Islamaphobia is getting out of control

Small state policing? Disinvestment in public services has resulted in a very depleted police force. You can’t have it both ways.

MaizieD

Callistemon21

GrannyGravy13

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I think Sunak's words might have more effect if he did something to eliminate blatant racism in his MPs.

He totally ignore Islamophobia in his party, just as the Tories have done for years - whitewash after whitewash. So thereby managing to make the situation worse with one thoughtless polemic.

I'll stick to the wilds of Wales. those of us that live in London don't have that choice. We just have to accept parts of our city are unavailable to us week after week.

They hadn’t gone woke then.

Police Forces had no problem with the Miners Strike, they thumped and battered

PC gone mad GG. They’re afraid of accusations of racism.

SeaWoozle

GrannyGravy13

I don't disagree. More needs to be done.

BUT WHAT?

Sh00t people? Shove them off the bridge? Use tear gas, rubber bu11ets? Use riot police to potentially turn the entire thing into absolute carnage? Stop altogether people's freedom/right to peacefully protest? MI5 being involved to catch the wrong'uns before they appear? Block off/prevent entry to entire stretches/parts of London, especially bridges?

So many people here just screeching into the wind without coming up with thoughts on solutions.

Yes, the Met needs to do something but what that is, I have NO idea.

Yes, we should have the freedom to travel to London and be safe, but if it's considered so dangerous, then why would you want to, with or without the presence of the police?

I'll stick to the wilds of Wales.

I find it puzzling that the Met can kettle far right right protesters on their way to the cenotaph, but tippy-toe round pro Palestinian supporters?

When Tony Robinson and his supporters were arrested before Remembrance Sunday, where were the worries about the Met causing a riot ?

I know that the U.K. police police by consent but surely it is giving the wrong message that pro-Palestinian marchers can go wherever they want and cause disruption in our capital city…

I dont even know what I feel about prosecutions for words, it's not my favourite thing in the world.

The Met, like every other force in the UK, police by consent. Policing huge demonstrations takes real skill. Feelings are running high. I wouldn’t want a riot triggered if that can be avoided.
I’m pleased that it’s now arrest-able if an individual refuses to remove face coverings. I’d like to see the people responsible for reflecting anti semitic statements onto HoP. I wish the marchers would stop chanting from the river. They know it’s offensive and I wish prosecutions could result though self discipline would be better

GrannyGravy13

I don't disagree. More needs to be done.

BUT WHAT?

Sh00t people? Shove them off the bridge? Use tear gas, rubber bu11ets? Use riot police to potentially turn the entire thing into absolute carnage? Stop altogether people's freedom/right to peacefully protest? MI5 being involved to catch the wrong'uns before they appear? Block off/prevent entry to entire stretches/parts of London, especially bridges?

So many people here just screeching into the wind without coming up with thoughts on solutions.

Yes, the Met needs to do something but what that is, I have NO idea.

Yes, we should have the freedom to travel to London and be safe, but if it's considered so dangerous, then why would you want to, with or without the presence of the police?

I'll stick to the wilds of Wales.

The Met is not paid to stand by and watch.

It's not the Met's job to start riots, either.

Which I think would be the consequence if they waded into a crowd of hyped up and volatile people and started trying to arrest some of them.
While they are contained within their march, however much one might disapprove of their language and dress, they are not fighting the police or wreaking mayhem in the surrounding area.

Callistemon21

GrannyGravy13

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I think Sunak's words might have more effect if he did something to eliminate blatant racism in his MPs.

SeaWoozle

GrannyGravy13

If you were faced with a gang of folk with flares, what would you do?

Our police are largely unarmed. They'd be unwise to start firing into crowds. Or maybe we need people like the french CRS who are awful humans who use massive strong arm tactics, even at the slightest hint of protest or violence.

I've stood between a group of refugees and a gang of CRS because a refugee got upset over some rice. It was terrifying but necessary otherwise they were going to start firing CS gas at innocent people. In my best French I told the CRS everything was OK and they could leave.

I don't know what the answer is but that's not what I'd want....

It is The Mets job to keep law and order on London streets.

The Met is not paid to stand by and watch.

I am not impressed nor happy that parts of London have become no go areas on a Saturday.

As I said, I felt very afraid when we went to London for three days with the children, in particular because of my grandson’s anxiety. But rightly his mother doesn’t want to keep him wrapped in cotton wool and so he does all that the other two do. He was very anxious when we first arrived in London and pulled his hood up over his head, and looked at the ground. He is a rather small ten year old (actually was nine then.) Thankfully all pro Palestine marches were taking place at weekends then and so we only came across a small Trans Rights demonstration outside Downing Street. They were not at all threatening, the children barely noticed them. To be honest the marches taking place every Saturday look very frightening, and all the people certainly don’t appear to be Muslims. Those who are not apparently Muslim are very vociferous and unpleasant. I saw the march yesterday on television and they were allowed to completely block Tower Bridge and were setting off flares and shouting slogans. Very intimidating for anyone trying to walk across the bridge, well actually I don’t think anyone could walk across the bridge.
No wonder people keep out of London at weekends.
If we’d seen this when in London with my grandchildren, my grandson would have been terrified. I think it’s gone on more than long enough and no one should have to avoid going into London at weekends because they are afraid or their child would be terrified.

GrannyGravy13

If you were faced with a gang of folk with flares, what would you do?

Our police are largely unarmed. They'd be unwise to start firing into crowds. Or maybe we need people like the french CRS who are awful humans who use massive strong arm tactics, even at the slightest hint of protest or violence.

I've stood between a group of refugees and a gang of CRS because a refugee got upset over some rice. It was terrifying but necessary otherwise they were going to start firing CS gas at innocent people. In my best French I told the CRS everything was OK and they could leave.

I don't know what the answer is but that's not what I'd want....

Urmstongran

Pro-Palestinian campaigners demonstrating on Tower Bridge, in London, blocked traffic and set off flares on Saturday evening.

Unacceptable.

I think The Met are worried about being seen as racist so they stand by and watch…

SeaWoozle I was working close to the Tower of London on 17/07/1974 when the IRA blew up one of the towers.

We have a young friend who was on the tube when the bomb went off, she didn’t want to be plastered all over the front pages of newspapers the next morning.

London has always had its moments

Saw the London Bridge demo, why is it allowed, understandable these demonstrations cause fear

GrannyGravy13

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Folk are allowed to be scared, cautious and fearful. There is a lot going on right now which rightly makes people feel this way and I also believe that we shouldn't necessarily invalidate those fears. By the very nature of this forum, many people here, I'm guessing, are older than myself and have lived through eras which have been troublesome or difficult. I was living in London at the time of the IRA bombings and heard one of them going off. A friend of mine had a "friend" who we were certain had something to do with it, but he'd long disappeared. I was in the TA and had to drive different routes, always check my car, be on the lookout.
I was young and just saw it as an inconvenience. But when I think about it now, it does scare me to.think.what could have happened.
But while we should be cautious and keep our wits about us, we have to try to remain rational. It's this irrational fear of the unknown which is fuelling this anger and mistrust. It's what the media wants and people are playing into their hands. There will ALWAYS be people from all sides of the human race who are trying to cause division, upset and chaos for those around them. It is up to us to vote for the people we trust to help keep us safe (hard at the moment, I appreciate!) and try to keep a level head and realise that not everyone is out to get us.

Pro-Palestinian campaigners demonstrating on Tower Bridge, in London, blocked traffic and set off flares on Saturday evening.

Unacceptable.

Incidentally I don't feel afraid in London. I felt more afraid in the days of the IRA. (A justified fear, seeing as Ross McWhirter was shot dead on his doorstep next door but one to my childhood home).
But I do think the police need to exercise control better.

So, doesn't this bring us back to the title of the thread? Islamophobia.
It's not always easy to put a finger on people's fears, but I always thought a phobia is connected to something specific, (like spiders). What that then suggests to me, is that this somewhat excessive fear is linked to something very real, as manifested in the actual threatening uprisings on the streets. The situation causes you to be scared, which translates into Islamo*phobia*.
You can quote all the statistics and articles in the world, but you can't measure people's feelings when they feel threatened or scared.

The alternative? peaceful marches without face coverings