Chavvy scum attack London Police

[CaptainChewbacca]

Ye Olde Link

Mob attacks officers over litter

Two police officers were attacked by a mob in south London after they asked a 15-year-old girl to pick up her litter.

One officer was dragged to the ground and kicked while the other was bitten by a girl who jumped on his back.

Up to 30 people took part in the attack, which happened in North End, Croydon, on Wednesday afternoon.

Trouble flared when the 15-year-old threw her food wrapper back on to the ground and became aggressive. The two officers are currently on sick leave.

One eyewitness said he saw two police officers struggling with a girl before a group of youths joined in and began pushing and shoving the officers.

Lawen Karim, 19, said: "The girl got violent, her friends got really violent.

"The police - there were only two of them - they were really outnumbered and all these yobs were just pushing them out of the way.

"I didn't see any punch being thrown but it was disgusting the way they treated the police."

A girl who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault has been released on bail.

CCTV footage

Two men, aged 34 and 38 and both from South Norwood, south London, have been arrested on suspicion of assault and violent disorder.

Police said the girl initially picked up the fast food wrapper when asked by the patrolling officers, but immediately dropped it again sparking the confrontation.

Both officers, aged 34 and 29, suffered bruising and knee injuries and the officer who received the bite wound required hospital treatment.

Police have been examining CCTV footage from the area.

Insp Simon Ellingham said: "We have heard from several retailers in the area who were horrified at the level of violence used by the crowd against the officers."

Seriously, what the hell? Who thinks 'Nah, I don't want to pick up trash, so I'll attack a policeman instead' ?

Idiots, that's who.

[El Moose Monstero]

I know it's a big, ever increasing place and these things are happening in the rough areas rather than around Nelson's column but we're on something like the 6th fatal stabbing in a week and a half in London now? London sounds like hell these days, although a certain amount of hype and south-eastern centricness is to be expected in media reporting.

[Zac Naloen]

I read somewhere that there aren't actually more stabbings/assaults than usual.

The media has just found it's band wagon for this year. Disgruntled youth.

[Zac Naloen]

Ghetto edit

*http://www.met.police.uk/crimestatistics/index.htm#2007

MET crime statistics certainly seem to be back that opinion as well.

They don't define stabbing as a crime in it's own right on there but assaults/GBH in total are down when you compare may 2007 to may 2008.

Of course there's the old argument of "what about unreported crimes, but it's pretty difficult for a crime like a stabbing to go unreported.

[Darth Tanner]

"Pick up that can citizen"

But seriously, statistically crime has fallen constantly since the police force was introduced whilst conversely the amount of crime reported in the media has increased at the same rate. Civilization must be at risk after all to sell papers.

Disgruntled youth.

The people the police actually arrested were 29 and 30 so although a 15 year old girl is identified as biting one of the police it was the oldies causing the real damage. I wonder however how many of the 'children' involved come from teenage parents.

Good to know the CCTV coverage was so useful for sending reinforcements to the police confronting a large crowd though.

[Zac Naloen]

The people the police actually arrested were 29 and 30 so although a 15 year old girl is identified as biting one of the police it was the oldies causing the real damage.

True, but notice how the article focuses on the teenager, makes you think the violent assailants were teenagers and then slips in at the end that they were late twenties/early thirties.

[loomer]

I can't wait for the shitstorm that will ensue later this year. I hope they start raiding tower blocks. Also, that girl has started Britain's first zombie plague.

[Stargate Nerd]

I wonder how many people would have been shot had this been tried in the US.

[Glocksman]

I wonder how many people would have been shot had this been tried in the US.

Death from the Sea could probably give a more informed answer since he is a serving police officer, but my guess would either be 'none' or 'a lot' depending upon the the policies the particular PD has in force.

Legally speaking, the sheer disparity in numbers can justify the use of deadly force once they start attacking you, though some jurisdictions require you to retreat and only use deadly force when you can retreat no more.
Others permit you to 'stand your ground' if you have a lawful reason to be where you're at and resist.
Note that the above apply only to civilians, obviously police have no duty to retreat before using deadly force in defense.

There is no black or white answer to the question even here in the US, though going by the situation as described I'd guess that lethal force wasn't justified.

However, that wouldn't prevent the cops from using both pepper spray or tasers and their radios to call for backup to help deal with the unruly crowd.

[Punarbhava]

However, that wouldn't prevent the cops from using both pepper spray or tasers and their radios to call for backup to help deal with the unruly crowd.

Isn't pepper spray banned in Britain for some reason?

[Glocksman]

However, that wouldn't prevent the cops from using both pepper spray or tasers and their radios to call for backup to help deal with the unruly crowd.

Isn't pepper spray banned in Britain for some reason?

I have no idea.
However, the question concerned US police, and as far as I know, most US police departments issue some kind of incapacitating spray or taser along with a sidearm.

[Darth Tanner]

Isn't pepper spray banned in Britain for some reason?

Yes, seeing as its an easily concealed weapon.

In the United Kingdom, "Any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing" is classed as a section 5 firearm (Firearms Act 1968). The same act covers other prohibited weapons such as automatic firearms and rocket launchers, all of which can only be possessed by permission of the Home Secretary. Although legal for police officers, recent debates have arisen whether such a weapon should be legal for civilians as means of defensive purposes only. At present a number of legal alternative dye sprays are sold in the UK which have the effect of temporarily blinding the attacker but do not constitute noxious substances and so do not contravene this act.

I wonder how many people would have been shot had this been tried in the US.

You mean how many police officers would have been shot? Say one thing for inbred British mobs, their not usually armed.

[Starglider]

However, that wouldn't prevent the cops from using both pepper spray or tasers and their radios to call for backup to help deal with the unruly crowd.

Isn't pepper spray banned in Britain for some reason?

For civillians yes, but some police forces issue it. It still isn't very popular even with the police.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Yeah, pepper spray is rather tame compared to being hit upside the head by one of those telescoping batons I've always wanted. Failing that, Tasers are being used by some forces and you always have CO19 to call on if you suddenly do encounter a horde of zombie chav teens.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

I wonder how many people would have been shot had this been tried in the US.

You mean how many police officers would have been shot? Say one thing for inbred British mobs, their not usually armed.

No, how many of the mob.

[Big Orange]

Violent force would likely be used if armed police were cut off and I doubt a big mob of inner city desperate people would attack US police like this (unless law and order had already broken down, like in Katrina or the LA riots). Having one's knee caps shotgunned off or being electrocuted would be a deterrent for most people in the US if they contemplated anything like what happened in South London.

[Kodiak]

I wonder how many people would have been shot had this been tried in the US.

You mean how many police officers would have been shot? Say one thing for inbred British mobs, their not usually armed.

No, how many of the mob.

Sounds like a reenactment of the Boston Massacre.

[Glocksman]

Yeah, pepper spray is rather tame compared to being hit upside the head by one of those telescoping batons I've always wanted. Failing that, Tasers are being used by some forces and you always have CO19 to call on if you suddenly do encounter a horde of zombie chav teens.

I'm not enough of a B5 fan to know, but a cosh and Ambassador Kosh's name are close enough for me to wonder if JMK did it on purpose.