Sam Winchester

No, not that kind. The opposite, in fact.

This is an excerpt from an English newspaper:

Teenagers attack police officers who asked girl to pick up litter

Pair kicked to the ground in front of shoppers


Two police officers who asked a teenager to pick up some litter she had dropped were attacked by a mob in a suburban high street and punched, kicked, slapped and bitten.


Witnesses said that the two male officers had to use batons to fight off about 30 teenagers who had kicked them to the ground. But two men then joined the attack, one of whom punched an officer in the face, as they shouted insults at the officers.


The extraordinary scene took place in the middle of the afternoon in a high street in Croydon, South London. Local shopkeepers said that the area was plagued by youths and gangs fighting and causing trouble.


The teenager picked up the fast-food wrapper when she was asked – but immediately dropped it on the ground again, the Metropolitan Police said. As the girl and a friend became aggressive towards the officers, a crowd of youths began to grow outside Woolworth’s.


Laven Karim, 19, who works at a nearby shoe shop, said: “All of a sudden, punches were thrown and all the yobs got involved. The girls were biting and kicking. It was disgusting.”


Witnesses said that the crowd kicked the officers on the ground, and the police responded with batons.


At this point, bystanders joined the attack, telling the officers that they “should not attack little girls”.


Then, “one of these older men punched an officer in the face and knocked him to the ground”, said Adeel Ramjaun, 21, an optician. “The crowd had made a semicircle around the officers. It looked like a gladiatorial ring. They were shouting and swearing at the officer. I was gobsmacked. How often do you see a police officer being punched in the face?”


Witnesses also claimed that at one point police used pepper spray on one of the girls.


Police confirmed yesterday that a 15-year-old girl had been arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault, and had been bailed pending further inquiries.



Two men aged 34 and 38, both from South Norwood, were also arrested on suspicion of assault and violent disorder. Police have appealed to the public to assist their inquiries, and detectives were examining closed-circuit television footage.


The two officers, aged 34 and 29, are on sick leave suffering from bruising and knee injuries. The 34-year-old officer required hospital treatment for a bite wound.


Speaking on BBC London Radio yesterday, he said that he had feared for his life and called for urgent assistance as the violence broke out.


He said: “She just threw litter on the floor and we asked if she could pick that up. As we walked away, she threw it at us. Then we went back to talk to her. You don’t arrest these people for such a minor offence; it is a complete waste of time.


“It is just amazing and it depresses you, the state of children today – the disrespect, not only for people who might not be in the police but anyone who is older.”


Yesterday there was minimal police presence in the pedestrianised high street. Groups of teenagers in school uniform could be seen walking up and down at various points throughout the day, despite it being a school day.


Local people claimed that the area was plagued by gangs and that young people could identify which gang a youth was in by the colours they wore and the style of their trainers. Retailers said that they often faced trouble from youths milling around outside shops after school and fighting.


Handrit Kukaj, 21, who works in Aldo clothes store in the high street, said: “We get loads of trouble here, especially on Thursdays, when there is late-night shopping. The main problem is the fighting between the different schools.”



Reza Joody, 36, who runs a local shoe shop, said: “The kids do whatever they want around here, stealing and shoplifting. They come in the shop and damage and scratch the shoes. What can we say to them? They’re kids.”






I don't like cops all that much - mostly from bad experiences - but isn't that a little extreme?

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lin

They might as well resign. If UK squadrooms are like US ones they'll never be able to face their fellow officers again after getting asses kicked by kids.

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HarryG

I've noticed the lack of respect back in the UK, where a police uniform means nothing to young people. I've also noticed the police response in recent times, they patrol in large groups in the town centres, with the invariable custody (Christ, I nearly used another word) wagon in attendance, and use batons, handcuffs and sprays at the slightest hint of trouble.


You can almost blame both sides for the trouble, and if you add alcohol and drugs to the equation, as you must, then I can't see an end to the chaos.


South Croydon has always been a bit of a shithole, too.

Olly Buckle

They always report it as though it is something new and unusual, the Brixton riots of 30 odd years ago were anti police, they were reported as racist, but they were not. Gang violence between race gangs fighting to control betting syndicates led to groups of several hundred fighting in the Old Kent road in the late forties early fifties. In those days the police used to sit on the fringes and arrest the wounded afterwards. The police are never liked, that's as old as having policemen and I would hate to live in a society where the law commands total respect, Germany in 1936 springs to mind. On the other hand I would say that our present police probably behave better than any in our history and deserve better in return.
A "bit of a shit hole" is gross understatement.

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JHB

American police would have shot those f*ckers dead.

HarryG

The last poster probably got it right, if our UK police were armed, this wouldn't have happened, sad as it is.


Here in Spain, if the Guardia Civil saw young girls (or old men, or anyone) dropping litter in the street, they wouldn't bother and drop their cigarette butts next to the litter. The streets are full of dog shit and litter, which is cleaned up every morning by an army of workers who would otherwise be unemployed.


I was going to say that the police uniform is respected, and it is, especially that revolver strapped to the waist. The UK police are a quarter-armed at the moment, the time must come when they are armed like the rest of Europe, it will be a sad day, but the snotty-nosed drunk might think twice when staring down the barrel of a snub nosed revolver, and the girl gangs in places like South Croydon might think three times.

Xejon

I'm not a huge fan of cops, but I definitely think they have a place in society. I would disapprove of anyone getting the shit beaten out of them by other people for no good reason.

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Tom

I agree with Harry.

Give the stupid scrouts around here something to be scared about.

Tom

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SevenWritez

I don't understand the illogical hatred of cops that stems from youth, one's whose only experience with them tends to be...I don't know, the COPS TV show.

Sure, some cops are dicks, but not every guy who wears a uniform is out to fuck with you, and yet, there are still those who think one cop is the same as the rest. It's a shame those cops didn't have guns. I would have cheered them on if they shot the fuckers dead.

Writ-with-Hand

I'm glad this was posted for two reasons:

1) All girls and women are little, nice, innocent, cuddly things. Sugar and spice and everything nice. There are plenty of mean little evil bitches out here. I'm not a white knight, and while I'll hesitate all day long from punching the lights out on some chick, let a chick or two attack me. I'll be the last man they'll ever attack. Cause I swear here and know I'll beat the teeth out their mouthes.

2) Police get attacked by people when they don't even need too. I appreciate the cops because can you imagine a world run by these little thugs? At least the cops will organize a search for your child if they are abducted. These little thugs will sit back smoke weed and crack jokes about your missing little girl or boy. Even if you're a gang member you don't need to go around doing stupid sh*t like this. I wish those cops had bust a cap in their asses - all of them and the adults included. It's time for the UK cops to stop fuckin around and be issued firearms.

HippoHead

Yeah, they need guns. I live near Croydon, sadly and a baton is just a glorified stick. And pepper spray is just - pepper spray. They might as well be armed with a branch and a salt shaker. All they'd have to do is fire into the air and they'd have scattered.

I like how random people got in on it, believing that they assaulted the girl - 'hey look, 30 people against 2, let's make it 33 against 2!'

Writ-with-Hand

It would probably still happen, Harry. My uncle was an MP and latter became a civilian cop in our city. he carries physical scars from his time on the police force - civilian police force that is. He quite the police force but he was a decorated cop that killed someone (shooting) in the line of duty.

But he took his bumps on the streets too. Once he pulled his squad car over to tell some young kid to pick up the garbage can he was throwing in the middle of the street to fuck with cars driving by. He was not even going to arrest the kid he said. He approached the kid and told him to move the can and do you know this little bastard turned around and punched him in the face and then took off. My uncle said he saw stars. Gathered his senses and ran after the little bastard. Needless to say the kid got his ass kicked.

And cops responding to domestic violence calls are frequently attacked. Carrying a sidearm does not change that. My uncle had a glass coffee pot bust over his head by some woman when they tried to arrest her husband for beating her ass.

But carrying guns are good because even if you pop just one person the sound of the fired gun scares most people in mobs or crowds anyway. So, even if they are not used lethal they still have a tactical advantage, in my opinion at least.

Those UK cops lives were in jeopardy. That mob could have killed them or worse - paralyzed one or both of them. A physical beating or mob assault is not a trivial thing as some people like to make it out.




One other thing... the 9mm is not the best pistol for stopping power. Ok, it will stop most people or at least change most peoples minds about continuing fucking with you. But there was a case were a cop shot a heavy weight boxer several times and the still kept kicking the cops ass. He was not really safe until backup arrived. I'll try and find the video of it. Pretty cool.

U.S. Marine Corps Force Recon and MEU (Special Operations Capable) utilize a Marine Corps specially modified .45. It carries less rounds than the 9mm but it has excellent "knockdown" power.

Writ-with-Hand

Actually, if it is in the PR-24 family it is more than a glorified stick. It's made of composite material that is light weight and extremely strong. It is a dangerous weapon. Batons have limited tactical applications or advantages though.

I actually would not mind getting myself a collapsible baton. In some situations a gun may be much more than is needed. Plus, beating the shit out of someone can give you a pleasure and satisfaction that shooting someone just can't. My opinion at least.

k3ng

I find it incredible that the immediate response is the fuck up the cops even more. You can practically smell the hatred for them. 'They're beating girls' can't possible be an excuse when there's already a fucking mob of teenagers there. This is just pure hatred for the cops.

I sympathize with the police force. Not just in UK, but in my own country as well. It's not the most lucrative job around, and not all of them are nasty fuckers out to get you in jail or give you a ticket. Most of them have the public safety in mind. Most of them just want to do their job.

Arming the police would hardly solve anything. It would only breed more new hatred for the cops. Then when people actually found an opening or opportunity, they wouldn't just beat the cops anymore. They'd kill them. That's what I think.

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Kast13

I'm guessing it's safe to assume you've never been on the business end of either a police baton or pepper spray?