shuggy's blog
It depends. I remember the deaths at Kent State in the 60s. I thought that the protestors had been really stupid and reckless - they were faced with young, undertrained, anxious, amateur soldiers who were armed to the teeth and very possibly resentful of the students' cushy life. They then went on to scare those soldiers. It was lucky that there were only four dead.
Whereas what happened to the poor chap in London looks to me as if a policeman assumed that he had carte blanche to go tanking into anyone he wanted to (unless, of course, he was actually ordered to clear the poor fellow out of the way). His chosen target was an ambling middle aged man with his hands in his pockets and his back turned. Oh brave boy.
That killed him? Jings, that didn't seem that bad.
If I was dawdling around in front of a forming police line (with dogs) that was trying to contain a protest, I think I'd expect a bit more of a doing than a big shove.
It also shows just how vital it is that the recent legislation preventing the filming of police officers is repealed. Whoever captured that footage was risking arrest.
It is obvious evidence that the officer committed a common assault (though claims of manslaughter are not justified by that evidence). The officer concerned should be prosecuted and dismissed from the force.
Oh, two little boys had two little toys,
a whistle and helmet blue,
And when they were we it was plain to see,
what they'd grow up in to,
They were kickin' other weans and bashin' in their brains,
And shoppin everybody too,
They didn't reform,
now they're in uniform,
they're two little boys in blue!
I actually had that Rolf record as a child - you've spoiled it for me now.
Or:
'please remember Ian Tomlinson the next time you mobilise some bullshit prolier-than-thou demonstration armed with bottles and staves and intent on violence to justify your own particular point of view in what is indeed still a relatively free society.'
(Goddamn point - missed)
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