Climate protesters at Mansion House

Annie your question has raised an interesting issue. Does anyone seriously think Mark Field would have acted the wayhe did if the protestor had been male? As for those who think he "tried to redirect her" have you ever been held by the back of the neck? It is painful and very controlling. Many years ago male teachers used to use this method to remove troublesome children from classrooms. It would now be, quite rightly, considered assault.

Mark Field has been suspended pending investigation.

Had it been security or the police who had ushered this woman out, in the same fashion, nothing would have been said.

The fact it was a politician is why this has made the media in such a big way in my opinion.

The police would not have ushered her out in such a manner ug

You have to keep a sense of perspective here.

It was a protest that breached security. The protesters are known for their peaceful protest. The police know that, we know that, so absolutely no excuse for Fields behaviour.

Urmstongran I agree with your post.

What is being forgotten is the protesters gate crashed a private event full of MPs and “Captains of Industry” they were in the wrong!!!

Playing the gender card - really??? do you think they should have been offered a chair and a place laid at the table?

umstrong both the police and security are trained to diffuse situations so she would not have been held in a vice like grip around her neck after being forcible thrown against a pillar
And yes of course a politician an intelligent well educated man of 2019 should never ever act in this violent manner

goodness knows where she would have kept a gun

Perhaps in the handbag she's carrying?

In the current climate of death threats to MPs, stabbings on the streets, throwing of liquid and the possibility of substances which can maim or kill, I think we have to accept there is high tension and MPs will be on full alert, probably having had advice from the police.

The woman was carrying what we now know were papers, but it will just seem like a large white package in the blurr of the moment. There was also a handbag.

She appears to have got closest to the top table with nobody pursuing her and - if she had sprayed acid or even splashed a milkshake - everybody would be saying: "Why didn't somebody stop her?"

In the confusion and noise at the bottom of the room it is quite possible people at that end didn't hear them "announce who they were" but what they will have realised is that there was nobody in security nearby and she was carrying something. In a room full of MPs and industry chiefs.

She was, indeed, grinning, during the tough removal.

I think he was hustling her away from the guests as quickly as he could, while trying to ensure she couldn't do anything with the two objects she held.

If my son or daughter had been sitting at that table, I'd have been glad somebody removed the unknown level of "threat" first and asked the question later.

Was she carrying a handbag? See the Esther McVey video to see how it should be done.

Sorry, just rechecked, she was carrying a bag.

Unlike the police a politician is not trained to handle perceived threats.

Who recalls John Prescott raising his fists to a man in a crowd .

Now we have , a bullying man attacks a defenceless woman

For what it’s worth I think that Mark Field should be patted on the back for acting so quickly. Who knows what this idiot was capable of doing or was about to do ? It beggars belief that anyone could turn the tables and paint him as the wrong doer .

Correct, Urmstongran, had it been the police who did the manhandling the whole of the public would have been up in arms.

Where was security! What were they being paid for?How did they get in to Mansion House in the first place?
Serious questions need to be answered that a whole group could barge in, unbelievable.
What we also need to ask ourselves, is would we feel the same if Mark Field had grabbed a male intruder who was shouting and heading for the top table?
People were sitting bemused and waiting for security to intervene..... but none materialised.
Always uncomfortable viewing to see a woman grabbed and marched away.....but should it be?Are we falling into stereotyping, as in ‘weak fairer sex’ etc?
An MP was hurt not all that long ago by a female in his constituency.

Of course Labour will be making a big thing out of this now !
Forgetting that John Prescott threw a punch at a bystander.

The woman/women involved would not have gone until they'd had their say anyway, as she, at first, clearly resisted.

Apparently her husband has said she is "planning to take down the government, one Tory at a time". Just how does she intend to "take down" an MP? Could that not be classed as a threat

Someone asked earlier if those supporting her would still do so if she had been a Brexit supporter interrupting a union event - I notice no-one answered that question

Would the incident constitute Citizens Arrest? How much force is allowed in that?

She made so attempt to stop when he challenged her and actually tried to push past him when he grabbed her. She was quite brazen in her attempt to get to the top table. Well done Mark Field. Serious questions to be asked as to how so many people got passed security. It would be very different had it been someone carrying acid, a gun or a knife.

Mark Field was heavy-handed, at least initially though less so as he pushed her towards the door. If he'd had time to think maybe he'd have been less physical.

But.... even though the protestors have a point and are entitled to it, she shouldn't have been in the room and constituted a security breach. She had to expect some sort of 'firm ejection'.

Very heavy handed - bashing her head against a wall and pushing her by the neck. Totally OTT. He wouldn't have done this to a man. She had a sleeveless dress, no milkshake or any weapon. Was there any security?

Politicians from all parties are dealing with a hostile, dangerous working environment due to the acceptance of appalling behaviour from the public/activists/keyboard warriors .

Because the activist was a woman is certainly no reason for thinking the possibility of harm was lessened!

Instinct kicks in to some people who are prepared to stop any possibility of harm being carried out , as we witness so often , and I think Mark Field was one who was prepared to act on instinct for the possible safety of others as she was so close to the Chancellor and the Top Table .

Nobody knew what was in her handbag, nobody knew what action she was prepared to take, her speedy movement and closeness to the Top Table happened in seconds and she put herself into a position where somebody should have stopped her.

The comments I have heard, read that state he ' Threw her against a pillar ' are not contextualising the fact there was a pillar immediately to her side and in such a limited space inevitably she would make contact with it.

I think Mark Field acted accordingly given the split second position he was put in by the female activist and has been pointed out when Nicholas Withchell sat on a protester at the BBC or John Prescott punched a man they were praised for their action.

The fact is there was a clear lack of security and that too put Mark Field in a position where either he sat there and did bugger all or he acted on the spur of the moment.

suzied in the full version of the video the security can be seen dealing with the other protesters.

She had items in both hands and a handbag, split second decision on behalf of Frank Field.

The man was damned if he did and damned if he didn't against a hard-nosed, hard-faced woman. She was no shrinking violet for all her " soft " tone. A lout in sheeps clothing.

Are you really gorgeous EV?

Hero or Hooligan ...? He's a Hero in my book! That woman could have blown the whole place up! Mark Field was acting on his gut reaction. (And very bravely too!) We have to remember that he had only a split-second to think about it.

Yes, on film his actions do look very aggresive, but if you look closer, I doubt that she was even bruised. Had she been a terrorist I don't think anyone would be blaming him for his swift response to the situation.

There is no way this MP should be suspended!