Copenhagen "Police Brutality"?

Here we go again! Another demonstration and more cries of police brutality. It seems the police are always the scapegoat for unruly demonstrations these days. If they use the 'soft glove' they are ineffective, and if they do their job correctly they are 'brutal beasts'.

I for one am sick and tired of hearing the whining complaints from protesters whenever they are on the streets. If you break the law of the land you can expect action by the police, and their response is proportional to yours.

At the Copenhagen Summit, a group of around 100 youths wearing masks, many dressed in black, went on the rampage which prompted the police to take action. They were corralled by Police and arrested.

The news picture of demonstrators sat on the ground and handcuffed has raised a furore of  protest from demonstrator groups, but look closely! They are for the most part the masked youths who caused all the trouble, and not as many people suppose, innocent demonstrators. It just goes to show how misleading a single photo, and the cries of police brutality from a bunch of thugs can be.

With the exception of 13 who will face charges, all have since been released from custody. Hopefully they have learned a lesson, but I doubt it.

It is illegal in Denmark to wear a mask at a demonstration, and rightly so. If you are a peaceful demonstrator why do you need a mask?

Bricks and fireworks were thrown, and shop windows smashed in the city centre in wanton violence, and you have to ask what that has to do with demonstrating against climate change?

It is a fact that the greater majority of people who attend these demonstrations are peaceful people who want nothing more than for their voices to be heard, and I fully respect that. Democratic countries have the right to peaceful demonstration and so they should. The problem is, these events also attract the thugs and fanatics who are out to cause mayhem, anything from burning cars, smashing windows and attacking the police at every opportunity. To them it is like a sport, a drug. They get off on it!

There have been countless situations in many countries where these people have hi-jacked a demonstration for their own ends. Once the bricks and glass start flying should the police stand by and do nothing? No of course not! If it was your car or shop that was damaged, you would be yelling for them to do something.

At many demonstrations the police are outnumbered perhaps 500 or more to one and have a very difficult task to perform. Looking at news footage it is easy to see the difficulties they face. One is injured by a flying bottle or brick, but who threw it? Usually the cowardly culprit does his deed and then disappears laughing into the throng of peaceful demonstrators. So as a policeman what should you do, just take it? What would you do in the circumstances?

What is the answer? Perhaps organizers of demonstrations should make their followers more aware of the fringe element that always hides within their ranks, and make sure people know their civic duty.

If a group of thugs, fanatics, call them what you will, start masking up and throwing things, those peaceful demonstrators surrounding them could themselves take action. If the thugs were confronted by, say fifty or a hundred 'righteous citizens' and told to cease their activities it would help. People power can be used for good as well as evil, and there is strength in numbers.

Part of the problem today, and the reason these idiots get away with it, is people have become insular and 'do not want to become involved'. If you are there at all, you are involved whether you like it or not. If the peaceful demonstrators do not stand up themselves to the thugs and fanatics, we will continue to see the sort of action that took place in Copenhagen.

Many of the complaints refer to those arrested being kept outside in the cold for hours without toilet or medical facilities i.e. the troublemakers. With a total of 968 arrests for disorderly conduct or criminal damage I can quite believe police resources were stretched to the limit. What did these idiots expect, a nice warm coffee lounge with free cigarettes and drinks while they were waiting to be processed.

In my opinion, the police were doing their job to the best of their ability considering the restrictions placed upon them. The bottom line is, 'if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen'!

Peaceful demonstration is a right, those who abuse that right have none!

Roy.