According to that venerable Brighton institution- The Argus, Sussex Police used a taser on a street drinker who turned aggressive/violent after they attempted to confiscate his booze.
Brighton & Hove's citywide ban on street drinking was enforced violently yesterday in New Road, Brighton. New Road is intended by the council to operate as a shared surface so as to serve a variety of purposes. However, street drinking by the homeless on its benches is frowned upon and it is commonplace to see PCSOs harassing these members of the public, usually when they are sitting quietly.
Yesterday morning, it is reported that a violent struggle broke out between police and a street drinker that disagreed with their decision to take away his can and pour it away in front of him. Of course, the ban tends only to be enforced against the abnormal and respectable persons can happily drink away to their heart content. Apparently the outlaw managed to get one over on the Police by breaking a coppers arm, but this didn't help him very much as he was then beaten with batons, pepper-sprayed and then tasered.
So much for police claims that the taser represents an alternative to an armed response unit. In this case the weapon appears to have been used in revenge for a prior assault on an officer.
from BBC
Taser used in city centre arrest
A Taser stun gun was used by police in Brighton city centre when a drinker became violent as officers tried to arrest him.
A plain clothes officer suffered a broken wrist during the incident in New Road, Brighton, on Monday morning.
Sussex Police said the officer was assaulted when the drinker refused to dispose of his alcohol.
A spokeswoman said the stun gun was used when attempts to subdue him with baton strikes and pepper spray failed.
She added: "The man was then arrested for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He received stitches to a minor wound and has been transported to custody."
A second man was arrested for a public order offence.
Between July 2007 and February 2008 Tasers have been deployed 18 times and used on for occasions by Sussex Police.
Yesterday morning, it is reported that a violent struggle broke out between police and a street drinker that disagreed with their decision to take away his can and pour it away in front of him. Of course, the ban tends only to be enforced against the abnormal and respectable persons can happily drink away to their heart content. Apparently the outlaw managed to get one over on the Police by breaking a coppers arm, but this didn't help him very much as he was then beaten with batons, pepper-sprayed and then tasered.
So much for police claims that the taser represents an alternative to an armed response unit. In this case the weapon appears to have been used in revenge for a prior assault on an officer.
from BBC
Taser used in city centre arrest
A Taser stun gun was used by police in Brighton city centre when a drinker became violent as officers tried to arrest him.
A plain clothes officer suffered a broken wrist during the incident in New Road, Brighton, on Monday morning.
Sussex Police said the officer was assaulted when the drinker refused to dispose of his alcohol.
A spokeswoman said the stun gun was used when attempts to subdue him with baton strikes and pepper spray failed.
She added: "The man was then arrested for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He received stitches to a minor wound and has been transported to custody."
A second man was arrested for a public order offence.
Between July 2007 and February 2008 Tasers have been deployed 18 times and used on for occasions by Sussex Police.
Comments
Hide the following 10 comments
What would you do?
30.09.2008 12:46
Ruby
oh really?
30.09.2008 13:16
antifa
or maybe
30.09.2008 14:08
Of course, that we should be able to resist even 'clothed' policemen using coercion to assert arbitrary laws is by the by....
pbp
Stirring things up
30.09.2008 19:17
Someone is drinking quietly. The state in its infinite wisdom has decided that drinking quietly in public isn't acceptable and outlaws the practice, sends in officers (in disguise) to enforce its ban against the most vulnerable in society (the young, the homeless, those with alcohol addiction for example), and creates a confrontational situation which then becomes violent as the drinker objects to having his drink forcibly removed from him by someone who he may or may not have recognised as being a police officer.
How on earth can the state justify escalating this situation to the point where we end up with a bone fracture and someone being tasered? Surely an 'I'm going to report you for breach of whatever stupid rules we've made up' would have been adequate. Or 'I'm sorry, under our fascist regime, you aren't allowed to drink here.'
Whatever happened to police discretion? Targets, that's what (and general vindictiveness). Did I read somewhere that Sussex police aren't too popular with the public?
AA
Police get away with far too much
30.09.2008 23:05
George Coombs
It is perfectly acceptable to punch some pig who is trying to nick your brew
01.10.2008 09:16
this street drinker defended himself. Any pig trying to steal someone's brew should expect a pasting.
brewster
Totally unjustifiable
01.10.2008 20:54
Lil
Irony
02.10.2008 08:43
Many of the street drinkers there are a real pain in the arse from first hand experience and harrass passers by, people sitting down and customers of the pubs but the majority are alright and no trouble at all.
Another case of braindead thugs testing out the the latest toys they got given on human targets, and hey, who better than a bum to try it on? A bit like the kid who gets an airgun for christmas then goes round the neighbourhood taking potshots at cats to see how they react.
Canned heat
Tasered sheep
04.10.2008 15:55
Lil
One rule for the police.....
04.10.2008 17:07
Anti Policestate