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Trenton Oldfield, the boat race disruptor

(40 Posts)
Bags Mon 24-Jun-13 08:55:05

Trenton Oldfield has been told to leave Britain apparently. He says it is a 'political' decision.

Ans his swimming into the middle of the Boat Race wasn't political? Do as you would be done by, mate.

absent Tue 25-Jun-13 20:01:15

That stretch of river is extremely dangerous (cross currents); people have drowned. Maybe they should have let him do so too. I agree that we have too many home grown clots to want one of Australia's as well.

Bags Tue 25-Jun-13 17:47:11

What other cases?

Movedalot Tue 25-Jun-13 16:31:46

It just doesn't seem consistent with other cases though

JessM Tue 25-Jun-13 16:17:00

I know you know what a metaphor is jo.
I wouldn't expect to be able to go to another country, have a one woman protest about something that disrupted one of their national traditional events and not be asked to leave. Would not expect to be welcome there ever again. Would you?
A visa is not a right - it is at the discretion of the host country.

j08 Mon 24-Jun-13 18:41:52

Did she? Passed me by.

I'm not trivializing this case. Just some of the recent posts.

Bags Mon 24-Jun-13 18:30:47

Do stop trivialising, jings! jess used a figure of speech.

j08 Mon 24-Jun-13 18:18:55

Guests of our government? confused Did they put him up at No 10?

JessM Mon 24-Jun-13 18:15:01

Meant to put a comma after the no. as in: No, persona non grata.

JessM Mon 24-Jun-13 18:14:28

I guess if people are guests of our government and they break the law, then it is not unreasonable to terminate their welcome once they have served their sentence. If a guest came to your house and committed an offence under your roof would you want them to come to stay again, the minute they got out of prison? No persona non grata.

j08 Mon 24-Jun-13 17:44:48

I know. smile

Bags Mon 24-Jun-13 17:36:01

Think what you like. You will anyway smile

j08 Mon 24-Jun-13 17:33:54

grin

#floundering

Bags Mon 24-Jun-13 17:33:23

Who's guessing his appeal will succeed anyway? It might be just a warning to other potential troublemakers.

Bags Mon 24-Jun-13 17:30:53

He 'hurt' a national event. If one of the boat hulls had hit him, he might have been killed. The boat might have been holed and the rowers put in danger. The speed those boats go is phenomenal, given that they are only powered by human muscle. Just look at some footage and see the wake of the motor boats following.

Seems there is a new agreement to try and get rid of Abu Qatada.

Eloethan Mon 24-Jun-13 17:26:59

I think it's absolutely disgusting that this man is effectively being deported for his actions. No doubt some would view what he did as dangerous and irresponsible but it was an act of protest that, whilst inconvenient and annoying to participants and spectators, didn't endanger anybody but himself.

I view such a decision as vindictive, and suggestive of the sort of elitism that he was highlighting.

Movedalot Mon 24-Jun-13 17:24:37

Ella I agree, I think there have been much worse people allowed to stay here. I agree he is a prat and that what he did was wrong but he didn't actually hurt anyone did he? Is there more to this than meets the eye?

Bags Mon 24-Jun-13 17:08:32

I guess we trust Australia not to abuse his human rights. That isn't the case with all countries.

Ella46 Mon 24-Jun-13 16:06:11

What a pity they don't send others who cause trouble/protest, back to their own countries as quickly.

Bags Mon 24-Jun-13 13:48:32

Well, if he isn't British, I suppose it's not totally unreasonable to tell him to go and make a nuisance of himself in his own country instead. Why should we have to deal with him? We have enough nitwits of our own.

#devil's advocate view

j08 Mon 24-Jun-13 13:35:06

Yes. Doesn't seem to have much of a 'cause' in this instance.

But does it warrant shipping him out of the country?!

Bags Mon 24-Jun-13 13:27:05

Just enjoys making a nuisance of himself, then. That figures. The idiot.

j08 Mon 24-Jun-13 12:18:24

Re the hand grip, perhaps they weren't feeling very enthusiastic. shock

j08 Mon 24-Jun-13 12:15:35

From what I' 've briefly (as always) read about him, he's a full-time protestor - writes and publishes books. Harmless enough.

soop Mon 24-Jun-13 11:53:06

Any flapjacks going begging, Bags? I think I've withdrawal symptoms coming on. grin

annodomini Mon 24-Jun-13 11:44:11

An idiot, and we have plenty of home-grown ones. However, his wife is British and his child will be also. He has served his time and that should be the end of it.