Comment: another day another Lockdown protest

Denigration of the police is becoming a disturbing feature of commentary relating to protests on both sides of the Atlantic says Chris Hobbs

On a day which would later see Trump supporters shock the world by invading the American legislature after breaking through lines of US police officers, their British counterparts were taking no chances with an illicit protest due to take place outside the United Kingdom parliament.

Extra police could be seen inside the gates while  steel barriers, ‘sterile areas’ and additional police inside those barriers ensured that MPs and those in the upper house would have been blissfully unaware that any untoward event was taking place at all.

It should have been a mass protest to coincide with Parliament’s debate on re-imposing a full Lockdown on the populace of England but even allowing for the short notice given by the anonymous organisers, it would seem that the outrage is subsiding at the rate the virus is spreading as the turnout was at best around 150.

The number of police present in Parliament Square itself meant that any attempt to ‘group up’ by the few present would be doomed to failure.

Some protesters were in small static groups while others preferred to keep on the move thus hoping to avoid the attentions of officers. Those officers eventually began to take action which, in main, involved asking people why they were out and about, where they were from and then advising them to go home. Those who didn’t take the immediate opportunity to absent themselves were arrested.

Despite media reports to the contrary, most arrests were civilised affairs and those where protesters were taken to the floor were the result of their own violent actions. Those arrested without a struggle protested their innocence and continued to engage in a debate with officers as they waited for prisoner transport.

Walking the dog

Walking around with a barking, agitated, yelping dog won’t provide some sort of immunity from arrest as one individual found out to his cost. A police officer took possession of the dog and seemed to be doing an impressive job in mollifying the animal who was clearly concerned at being separated from its owner. The dog was eventually handed over to a friend of the individual arrested who quickly discovered that dog treats were a useful treatment for separation anxiety.

The paucity of demonstrators at Parliament may have been marginally affected by the bail hearing in respect of Julian Assange. Again, a relatively small protest took place and the arrest of a 92- year- old man attracted the attention of police detractors and sections of the media.

Interestingly, it seems some Assange protesters then made their way to Parliament Square.

Arrests of the elderly were a relatively common sight during extinction rebellion protests where those well above pension age were literally offering themselves up for arrest much to the despair of the officers arresting. Those arrested are normally given numerous chances to comply with the directions of officers yet stubbornly refuse. The officer, of course, then has to deal with a less than effusive custody officer!!

Will Lockdown again equal denigration?

Now, with police strongly indicating that they will take a stronger line with those who flout Covid regulations, there exists the possibility that sections of the media from both the right and left, will embark on a quest to secure police ‘abuse of power’ stories as happened during the first Lockdown. Indeed, the Mail appears to be first out of the starting blocks in that respect.

Experience shows that constant denigration of police encourages abuse of, and, attacks on officers. This was disturbingly apparent during the first Lockdown with all too frequent reports of assaults which included coughing on, spitting at and biting officers. Positive stories, such as the innumerable welfare calls undertaken by police to the elderly and vulnerable and the compassionate, caring help rendered, is of little interest.

A further protest is planned for Saturday with a starting venue to be clandestinely announced in what will probably see another cat and mouse encounter with Met officers. If the protest takes place, doubtless Metropolitan police officers will experience again the sort of abuse that their American counterparts endured for the first time yesterday, from so called ‘patriots.’

Chris Hobbs is a retired Metropolitan Police officer who worked in Special Branch

Category: Ops

Tags: CommentForce policyGovernment PolicyLondonMetropolitan Police ServicePublic Order