Can we discuss public order again after G20 in April? Another Climate Camp is planned to coincide with the Notting Hill carnival in London. It would appear there is unlikely to be a repeat of April after a review of police tactics, instead it looks like we're going to have a "love in".
After the Summer of Rage failed to materialise we're having community policing at this one, as suggested by Stressed after the April gig. They must be warning the dancing policemen for duty as I write.
Of course police resources are required to police that massive street event elsewhere, so why tie them up unnecessarily on some eco camp. One hopes that the participants enter into the spirit of co-operation and minimise their disruption to local people.
Nobody knows where the camp is to be located, but no doubt it will be close to Notting Hill so some happy campers don't have too far to wander back to their tents to carry on partying. Will the police prevent entry to a site when everybody converges on it? I doubt it very much. I suppose half of the campers will be reporters from the press anyway.
Can't wait for the spinning on this one with both sides trying to out do each other. Personally I wouldn't even police it, bar for the photo opportunity. It's a climate camp but there must be protest action planned for elsewhere. I'd cover that with mobiles as and when it pops up. Most troublemakers will be at the Hill anyway.
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My solution would be to have a nice big field somewhere that is designated for carnivals, protests etc.. As long as your event stays within the boundary you can do what you like.
I am into freedom of speech, but I am not particularly into one set of people buggering up an entire part of town where other people might want to go about their normal business.
Just occurred to me after writing the above that some German cities have a kind of public "ground" on their outskirts for various events like beerfests etc.. Maybe we could copy that idea?
I think in their planning they were thinking of renting land for climate camp so more people would pop along and not be hemmed in by old bill - (all change after g20) however that is seen as giving in to authority.
After all they are protesting so must make a point by seizing land that is unused.
Oh yes, property is theft! Forgot that.
What exactly do you have against the democratic right to protest?
Can you not see that limiting protest to a designated area as you seem to be suggesting is quite against the ethos of a free democracy? You know, that thing that the terrorists are trying to destroy?
And as someone that has lived in Notting Hill, may I just say that the greatest disruption to going about my business during carnival always seemed to be the police and their various road closures. I appreciate the purpose of these road closures, but the police attitude at the barriers always left a lot to be desired. Rudeness, arrogance, total lack of respect for the residents. Maybe it's changed these days, but I doubt it. Good manners cost nothing.
Because there is a difference between protest and deliberately causing a nuisance.
I have nothing against the carnival itself but lots of people use it as an excuse to run wild. I have nothing against freedom of speech and protest but lots of people use it as an excuse to smash things up.
Dandelion
Protests, Nothing ... within reason
and Notting Hill carnival .. went once, it was OK .. but left before the two murders. Local police were lovely
Blue Eyes
Apologies for setting the troll off on yours
Ha he has been having a go at me for ages, he thinks it clever to go around leaving comments on other people's sites to the effect of "you are thick". How very big of him.
There is only one solution to trespassers, and that is to lock the door!
Dandelion - don't you mean "And as someone WHO lived" etc.
And after the same stupid question asked a thousand times by local residents, good manners cost a multi-rollover Lotto win. It's not as if the carnival is unexpected, is it?
Fool.
R/T - whatever. And as for the same stupid question "please may I have access to my home?", your attitude sucks.
The police are people who have *chosen* to be in the police, remember, and Carnival should be no surprise to them. Call me naive, but police rudeness and obfuscation in this context *is* a surprise to me. If you can't be polite to people out of your own good manners, you should at least be polite in the name of the police force you represent. RT you give the police a bad name. Your attitude sucks.
Blue Eyes - and who is the arbiter of what counts as "deliberately causing a nuisance", I wonder? You?
Hey dude, hope you are well.
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