Wrong side driving social media stunt

Magenta8

I find it quite disturbing that some GNs take the "Good riddance, I shan't be shedding any tears" attitude to the deaths of these young men.

We seem to be a warm hearted, sympathetic and supportive lot most of the time but it also seems that a hard nosed and callous element creeps in at times.

I won't say good riddance, but the fact that their followers are positively gloating with the balloon fiasco in the face of the deaths of the police officers. Innocent men who they took to their deaths with them, is enough to make anyone feel not only empathy towards those lives cut short taken from parents, wives and children, but anger too! There's so often a bit of ourselves who might place our own loved ones in that scenario. We are also asking why were they, these burgeoning kamikazes, without a cause other than playing to their own inflated egos, were allowed to get away with their crime ridden lives, still so young to go on to what amounts to actual murder, in something not dissimilar to suicide missions.

Emotions such as good riddance could be deemed both disturbing and understandable. How would we feel if one of those police offers were a son of ours. People can't always be expected to turn the other cheek in such scenarios especially when they, the perpetrators have inflicted an enormous amount of misery.

You should see what the rest of Middlesborough are saying, the decent people who have to live alongside these people daily know what harm they cause.

MT62

Saddest thing I saw on YouTube, was an American traffic police documentary.
Young man was pulled over for speeding. Turns out the young man had borrowed his father’s high powered sports car to take out a first date.
Cop was debating whether or not to give him a ticket, in the end he gave the lad a lecture on the dangers of speeding.
Twenty minutes later call comes over the radio, there had been a RTA- you can just see him running in a panic towards the car, T - boned under an articulated lorry.
Both occupants decapitated.
He stood & cried as he realised it was the vehicle he had pulled up earlier.
I think they should show these videos in schools.
Might put them off driving like loons.

There are films like this shown in schools in my area. Before I retired I was a learning support assisttsnt in a secondary school and I accompanied a group of 6th formers to see a production at a nearby theatre. The production was aimed at 6th formers as this is the age that young people can legally learn to drive. Unfortunately many of the irresponsible youngsters driving dangerously are younger and have not passed their driving test, or have already been disqualified!
The educational presentation was very good, and quite hard hitting but probably won't reach the audience that need to see it. Additionally the irresponsible in the community will shrug it off. The police come into schools and talk about stuff like 'sexting' and online inappropriate behaviour, pointing out that students can be prosecuted for posting sexual materials of under 18s. Many of the young boys (Year9) came out saying "That's rubbish! You can't be done for that!" I pointed out to them that they definitely could be prosecuted, but I suspect my comments fell on many deaf ears!

I can imagine Galaxy. It's too highly charged a situation to expect rationality. Who can mourn such deaths in the wider law abiding society, they did it to their selves.

Jaxjacky

Earlier this evening, flares, rockets and balloons near to the crash site set off/released by masked youths and families.
Unbelievable.

A sub culture of which we have no comprehension.

Hope that the young men who lost their lives are not feted in any way by the media! We often hear afterwards that they were “ lovely lads who were kind “ etc
Well I know better as a teacher of some who met their deaths in road accidents caused by their lack of responsibility or respect! They were nasty, selfish , untamed young men brought up to disrespect anything to do with discipline but I couldn’t voice the truth as many in Teeside would like to do !
As the daughter of a police office I know where my loyalties lie !

Angela Rayner has 'softened ' rules to allow more sites to be made available for these 'travelling' communities, by preventing local councils from blocking them.
Subculture is an accurate description.

Surely that is a good thing eazybee. Once there is a settled site the incursions on public spaces stop, and the local police can build a relationship with the local traveller site. We’ve got one, and it works well, the trouble is far less than it was when there were invasions of car parks etc.

My thoughts are regardless of race, religion, ethnicity most ordinary people want to live alongside their fellow human being in peace. If sub cultures that subvert the law are allowed to flourish and aren't robustly tackled then it creates divisions. These tearaways were anarchic, possibly due to how they were raised or sucked in by the sort of macho aimlessness of peers, that young men in particular are susceptible to, who knows! Their deaths should not be glorified. The gatherings doing so need to be banned.

TerryBull
You ask how did these burgeoning Kamikaze get away with it.
One word: cuts,
The police.
Social workers.
Youth centres.
Youth workers.
Plus the experience of many ex gang members who wanted to help and educate these kids but weren’t given money to rent premises.
Thank you George Osborne and all who came after him for the next 14 years. 🤬

Magenta8

I find it quite disturbing that some GNs take the "Good riddance, I shan't be shedding any tears" attitude to the deaths of these young men.

We seem to be a warm hearted, sympathetic and supportive lot most of the time but it also seems that a hard nosed and callous element creeps in at times.

Guilty as charged, and if that makes me 'hard-nosed or callous' then so be it. I make no apologies for not having an ounce of sympathy for these idiots (and believe me, that's not the word I want to use) or their family and followers, many of whom are openly glorying in the deaths of the two police officers on their social media accounts. I will reserve my sympathies for those two men and their friends and families.

I have personal experience of just such a settlement close by.

The poor behaviour, 'your rules are not our rules' attitude does not disappear once settled. Spasmodic attendance at school, whole terms missed for trips to India, then extra schooling funded from school budget for time missed; living in substandard accommodation when pregnant to gain social housing, then unused for large parts of the year; refusal to abide by local planning rules plus unshakeable alibis from the community when petty crimes committed. Not an asset to the neighbourhood.

petra

TerryBull
You ask how did these burgeoning Kamikaze get away with it.
One word: cuts,
The police.
Social workers.
Youth centres.
Youth workers.
Plus the experience of many ex gang members who wanted to help and educate these kids but weren’t given money to rent premises.
Thank you George Osborne and all who came after him for the next 14 years. 🤬

Spot on. After the recent case of Simon Levy, Sir Mark Rowley made a statement as the Met Police had come under fire for serious errors in handling this case and he blamed the huge cuts to policing.

I do too eazybee, and it’s a very different experience. A specific site was provided, the travellers were involved in the development of it, there are a fixed number of spaces available, which they manage, the children attend school regularly, and there is minimal trouble in the community.

TerriBull

My thoughts are regardless of race, religion, ethnicity most ordinary people want to live alongside their fellow human being in peace. If sub cultures that subvert the law are allowed to flourish and aren't robustly tackled then it creates divisions. These tearaways were anarchic, possibly due to how they were raised or sucked in by the sort of macho aimlessness of peers, that young men in particular are susceptible to, who knows! Their deaths should not be glorified. The gatherings doing so need to be banned.

I agree.

If the travelling community has descended on areas around here, as they have on several occasions, then they bring intimidation and crime with them. Public spaces become no-go areas.
The authorities seem hesitant to deal with them for fear of discrimination. The ones who arrive here are not generally the Roma community but Irish Travellers.

Their deaths were needless, their families must feel sad but they should not be glorified. I hope others might learn from them.

The deaths of the two young police officers is utterly tragic and I feel for their families.

ViceVersa

Magenta8

I find it quite disturbing that some GNs take the "Good riddance, I shan't be shedding any tears" attitude to the deaths of these young men.

We seem to be a warm hearted, sympathetic and supportive lot most of the time but it also seems that a hard nosed and callous element creeps in at times.

Guilty as charged, and if that makes me 'hard-nosed or callous' then so be it. I make no apologies for not having an ounce of sympathy for these idiots (and believe me, that's not the word I want to use) or their family and followers, many of whom are openly glorying in the deaths of the two police officers on their social media accounts. I will reserve my sympathies for those two men and their friends and families.

Good for you!

My sympathy for the bereaved families does not in any way detract from my profound sympathy for the families of the police officers, as I expressed in an earlier post. I personally would be heartbroken were I related to any of the people who lost their lives in this horrific incident.

I think most of us on here would feel the same, Magenta8 - but instead, these families and 'friends' seem to almost be revelling in the deaths of the police officers.

The pictures of 'friends and families' capering about with flares and balloons says it all.

While I think that environmentally toxic balloons and flares are an awful way to honour the dead, I can find no evidence that the families involved are "Celebrating the death of the police officers."

Admittedly I did not jump any paywalls as it seems that it is mainly the tabloids and the 'Telegraph' reporting on this.

Of course I may be missing something. Is there any concrete evidence that the bereaved families of the boys are actually rejoicing in the deaths of the officers?

Magenta8

While I think that environmentally toxic balloons and flares are an awful way to honour the dead, I can find no evidence that the families involved are "Celebrating the death of the police officers."

Admittedly I did not jump any paywalls as it seems that it is mainly the tabloids and the 'Telegraph' reporting on this.

Of course I may be missing something. Is there any concrete evidence that the bereaved families of the boys are actually rejoicing in the deaths of the officers?

I've seen posts from the families and friends on various social media sites, which are basically saying that the police brought it on themselves and deserved to die because all police are corrupt and can't be trusted. 'ACAB' - if you don't know what that means, google it - features in a number of the posts. There's more - but that sums it up.

I think "celebrating the life" of someone who caused the deaths of others is beyond disrespectful. To do so in close proximity to the incident, let of balloons, flares, fireworks. Zoom around on illegal bikes, scooters, deface buildings with RIP graffiti whilst participating in other illegal activities - drinking, drug taking and smoking weed is beyond most normal people's tolerance.

There are "open invitations" posted all over social media to these events.

If the families had any consideration for the police officers, or the wider community they would observe a low key, respectful, private gathering.

A charming phrase.
Lawlessness enshrined.
Your rules are not our rules.
So when you attempt to steal a pensioner's old car, wrecking it in the process, and are arrested and let off with a caution, you return to the house again and pour white gloss paint over the newer model bought to replace it, secure in the alibi provided by family members that you were twenty miles away. But fingerprints in the white gloss paint betrayed him.

Or white gloss paint poured through the letterbox of the shop assistant who reported another family member to the police during an organised shop lifting heft in the local shop. To be fair, he did warn her, I know where you live, but she still called the police. He was caught on CCTV and given a prison sentence, so someone else completed his revenge for him.
A loving community.

And just to add they were both, with other members of their families were given much support from Behaviour Support, Special needs support, working with Romany families Support, Social workers et al.

These people are targeting police officers forcing them to take part in high speed chases which in this case ended tragically.
Also taking them away from people with a genuine need.
Those who call the police ACAB are mostly criminals who don't want anyone to interfere in their illegal lives.

Five more arrested.