Iraq war demonstration, on my tinnitus.

Looking on the bright side, once the Government has banned noisy protests, you will be able to attend again with fearing for your tinnitus.

[french frank]

... a girondine rather than a montagnarde, I guess




.

In all things …

[Bryn]

Looking on the bright side, once the Government has banned noisy protests, you will be able to attend again with fearing for your tinnitus.

Hardly. Noise limits on motorcycles were introduced a few years ago. Have you noticed much if any enforcement of such?

[LHC]

Hardly. Noise limits on motorcycles were introduced a few years ago. Have you noticed much if any enforcement of such?

Well, as the new Bill allows a protest to be curtailed if there is a level of noise that could cause “serious disruption to the activities of an organisation which are carried on in the vicinity of the procession” or if the noise is such that there may be a “relevant” and “significant” impact on persons in the vicinity, S-A could always complain to the police about any protest he joins to make sure the noise level is kept down

[Bryn]

I note, from an Independent piece, that the police in Bristol have retracted their claim that two of their officers sustained broken bones as a result of last week's demonstration against Priti Patel's "Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill". Fake claim?

Further: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...ristol-protest

[johnb]

It doesn't look as though the police were on their best behaviour at Friday's protest in Bristol and they assaulted a Bristol Post reporter.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1375575074934296578

I didn't watch the live Bristol Post feed on Friday but one of my neighbours who did commented at the time:

I’ve been watching for the last 90 Mins or so and the police literally started beating people with their shields dragging them off the ground and starting it all’s they’ve now pushed them back to near Portland square by running at them on horses and with dogs.

[oddoneout]

It doesn't look as though the police were on their best behaviour at Friday's protest in Bristol and they assaulted a Bristol Post reporter.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1375575074934296578

I didn't watch the live Bristol Post feed on Friday but one of my neighbours who did commented at the time:

The police dog in that twitter link is going to be facing disciplinary action. Biting a policeman on the bum isn't in the job spec... - but then neither is the use to which those shields are being put I would have thought? Can't help thinking that unwittingly the Bill in Bristol are doing their bit to support "Kill the bill". It also looks to me rather as if it isn't only some members of the general public who are expressing their lockdown frustration inappropriately...

[Anastasius]

The police dog in that twitter link is going to be facing disciplinary action. Biting a policeman on the bum isn't in the job spec... - but then neither is the use to which those shields are being put I would have thought? Can't help thinking that unwittingly the Bill in Bristol are doing their bit to support "Kill the bill". It also looks to me rather as if it isn't only some members of the general public who are expressing their lockdown frustration inappropriately...

Remind me again...how many police was it that were hospitalised as a result of the first 'peaceful' protest ?

[Bryn]

Remind me again...how many police was it that were hospitalised as a result of the first 'peaceful' protest ?

I'm not sure. I just recall the fake report of two suffering broken bones, whereas none actually did.

[french frank]

I'm not sure. I just recall the fake report of two suffering broken bones, whereas none actually did.

Yes, I read that. But it's an impossible situation for the police. Under the coronavirus legislation they are given the powers to break up gatherings which are breaching the law. If they ask protesters to disperse and they refuse, are the police supposed to say, 'Oh, all right, carry on then. Just saying' ? The right to protest is not absolute.

[Bryn]

Yes, I read that. But it's an impossible situation for the police. Under the coronavirus legislation they are given the powers to break up gatherings which are breaching the law. If they ask protesters to disperse and they refuse, are the police supposed to say, 'Oh, all right, carry on then. Just saying' ? The right to protest is not absolute.

Oh, I got into a bit of a faceb... tussle with a friend over the Clapham Common protest/vigil Met Police situation. I argued that the organisers should have been liaised with to sort out their marshaling the gathering, rather than involving the Met (one of their number having been charged with abduction and murder). It seemed o me that involving the Met was just exacerbating the situation Failing the discussion the court had called for, perhaps another Police service should have been brought in, say the Thames Valley service. (One is not supposed to refer to them as a "force"). Yes, there needs to be some form of supervision of the situation, but some nouse needs to be employed to avoid unnecessary escalation of the risks to both protesters and those charged with managing the risk to life.

[Anastasius]

Covid certificates/passports ..."discriminatory" shouts the protesters. Mmmmm.... providing there is enough vaccine to go round for all those likely to need a certificate and providing that there is the facility on the certificate to verify that, for medical reasons, a person cannot be vaccinated then a Covid certificate or passport is most definitely NOT discriminatory. If someone has the choice to be vaccinated but doesn't want to for whatever reason...it's their choice and they are not being discriminated against.

[Anastasius]

Yes, I read that. But it's an impossible situation for the police. Under the coronavirus legislation they are given the powers to break up gatherings which are breaching the law. If they ask protesters to disperse and they refuse, are the police supposed to say, 'Oh, all right, carry on then. Just saying' ? The right to protest is not absolute.

I'd like to know why the police aren't enforcing the Covid regulations at Batley. All the footage and photos that I've seen suggest that the regs have been broken.

[oddoneout]

I'd like to know why the police aren't enforcing the Covid regulations at Batley. All the footage and photos that I've seen suggest that the regs have been broken.

All part of the inconsistency that arises from police forces across the country making their own judgements about when and how to act? Once schools went back it all became a bit murky anyway since it meant a significant increase in the mixing and contacts situation.