"They got a good kicking" - police bloggers boast

Deborah Hobson   - The-Latest - EXCLUSIVE

Police who were on duty during the G20 protests in London on April 1 have been scathing in their blogs   about campaigners on the day, with one vicious London officer   referring to protesters   as "the unwashed getting a good kicking".

These crass comments come in the wake of the tragic death of Ian Tomlinson who suffered a heart attack shortly after being violently man-handled by police near the scene of demonstrations as revealed by shocking video footage obtained by the Guardian newspaper and reported on The-Latest.

Under his blogging name Disgruntled a serving officer wants readers to note that his blog has been "officially declared' as not representing force policy, not being very nice to senior officers and being an honest account of a copper at the sharp end". Writing about events at the G20 day of protests under the heading "G20 and all that..." on Thursday, April 2, he said of protesters that they were: "the unwashed getting a good kicking".
  
"I'll admit I had a small part to play in the G20... minimal, undramatic (well I thought I was undramatic) and pretty mind and bum numbing. Still the overtime was welcome and I look forward to a fat pay cheque in the near future.

My thoughts on the protests in London are pretty minimal as well. The same sort of faces squaring off against PSU officers leading to the unwashed getting a good kicking. The unwashed, and no doubt twig munching non-tax paying "I live in a mud hut" types, declare the police as being brutal but all the while think it's fine to smash the front of a bank in as it represents "the powers that be".

Their form of protest is either creating some form of crusty 'music festival' in the road and wearing joker hats or smashing the shit out of something whilst disguising themselves and complaining about being stopped.

Now why doesn't anyone take this form of protest seriously?... Hmmm.. I wonder.

As ever - same old, same old.

The high profile Policeman's Blog, which says it is "written by and accepts submissions from serving and former police officers and concerned MOPs (members of the public)", features the video clip of Ian Tomlinson and invites people to comment freely. It has so far attracted a number of heated opinions from officers and angry members of the public.

Stressed Out Cop describes itself as a "police blog giving insight to UK policing today" and states that "any content does NOT represent the official view of any UK police force - they wouldn't tell you the truth". In the blog profile the writer says:

"I am a serving police officer in a large metropolis. Prior to that I was in the army and painted things green, before leaving as world peace had broken out. Shows you how wrong I was. You would be shocked at the amount of officers I've referred to Occupational Health Services. Is it something to do with the endless dictaks imposed on us? All I know is, if you're stressed you impose stress on others, it's a vicious circle and will take its toll eventually. Anyway it's good to talk - AND as I'm "mad" I can always claim wibble (?) if they come for me for writing this blog. This is just online therapy for me and my own personal ramblings, in what appears an insane world, devoid of common sense. No naughty swear words please."

In his entry dated Tuesday,   April 7 2009 and titled "Anyone Of Us" he remarks:

"I've only just seen this video about G20 and Ian Tomlinson. I was in a similar situation a few weeks back when asked to move a hostile crowd back after a huge kick off outside a night club. At one point my stick was out as the crowd came forwards. In the end I ended up walking some lads away with my arm around their shoulders. It's a tough call - We are personally accountable for any force we use, and in the finest traditions that means writing it up. That includes just getting your stick out, not just using it. I'm definitely mellowing out with age and experience, but I will still meet you head on if the need arises, with what I deem to be reasonable force.

Don't want to write anything else. That could have been me there in days gone by. In fact it could be me tomorrow, who knows. I was thinking of applying to be level 2 trained again because the doctor said I could, but now I'm not too sure. I think I know what's coming. You now understand why I preach Peace and Love, not a bad mantra to keep to. Sometimes this is a shit job.

Policeman blogger Area Trace No Search says: "I'm a response team PC working in the South of England. Alternatively I'm a "faceless front of an oppressive global dominion." You choose. This is my personal blog and is in no way endorsed by or even agreed with by any organisation or person apart from myself."

Area Trace No Search posted these comments on his blog about policing at the G20 demo's on Tuesday April 7 titled

"Whose? Our Street!":

"All this amongst our struggles with the militants. It's not my place as a street monkey to say this, but I will anyway. I think that actually our tactics were sound, and most if not all of us did a bloody good job. I also think that the majority of genuine protesters were at the very most only an annoyance, and frequently friendly, intelligent and often entertaining.

Equally, the small minority that were determined to use force and attack everyone that stood in their way were shameful. They were the reason that the genuine protesters were held back and shepherded about, they were the reason that negative press was given, they were the reason for injuries on both sides, and they were yet another nail in the coffin for legitimate, lawful, peaceful protest.

As a very small example, I spent some time in the impromptu climate camp in the city of   London. Despite my appearance in body armour, public order flame proof overalls and assorted kit, I had a good time. I chatted to lots of the people there, and agreed with many points of view. I didn't see criminality there to the extent that I had to take action, and was treated with respect. I was even told a few times that the protesters there were impressed with the Police action.

Some were surprised to learn that actually, coppers were also human and also that some of us weren't too impressed with the idea of our pensions, tax, savings and future earnings being pissed away by the people that were supposed to know how the economy worked.

When the decision was taken to close the climate camp - after over twelve hours - the vast majority left willingly and peacefully. It was (yet again) a small minority that prompted ugly scenes, and left a bad taste.

I was at the front line and saw officers injured, and despicable acts of violence.

But the violent lot were not the 'real' protestors, they were just rent-a-thug mobs. In my opinion, they did almost as much damage to the movements they professed to support as they did to the lines of Police that they attacked."