I couldnt attend this protest so i followed it on the net and news. I try very hard not to stereotype people, including the Police, after all, they are human beings too.
But when i saw the following quote i gleaned from the BBC website it made my skin crawl;

Speaking early on Tuesday afternoon, Toby Harris chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority warned: "You've got to remember most anarchists don't get up that early so it's very early days."

So according to Mr Harris, most of the protestors are Anarchists-lazy-bums who spend all day in bed? Seems he really showed his prejudice with the above quote doesn't it?
Maybe he is an Anarchist-hater who wanted to get his Drone squad (who have to take his orders) to "give them a good kicking" and show them that protesting isn't acceptable to the State?

A couple more quotes i gleaned;
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 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1303000/1303899.stm

"I want today to express our absolute and total backing for the police in dealing with anyone who seeks to bring *fear* and *violence* to our streets." Blair
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So Tony, jut WHO were the main ones bringing "fear and violence" to the streets? Peaceful protestors (ok so some are yobs, but most are peaceful), or the Toooled up Armoured drones? Lets see.

Taken from BBC;
Labour MP Alan Simpson said he feared the police were over-reacting.

"I have been pretty horrified at the two weeks of police briefings about the violence that they are anticipating," the MP for Nottingham South told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"What the public is left with is a pretty clear message that whoever turns up is going to looking for a good kicking and that is probably what they are going to get."


So an MP states on Radio that he thinks the protestors are going to get a "good kicking", nice.

Snips From the Guardian;
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/mayday/story/0,7369,481319,00.html

Although the protest has been largely peaceful, there have been some skirmishes, with bottles and cans thrown at police. Riot police have surged forward on several occasions, batting protesters with shields and batons

Demonstrators have complained that there is no water and no toilets inside the cordon

The demonstrators have accused the police of fuelling tension by surrounding groups of anti-capitalism protesters at various locations in central London.

One of the marchers, Mick Gordon, from Cambridge, said he believed the police actions had led to an escalating feeling of tension among the crowd.

"I'm appalled by the police's behaviour in this situation. They seem to be turning this peaceful process into a potentially dangerous situation by penning people in."

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And i have seen various reports on this website and others of innocent people being instilled with "fear" by riot squads, and one woman having her nose "violently" broken by a police officer!

Works both ways doesnt it?

Of course, its obvious that all this "Did the Police react correctly" hype is mainly there to cover over the REAL issues of what the protest was about in the first place. I just thought i would voice my views of what i have seen so far.


Prol