Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Violence at G20- but it wasn’t a protester....

Another video of a policeman apparently assaulting a peaceful protester has appeared on YouTube. It seems a (hopefully) small number of officer's use these protests as an excuse to throw their weight about and attack members of the public who genuinely feel a need to peacefully protest. It's no wonder the violent hijackers of such events get away with it. The police should concentrate on these thugs, or is that asking too much?

The most disturbing thing I see here is two alleged assaults (that we know about) by officers whose identifying numbers are obscured. It does smack of a conspiracy, that there is perhaps a group of nominated officers whose role is to either quell or provoke crowd disturbance. This may be confined to a small number of officers, with or without the tacit agreement of their superiors or even the government. Or it might, more frighteningly be a deliberate course of action, instigated and supported at the highest level to give credence to banning all forms of protest.

I accept that looking at the whole video there seems to be some disturbance in the crowd, but this is quickly aggravated by the apparent assault. And in all honesty, the woman appears merely to be speaking to the officer trying to make some kind of complaint and he just isn't interested.

The officer concerned has been identified as a member of the territorial support group, who are allowed to use violence but it must be proportionate to the circumstances. A woman half your size complaining doesn't seem to me to justify a slap in the face and a whack with a steel baton.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Kevin Johnson was killed by three drunken yobs. His father's claim for criminal injuries compensation has been denied because his son contributed to his own death. How? He went to investigate a disturbance outside his home. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said if he had stayed inside he would not have died.

I have several issues with this decision. Firstly, the only way we will stop these yobs and thugs is to be pro-active. Let them know we will not sit back and take the abuse. There also seems to be some mixed messages from the authorities. CICA seems to be telling us not to get involved while the police and government appear to say we, the public must involve ourselves to help the police in their fight against crime? How would Mr. Johnson do this if he didn't go outside to have any hope of identifying the offenders?

This raises the second question. Calling the police usually means a visit hours if not days after the event. I know this from experience. Twice I have called the police when drunken yobs were smashing my windows by throwing bottles at them. Total police involvement was to issue a crime number and send a letter from the chief constable.

I think the government should take a look at how, when and why compensation is paid. Or is this another cost cutting exercise?

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Benefits the Banks

It is bad enough changing weekly benefits to fortnightly payments. I know from experience the hardship this change can produce. But telling the poorest, most vulnerable people in our supposedly rich and caring society they will lose a week's benefits because of the change is beyond belief. To add insult to injury the government are offering a loan to bridge the gap! At this time of recession the government should be looking at how better they can be helped, not hindered.

And this comes weeks after government bailout of the corrupt banking system to the tune of billions. Still, they have to get the money back somehow.

I urge everybody to write to their MP, and those affected to attend their local benefits office and demand a tribunal hearing to claim back the lost week's benefit.

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Honest(l)y, You Can’t Win!

Alistair Darling admits he got it wrong when he forecast the length and depth of the recession. Instead of trying to muddy the waters with political rhetoric, he has put his hands up and said he was wrong. The Tories ask why anybody would believe Gordon Browns (not Alistair's?) economic claims again.

Well, no lover of Mr Brown, Mr Darling or New Labour isn't this the honesty in politics we have all been demanding?

Saturday, April 04, 2009

The State of the Nation

So MP's have called for the government to make a one off payment to for charities which lost millions in the Icelandic bank fiasco.

Personally I think they should be ashamed that a country as wealthy (so we keep being told) as Britain still needs charities to help its poorest. Maybe their time and effort would be better spent demanding sweeping changes to the socio-economic structure that keeps the poor poor and the wealthy wealthy.


 

Friday, April 03, 2009

Conspiracy Theory or Fact?

In recent years we have had conspiracy theorists telling us about the 'new world order' which is essentially a group of super-rich individuals (Illuminati) manipulating politics and global economics to bring about world domination. So far, these conspiracy theorists have been dismissed as cranks, revolutionaries and/or anarchists. (By the way, take the time to take a look at what anarchists actually want- they are not quite as subversive and violent as the establishment would have us believe.)

Now we have Gordon Brown claiming the success of the G2O summit as the creation of a 'new world order'. With New Labour's control orientated legislation and rejection of Labour's traditional socialism it doesn't seem quite so crazy, does it?

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

STATE (of the) POLICE

I am a socialist, an anarchist, a revolutionary and anti-establishment. I am certainly not a conservative (capital or small 'c'), loyalist, royalist or a capitalist. But for the British police to suggest innocent British workers, whatever my feelings about them stay at home rather than ensure the law is upheld and they can work suggests their role is no longer law enforcement. And if that is not their role, I worry what their role is.