I remember that well.
Those were very troubled times, and we are well out of them now.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Thu 1 Apr 2010, 13:05, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

hell yes
But the police tend to have long memories, and take death in service very very seriously sometimes they go too far the other way, but in the same way an ordinary protester shouldn't have to die in a protest due to over-reaction, neither should a police office be basically slaughtered on the spot for simply trying to keep the peace
(Halfy By light alone, Thu 1 Apr 2010, 13:09, Reply)

I think everyone takes death pretty seriously
the death of a protester, such as Blair Peach, is going pretty far too, not to mention the death of someone who wasn't even a protester, that being Ian Tomlinson.

I think you're wrong if you're suggesting that the riot police these days use that case as the reason why they act the way they do, they act the way they do because they can get away with it as they know they will never be disciplined no matter what they do, and their commanders are equally complicit.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 1 Apr 2010, 13:14, Reply)

All correct,
the problems occur when the systems break down.

Your average plod doing his duty, unthreatend, will not overreact, and the average Joe on the street is happy with a bobby walking the beat.
( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Thu 1 Apr 2010, 13:15, Reply)