Police will have the right to fire rubber bullets on student protesters as they prepare for huge Lon

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Daily Mail

Police are prepared to use plastic bullets for the first time on the British mainland if student protests planned for tomorrow erupt into violence.

Scotland Yard revealed yesterday that the baton rounds have been authorised for a student fees march in London amid fears it could be hijacked by anarchists and troublemakers.

Baton gun rounds have never been used on the British mainland, but they have been linked to deaths in Northern Ireland.

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The march, organised by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, is due to go from Bloomsbury in Central London to the City. It is being kept away from the St Paul’s anti-capitalism protest but activists from the cathedral camp are expected to join in.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2058726/Police-right-rubber-bullets-Wednesdays-student-protests-London.html#ixzz1d6gK1BYR


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2058726/Police-right-rubber-bullets-Wednesdays-student-protests-London.html

[aquart]

1. Oh, that will go over well.

[dipsydoodle]

2. Should be ok

provided the Black Bloc wannabees don't start vandalising or precipitate what could be classed as a kettle.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Recently, the police have kettled demonstrators with no provocation at all

I have some trust in them that they won't resort to baton rounds unless there's real trouble, but their past behaviour makes it seem likely there will be kettling whatever the protesters do tomorrow.

[dipsydoodle]

8. If you're refering to last Saturday

I wouldn't really have called that a kettle - it looked as those who wanted to leave could have done so albeit that others couldn't have joined. In the absense of the police line to block traffic on Millbank they might have been run over.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. More to their behaviour over the past year or two

as documented and criticised by the official report on how the TUC march was handled:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/police-far-too-ready-to-use-kettling-tactics-2269230.html

or the high court:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/14/kettling-g20-protesters-police-illegal

Note that the police intended to appeal against that ruling in the second link. They still think what they did was OK.

[No Elephants]

16. Kettling is a police tactic, often used to precipitate action in a crowd that

is cited to justify whatever actions the police take.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettling

See also http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/09/ben_koatz_17_de.php

If the Black Bloc acts up, that is not justification for kettling everyone in sight.

Police should be able to deal with individual bad apples without what amounts to random violence against peace demonstrators.

[CrispyQ]

3. The curtain's down & the stage crew is approaching.

"The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery..." — Zappa

[freshwest]

14. Yup. And they locked the fire doors, too.

[rasputin1952]

5. What can possibly go wrong!

Amazing that people would fire anything against their own citizens...we are not alone in the use of potential deadly force...how depressing is this...:(

[Fuddnik]

6. They think it's a good idea.

At least until the demonstrators start firing back.

[tech3149]

7. I love the description of "plastic or rubber bullets"

They might be coated in rubber but they still have metal at there core. They might not penetrate the skin but they can do a lot of damage. The only non-lethal weapon that I would sanction would be a net gun. No chance of injury you just restrict the action of the subject.

[nineteen50]

9. Remember

I desire what is good. Therefore, everyone who does not agree
with me is a traitor.
King George III (1738 - 1820)

[No Elephants]

15. At least that attitude never cost him or Britain anything.

[Javaman]

11. London's calling!

By The Clash

London calling to the faraway towns
Now war is declared, and battle come down
London calling to the underworld
Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls
London calling, now don't look to us
Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust
London calling, see we ain't got no swing
'Cept for the ring of that truncheon thing


The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I live by the river

London calling to the imitation zone
Forget it, brother, you can go it alone
London calling to the zombies of death
Quit holding out, and draw another breath
London calling, and I don't wanna shout
But while we were talking, I saw you nodding out
London calling, see we ain't got no high
Except for that one with the yellowy eyes


The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in
Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin
A nuclear error, but I have no fear
'Cause London is drowning, and I live by the river

Now get this

London calling, yes, I was there, too
An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!
London calling at the top of the dial
After all this, won't you give me a smile?
London calling

I never felt so much alike alike alike alike

[progressoid]

12. Aw damn.

Ear worm. Gonna have to dig out that CD later!

[saras]

13. The Brits were complaining about us using them in 1973

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPw0QbH2g68&feature=related">Godley, Creme, Gouldman, and Stewart sing about it, unnecessarily prettily

[Matariki]

17. I don't understand why people don't show up in goggles and helmets

knee pads and elbow pads. What with the unpredictable behavior of the police.

[truebrit71]

18. "amid fears that it could be hijacked by anarchists and troublemakers"...

...and there, my Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the exact excuse that will be used once the filth start shooting people...

Herewith a brief sneak-peek at a future trial transcript about the upcoming riots...

"Constable, why did you take it upon yourself to use lethal force on the gonads of the protestors?"

"Well, to be honest yer Honour, I fort dey wuz a anarkist or sumfink so i HAD to shoot them in the bollocks, innit"

"Thank you Constable, you are free to go.."