The tin blue line: Met unveil revolutionary police barrier to prevent anti-cuts demonstrators marchi

[Boudica the Lyoness]

Source: Daily Mail

After a summer of discontent that saw hundreds of rioters roam the streets of the capital, the Metropolitan Police needed to take action.
And it appears that this imposing 10foot high steel structure is their answer to the problem.
The police cordon was erected at the north end of Whitehall near Trafalgar Square this afternoon in an attempt to stop anti-cuts protesters heading towards Parliament.
The Metropolitan Police say that the structure is put in place when a potential public order situation is likely to develop and they need a physical barrier to block cars and people.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2068180/The-tin-blue-line-The-incredible-police-barrier-used-anti-cuts-demonstrators-highjack-strikes-bid-cause-chaos.html#ixzz1fEGdSzP1

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2068180/The-tin-blue-line-The-incredible-police-barrier-used-anti-cuts-demonstrators-highjack-strikes-bid-cause-chaos.h

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The British police used to be so much more reasonable than the American Police....but now I wonder.

[Posteritatis]

1. To be fair, "more reasonable than American police" is the kind of bar that's set with a shovel. (nt)

[dipsydoodle]

2. All such protests / demonstrations here in the UK

have routes declared and agreed in advance. Those barriers simply replace lines of police to confirm the route.

Westminster Council are quite capable of closing certain roads in advance to both pedestrians and road traffic if they wanted to but they chose not to do so.

I do of course assume the fence isn't electrified.

[malthaussen]

3. Times have changed since the Paris Commune...

... it used to be the protesters who erected the barricades...

-- Mal

[TygrBright]

4. This will buy them a short interval. What they do with it will be a major decision.

They can 1) begin the process of disempowering the 1% and restoring the well-being of the commons as their top priority, or 2) they can assume they've "fixed the problem."

If they select 1), they will be at the forefront of functional, successful states in a digital, non-heirarchical, decentralized future. If they select 2), the pressure will slowly re-build, and escalate to tragic levels of sacrifice and bloodshed, and possibly even widespread disorder.

How smart are they?

Any Brits want to give an estimate?

curiously,
Bright

[bluedigger]

5. That's not going to help.

Now they are defending static positions against overwhelming numbers. You'd have thought they would be familiar with the Maginot Line and it's result, Dunkirk.

[dipsydoodle]

6. where did you get overwhelming numbers from?

.

[bluedigger]

7. The tide of history.

It's not easy stretching an analogy, you know.;)

[tomm2thumbs]

8. Fancy, fancy, but fences don't even seem to work along a border

It isn't going to stop a crowd from forming, it'll just be right next to where it was going to form before the barricade went up. Duh!




I keep wondering if they have urinals on the other side of those things....


"... I'll huff, and I'll puff... and I'll......"

[MADem]

15. They're on a wheeled trailer and they fold out. They could be used to corral, easily.

They look like they are ordinarily towed into place by a truck, but I'll bet a bunch of cops could move the thing by hand if needs must.

[jerseyjack]

9. It works best if the cops set up several of these as a corral.

Then pepper spray the demonstrators inside. It would be like Tony Baloney multiplied by a factor of 100.

[Turborama]

10. Interesting word choice...

[marasinghe]

11. re. ".... British police used to be so much more reasonable ....": long time been gone.

a quaint tradition -- these days only to be found in the pages of the novels of Dame Agatha Christie, Sapper & Saki; and, perhaps, Masterpiece Theater.

as a spiritual heiress of the great Boudica, you may have come across the McPherson report of 1999:
http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm42/4262/sli-06.htm

:hi:

[Boudica the Lyoness]

13. I shall study this McPherson report of 1999

over a nice cup of tea.

I'm a little behind the times. I was born in 1953 in England until I set sail for the colonies in the 70's.

When I was a girl the local copper was Mr. Burton and he rode around on his bike. I grew up with Mr. Plod and his friend Noddy.
:hi:

[DeSwiss]

12. Message to the rich:

''Walls won't save your ass.''



Message to the stupid coppers behind those walls:

You look like a bunch of idiots!!!



- K&R

[lonestarnot]

14. K & R!

And your smilie fits perfectly!

[Devil_Fish]

16. Spray paint!!!

Throw tear gas canisters Here and Return to sender.
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Could some one photo shop it for me???

[saras]

17. What happens if you paint over the windows? And then roll ball-bearings under the barrier?

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. I don't see this as 'unreasonable'

The union-organised march had an agreed destination and purpose. The use of the barriers prevented a hijacking of the unions' march on their day strike for other purposes.

http://www.tuc.org.uk/industrial/tuc-20323-f0.cfm?regional=7
http://content.met.police.uk/News/FAQs-London-Regional-March--Rally-in-Central-London/1400005008124/1400005008124
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/15972498

[Boudica the Lyoness]

19. I don't remember all that expense and trouble

going into protecting trade union marchers in the past. I am glad they are being looked after. (I was in a union in England and a Teamster here in the US). I read this from your link;

"The Metropolitan Police Service is here to help facilitate a safe and peaceful protest. We are committed to upholding the law and we respect the right to peaceful protest. This leaflet / information seeks to explain how the demonstration will be policed and what to do if there are any problems".

Thanks. I am worried that the British police will start acting like the thug cops here in the US.