Comments on: Hands up who’s anti-police

By: links for 2009-04-24 « Embololalia

links for 2009-04-24 « Embololalia — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:08:20 +0000

[...] Hands up who’s anti-police – Chicken Yoghurt It’s that same lazy and dishonest thinking that says you’re anti-American if you don’t like the US government cluster-bombing brown children. Or you’re anti-Semitic if you’re unhappy about the Israeli government’s policy towards Palestine. It’s a generalising and a blurring that this thinking demands because an honest examination of the specifics might (and it’s always a small ‘might’, I grant you) lead to accountability and change. (tags: police uk g20) [...]

By: InMyHumbleEtc » Blog Archive » “If she weighed the same as a duck… she’s made of wood” - The police federation and the witchfinder - ….with your host, Dixie Clicker

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:21:56 +0000

[...] dear. The cops are angry. Odly enough, you won’t like them when they’re angry. From the press association: The [...]

By: Quinn

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:01:11 +0000

For the avoidance of doubt: I don’t think for a minute that the media focus on the G20 demonstrations is down to anything other than some genuine and justified concerns over police tactics and behaviour that seriously need resolving. Any bandwagon jumping, it it’s even that, is just the way the media always operates. So no, I don’t think there is an anti-police faction driving anything either which is why I think Paul McKeever’s comments are moronic, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t still plenty of lazy and ugly anti-police sentiment swilling around the place. You’re response seems to be that anyone willing to phone the police in an emergency situation can’t possibly be anti-police. I find that risible as they’re hardly mutually exclusive. That’s about it.

By: Ian Sinkovits

Ian Sinkovits — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:18:52 +0000

Just read this via a freinds facebook link.
Absolutely necessary.
I feel the Police use this blurring of details to protect their RIGHT(?) to use force to invoke fear among the rabble rousers.
Brilliant piece.
Shame I haven’t come across you before.

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:53:26 +0000

Excellent piece Justin, especially like the closer re Anti-Americanism (man I hate that term) etc…

By: Martin Wisse

Martin Wisse — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:40:20 +0000

To be fair, I’ve been known to argue against the idea of police in general, but I doubt I have the sort of influence you’re looking for.

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:02:39 +0000

Fair enough, I misread you and I apologise.

The thing is I’ve heard a lot about an ‘anti-police’ faction in the last few days. And I sincerely haven’t come across it anywhere I frequent online, or in the papers, or anywhere. That suggests to me (on a limited analysis of course) that it’s a minority fringe that can safely be ignored in the context of this argument.

By: Quinn

Quinn — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:43:15 +0000

Give me strength. We’ve been here before and I give up with you Justin. No, I will not provide examples of how anti-police commentators are driving a ‘trial by media’ because I have not claimed that that is what is happening. Indeed, my only reference to what Paul McKeever said was to call it moronic. If you are going to challenge me to provide evidence to support my position, please ensure you have actually read what I have written and understood it, and then criticise me for what I have said, not what you assume I believe.

I have no idea whether you are anti-police or not and I care less, but if the best evidence you can provide for not being anti-police is to state that you would phone 999 in the event of being burgled, then I suggest you try harder.

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:30:29 +0000

I see what you’re saying but where are these bloggers, Daniel? How prominent are they? I doubt they’re driving the ‘bandwagon’ of ‘criticism by politicians and media commentators’ that Paul McKeever’s on about.

As for the Bishopsgate thing, I – and I think most people – gave it an airing as somehow further proof of how terrible we thought that one policeman’s attitude was and how terrible that attitude towards peaceful protesters (which was seen in many instances on April 1) was, not how terrible the police are. We’ve got to be more specific about what we’re talking about here.

By: Daniel Hoffmann-Gill

Daniel Hoffmann-Gill — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:23:07 +0000

I agree totally Justin, unfortunately, some bloggers on the ‘left’ (apologies for that term) have been dismissing the entire police force out of hand, using generalised terms that serve no purpose and throwing around unworkable ideas regarding change in the police force and possible levels of disbandment.

Also, take the Bishopsgate pile of ball bags, that video, in terms of police activity and their actions, a worthless bit of tripe but in the current climate, given air as if it is somehow further proof of how terrible the police are…when it’s not.