1. Why were the police not better prepared? As anyone who knows anything about the history of Anarchist groups will tell you, they are wide open for infiltration by police spies and informers. I would have expected the police to be well briefed about the violent intentions of such groups.
2. Why did Charles and Camilla blunder so crassly into the demo? Why was a car window left open? This is hardly professional work by the Royal security staff. It was either gross incompetence - or was it something else?
It needs to be said here that some elements in the police are capable of ruthless conduct. A friend of mine, a respectable retired gentleman in his sixties, has told me that, on a previous demo two weeks ago, he came out of a Tube station to be pushed by a police squad who knocked his glasses off. A number of demonstrators were injured on the latest demo - one with a brain injury. Clearly, the security forces and the government might benefit from the publicity given to student violence, as it would justify a much more severe crackdown. In fact, press reports already indicate that this is going to happen.
This would lead a (Leftie) conspiracy theorist to think, perhaps, that the authorities DELIBERATELY made the elementary security mistakes that I list above, in order to allow violence to erupt and thus blacken the student campaign. I doubt that very much, personally, but, like I said, "I'm no conspiracy theorist, but..."
Would not be suprised if it was true !
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, do we need so many universities and graduates ?
Hi, Where the Royal couple used as bait?
ReplyDeleteI don't know.
But let's not allow these side accidents make us lose sight of the important issue at stake.
Because Yes! We do need so many universities and graduates. I believe we need scientific research and the arts to be financed by the state. I'm sure you will agree we can't be contented with shopping and stuffing our stomach. A higher number of graduates will facilitate social mobility for a more democratic society. And it will benefit everybody's quality of life, culturally and health wise.
And further more these government cuts are not limited to universities. All levels of education will be effected. Cuts to sport training facilities and clubs for primary school children have already been announced and other cuts are been disguised as administrative/distribution changes .
Oh, or maybe you suggest we all send our children to lovely private schools where there's no lack of funds and good solid facilities.
But then again these expensive schools are more easily accessible by bankers to which WE generously subsidise large bonuses....
Finally, should any LITTLE, non banker son, aspire to higher education? I think yes and should be encouraged.
I tend to believe that our ruling classes have never liked the social mobility that free higher education and maintenance grants brought about. Our Cabinet is stuffed full of Old Etonians who really don't like and, more importantly, can't understand working class oiks, especially when they're educated but still keep their working class accents. The currect financial mess is a godsend for those who aspire to turn the clock back.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble, whether state sponsored or not, was inevitable. We have a government that has deliberately sought the path of confrontation and yet expect us to be horrified by the consequences - the same government that is killing innocent Afghan civilians on a daily basis. As for the Battenbergs (alias Windsors) seeing a bit of real life: good. They were never in any physical danger anyway.
The shocking thing is not the violence, but the fact that we have a government that has deliberately provoked it, and then bombards us with expressions of synthetic shock.