UK Police to shape up

[Sailor Steve]

Ah, Jim lad, but no man can say ye've nae had a colourful life.

[Herr-Berbunch]

But all is well, the government are considering purchasing water cannons for any future civil disobedience (oxymoron?), good job we're not expecting a drought this year.

[BossMark]

Jim did you ever go to Orgreave in the said strike as young 19 year old this is where the policeman used me for truncheon practice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Orgreave

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by BossMark

Jim did you ever go to Orgreave in the said strike as young 19 year old this is where the policeman used me for truncheon practice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Orgreave

Nope, wasn't there....and I'm glad because that was a very serious situation indeed.

It was places like Orgreave that brought out the very worst in both sides...best not mention the politicians.

[BossMark]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

But all is well, the government are considering purchasing water cannons for any future civil disobedience (oxymoron?), good job we're not expecting a drought this year.

I wonder if they will get £1000 fine for using hose pipes

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Nope, wasn't there....and I'm glad because that was a very serious situation indeed.

It was places like Orgreave that brought out the very worst in both sides...best not mention the politicians.

I couldn't agree more, and am still sure that evil cow used the army dressed as police in that said incident but that can not be proven, but some of the police didn't have their numbers on their uniforms

[Penguin]

I once took part in an event that included having a casual race against the cops through the nightly woods. While I was running through the woods, trying not to get my butt kicked, I suddenly noticed someone running parallel to my right, about 5,6 meters away. As I turned my head: Gosh! A cop, running with the same speed as me - it was at the time when the police here still wore white helmets, so he was rather easy to spot - today they usually have a dark cover.
With my inner cam fueled by adrenaline, I saw everything in slow motion. I thought to myself: "Man, those coppers are in good shape, you really have to speed up a little!", when I looked over again: thud! - he fell over a log or something else on the ground. I continued to run, paying double attention to the surrounding.
The morale: shape & training is not everything, also watch the ground!

The not so funny aftermath, was that some imbecile, right-wing paper reported that there were wires spanned between trees, in the height of the neck, to prevent cops from running there. Which was absolute bs. First nobody wanted to get something for attempted murder, second there is nothing as neck height (is it 1.50m, 1.90m?) and third: the protesters also ran through the woods
But as hearsaying goes, someone always heard of somebody who knows somebody to whom happened this. So after the "news report" the cops were extremely edgy.

Originally Posted by jimbuna

A day or so later the 'flying pickets' arrived and you can imagine the resulting consequences....full body armour, shields and mounted support.

Are you referring by "flying pickets" to something like travelling protestors? Can't really quite get a picture of it.
Kudos for sharing your stories, I am happy that we can exchange our stories here with a smile in retrospective, looking back without hate or anger.

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

But all is well, the government are considering purchasing water cannons for any future civil disobedience (oxymoron?), good job we're not expecting a drought this year.

I my experience, water cannons always led to further escalations. Today, the police here got smarter and they keep them in the back until something actually happens.

Though I always had respect of those nasty buggers:


Nothing shouts "civil war" more loudly than having an APC coming to you at high speed. Very uncomfortable and certainly not de-escalating.

[Oberon]

Flying Pickets are basically Rent-a-Mob. The more...provocative members of the community bussed from place to place, usually followed very closely by the Heavy Squad (Riot police).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picketing_%28protest%29

All a bit before my time...well...actually AT my time...but I can just about remember the reign of Iron knickers, and then Pants-man after her.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Are you referring by "flying pickets" to something like travelling protestors? Can't really quite get a picture of it.
Kudos for sharing your stories, I am happy that we can exchange our stories here with a smile in retrospective, looking back without hate or anger.

Yes...Oberon explains it well in #13

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

But all is well, the government are considering purchasing water cannons for any future civil disobedience (oxymoron?), good job we're not expecting a drought this year.

Could be the only way to get water if they don't get the old stand-pipes out.