Growing concerns over Police brutality at G20 protests
A colleague of mine was at last week’s G20 protests, and after witnessing police tactics which seemed to him to be excessively violent and heavy-handed, he decided to set up a Facebook group to prompt a public debate about the issue. In the last few days I’ve spoken to a number of people who were at the protests, and there seems to be a striking disparity between the firsthand accounts that I’ve heard, and the way that the protests were – at least initially – reported by the bulk of the media.
From Facebook
I decided to create this group having gone down to see climate camp, where unnecessarily aggressive police tactics against peaceful protestors made violence inevitable. However since the tragic death of an innocent bystander, who was inexplicably assaulted from behind by a riot policeman this group now stands in solidarity against all forms of disproportionate violence that were meted out against innocent bystanders or peaceful protestors.
Read the account below and watch this video to see the moment it happened
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t244-zEENSs
First let me put this in context, I was not involved with any group demonstrating in the city for the G20 protests. I work in marketing, for a charity and have never taken part in direct action. However, I am concerned about climate change – one of the issues on the G20 agenda. I wanted to see exactly what the climate camp contingent were about and what kind of message they wanted world leaders to hear. Considering the vast majority of scientific opinion believes we are in severe danger from climate change and lack of action thus far, I thought they might have pretty important reason to be out on the streets.
I also wanted to see whether reports of heavy handed police tactics’ on earlier demos was accurate.
I’m sorry to say that from what I saw, the police tactics were designed with nothing in mind other than to oppress a peaceful protest and make a violent situation inevitable… [continues]
My experience of Police racism in the UK is not worse than what I saw in Burundi.Police and Army brutality against civilians was something I will never forget.In 2004, I attended a funeral of an acquaintance, he had been shot by a Police officer at Police barrier, the victim pulled out as he was stopped,and the rest of the story is mystery, he was shot in his Head.I wonder if we could see Global integrity with Army and Police forces, some argue that if you raise their morals and salaries, there might be chances of discouraging them to be hostile towards the Public.
Desire K
April 9, 2009 at 3:57 pm