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8:00am Monday 20th April 2009 in News Exclusive By Andy Chiles
The G20 protester slapped by a police officer has been arrested at a demonstration in the past, The Argus can reveal.
Nicola Fisher, of Wakefield Road, Brighton, has been thrust into the national spotlight after footage of the assault on her was posted on YouTube.
She has been accused in some sections of the media of provoking her attacker.
The incident on April 2 is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
It was one of several incidents which have prompted a national debate over policing at demonstrations, including the death of Ian Tomlinson after he was shoved by a policeman.
The Argus can reveal the incident was not the first time Miss Fisher, known to her friends as Nicky, has been a prominent figure in protests.
She was arrested outside the Brighton Centre in June 1993 as hundreds of animal rights campaigners demonstrated at a vivisectionists' conference.
Miss Fisher burst from the crowd to throw water from a plastic bottle over a delegate and was grabbed by a policeman. It was reported at the time that she had thrown the rest of the bottle at the officer.
She was charged with disorderly behaviour but given a conditional discharge by magistrates.
Miss Fisher has been in hiding for days but spoke to The Argus before returning home at the weekend.
She admitted pouring water over the vivisectionist but denied throwing water or a bottle at the policeman.
She said: "I didn't have a run in with the police in 1993, I poured the water over a vivisector and I got arrested. I got grabbed from behind by both arms and I didn't know who was grabbing me and chucked the bottle on the floor."
The five foot tall 35-year-old said she was not violent but was passionate about the causes she believed in, particularly animal welfare and climate change, and was prepared to stand up for them.
She said she did not dislike the police, have a grudge against them or deliberately try to wind them up.
She added that the Brighton Centre incident happened in a heated moment when she was 19 and although she has continued to attend protests, she now stays away from the "front line".
She said she was shocked and traumatised by what had happened to her in London and hoped it would lead to changes in policing.
She said: "There's a wider problem with the whole police force, their training, their tactics."
Ms Fisher showed the long black and red bruise on her thigh where she was hit by the policeman's baton. The sergeant, who works for the Territorial Support Group, has been suspended from duty pending the IPCC inquiry.
She said: “It was very violent and aggressive and unnecessary."
Unemployed Miss Fisher, who lives with her dog Poppy and her boyfriend Gavin Shepherd, 30, works as a volunteer for East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service.
She said she would use money earned by selling her story to a national paper to support her to continue working voluntarily.
She denied she would receive £50,000 as part of a deal with publicist Max Clifford, as has been reported.
Comments(79)
Jim BB
says...
8:45am Mon 20 Apr 09
miasc
says...
9:03am Mon 20 Apr 09
PB
says...
9:05am Mon 20 Apr 09
Junglist Massive
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9:12am Mon 20 Apr 09
Junglist Massive
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9:13am Mon 20 Apr 09
miasc wrote:ummm... No, because when youre abusive to the police, threaten violence, spit in their faces and don't move along when you're asked to.............
it still isnt right for the police to attack people who have a democratic right to protest, this is simler to the veal exports at shoreham where old age pensioners were attacked by the police its about time some of you got off the fence and saw what is happening
Osama bin there
says...
9:17am Mon 20 Apr 09
Junglist Massive
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9:17am Mon 20 Apr 09
PB wrote:Wrong. You can still work with Children and Vulnerable Adults if you have a Criminal Record. It just depends on what you did. For example, if you were convicted of vandalism (graffiti), that's fine. If you were convicted of rape, that's not fine.
If she already has a criminal record she won't be allowed to work with children and vulnerable adults.
Perhaps, as the Criminal Records Bureau spreads its tentacles, she won't be allowed to work with animals.
Then what?
dogger
says...
9:21am Mon 20 Apr 09
garyc
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9:32am Mon 20 Apr 09
mackeson
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9:48am Mon 20 Apr 09
Pee-Jay
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9:52am Mon 20 Apr 09
simonp503
says...
9:56am Mon 20 Apr 09
Txa
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10:29am Mon 20 Apr 09
CaptainStarbucks
says...
10:44am Mon 20 Apr 09
Leon
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10:56am Mon 20 Apr 09
rudechris
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11:05am Mon 20 Apr 09
simonp503
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11:07am Mon 20 Apr 09
Made In Sussex
says...
11:41am Mon 20 Apr 09
Osama bin there
says...
11:43am Mon 20 Apr 09
GaryS9
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12:03pm Mon 20 Apr 09
jo w
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12:08pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Tye
says...
12:08pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Made In Sussex wrote:Its a good point - a lot of "protestors" come from Brighton
This woman looks like a pretentious brightonian attention seeker..all credibility lost when the name Max Clifford pops up but I guess now Jade Goody is dead he has to pay the bills somehow!
jo w
says...
12:09pm Mon 20 Apr 09
tinkywinky
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12:19pm Mon 20 Apr 09
jonathon
says...
12:26pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Osama bin there
says...
12:42pm Mon 20 Apr 09
tinkywinky wrote:Are you a clairvoyant? Can you see into the future?
Even if she did 'provoke' the police officer, does that justify him bashing her in the face and hitting her with a truncheon? If provocation is ok then next time some old biddy pushes in front of me and gives me a dirty look at the supermarket, I can punch her in the mouth can I Argus? It was police brutality and extreme. The giant officer who battered this small femail should be sacked. Lets not forget the murder of Ian Thomson either.
phaser
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12:50pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Osama bin there
says...
12:55pm Mon 20 Apr 09
jo w wrote:Just had a look...
Osama bin there - her criminal record was all over the nationals at the weekend, there's a lot more than one conviction!!
phaser
says...
1:09pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Granny
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1:12pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Joeyeah_right
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1:33pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Bobster
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1:40pm Mon 20 Apr 09
tinkywinky wrote:Ian who?
Even if she did 'provoke' the police officer, does that justify him bashing her in the face and hitting her with a truncheon? If provocation is ok then next time some old biddy pushes in front of me and gives me a dirty look at the supermarket, I can punch her in the mouth can I Argus? It was police brutality and extreme. The giant officer who battered this small femail should be sacked. Lets not forget the murder of Ian Thomson either.
Bobster
says...
1:42pm Mon 20 Apr 09
tinkywinky wrote:Oh and 'femail' is spelled wrong.
Even if she did 'provoke' the police officer, does that justify him bashing her in the face and hitting her with a truncheon? If provocation is ok then next time some old biddy pushes in front of me and gives me a dirty look at the supermarket, I can punch her in the mouth can I Argus? It was police brutality and extreme. The giant officer who battered this small femail should be sacked. Lets not forget the murder of Ian Thomson either.
simonp503
says...
1:50pm Mon 20 Apr 09
phaser wrote:Spot on,could'nt hav put it better myself phaser,the copper should get a promotion and pay rise and she needs 2 get her sorry arse down the job centre.
Look at the state of it. Chancer. No one should really receive a slap from the law but I would not be surprised in the slightest if she had gone up there looking for a ruck and one of her crusty mates was the one filming it on his phone and then sold it to the papers. Double kerr-ching
Redbeard
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2:27pm Mon 20 Apr 09
phaser
says...
2:33pm Mon 20 Apr 09
RickH
says...
3:34pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Redbeard
says...
3:53pm Mon 20 Apr 09
RickH wrote:One of the most widely misused terms on the Net is "ad hominem". It is most often introduced into a discussion by certain delicate types, delicate of personality and mind, whenever their opponents resort to a bit of sarcasm. As soon as the suspicion of an insult appears, they summon the angels of ad hominem to smite down their foes, before ascending to argument heaven in a blaze of sanctimonious glory. They may not have much up top, but by God, they don't need it when they've got ad hominem on their side. It's the secret weapon that delivers them from any argument unscathed.
I would suggest that a number of the contributers to this 'debate' need to go away and learn the meaning and application of 'ad hominem' before continuing to make **** of themselves!
wunda
says...
3:53pm Mon 20 Apr 09
anticowley
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3:57pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Osama bin there
says...
4:07pm Mon 20 Apr 09
anticowley wrote:Well, if she earns more than £7000 out of she doesn't qualify for any sort of state handout until the amount she has reaches £7000 again.
rick h- i would suggest that you learn to spell 'contributor' before you make a **** of yourself (ooops...too late). and pray please explain what term of abuse has four letters in its plural form... i hope that sopmeone from the jobcetre's read this and that the money this workshy professional troublemaker (sorry, 'grassroots activist') has earned from selling her story is docked from her dole.
str8outtaDC
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4:09pm Mon 20 Apr 09
anticowley
says...
4:20pm Mon 20 Apr 09
PB
says...
4:28pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Granny wrote:In the days immediately after the G20 protests, The Daily Mail insisted that the protesters obstructed paramedics on their way to assist Ian Tomlinson. The Mail doesn't always get it right.
Her previous record of misdoings were fully reported in the Mail as well. If she is fit enough to do voluntary work then she is fit enough to earn a living and stop being another drain on the state, probably like the majority of the other protesters
Made In Sussex
says...
4:28pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Frank En'stein
says...
4:43pm Mon 20 Apr 09
brightonchris
says...
4:50pm Mon 20 Apr 09
PETE OF QUEENS PARK
says...
5:15pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Txa
says...
5:32pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Granny
says...
5:44pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Txa
says...
5:48pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Txa wrote:Aaah! but having a job is not right anymore, it's a privilege!?
I propose an idea, for those who are so unhappy in their work places and paying taxes. The govt. should consider a swapping places scheme with the unemployed.
cheezburger
says...
5:55pm Mon 20 Apr 09
tinkywinky
says...
6:12pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Osama bin there wrote:Whatever. Get a life.
tinkywinky wrote: Even if she did 'provoke' the police officer, does that justify him bashing her in the face and hitting her with a truncheon? If provocation is ok then next time some old biddy pushes in front of me and gives me a dirty look at the supermarket, I can punch her in the mouth can I Argus? It was police brutality and extreme. The giant officer who battered this small femail should be sacked. Lets not forget the murder of Ian Thomson either.Are you a clairvoyant? Can you see into the future? The case has not gone to trial, and no one has been charged with murder, never mind convicted of it. Have you ever heard of libel?
Bog Vern
says...
6:56pm Mon 20 Apr 09
str8outtaDC
says...
7:04pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Shebacat
says...
7:12pm Mon 20 Apr 09
MrMisbehavin
says...
7:19pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Bog Vern
says...
8:10pm Mon 20 Apr 09
str8outtaDC wrote:Will you please cheer up.
Capitalism in crisis, the world heading toward environmental meltdown, the rich and powerful doing nothing about it.
But the good people of Brighton are seemingly more concerned whether the victims of police violence at a protest against the above are "on benefits".
Thats obviously the most important thing...and bring back national service!
RickH
says...
8:27pm Mon 20 Apr 09
RickH
says...
8:31pm Mon 20 Apr 09
anticowley wrote:The term of asbuse is related to the member of the equine family - bit like a donkey but there we go. And spelling or not, the principle is that the police are NOT above the law, regardless of what you, they and many others here seem to believe.
rick h- i would suggest that you learn to spell 'contributor' before you make a **** of yourself (ooops...too late). and pray please explain what term of abuse has four letters in its plural form... i hope that sopmeone from the jobcetre's read this and that the money this workshy professional troublemaker (sorry, 'grassroots activist') has earned from selling her story is docked from her dole.
RickH
says...
8:44pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Redbeard wrote:Despite your well constructed and, arguably, loquacious point (which, may I add, is grossly let down by the rather poor attempt at sarcasm at the end) if you'd spent more time actually thinking about the situation I'm sure that you'd realise that the real principle at stake is here that the police are NOT above the law. Whilst it has yet to be proved that this is the case in this and the various other complaints arising from the G20 protest, but somehow I doubt you'll be a verbose if it is proved that the police acted illegally in this and the other instances currently being examined.
RickH wrote: I would suggest that a number of the contributers to this 'debate' need to go away and learn the meaning and application of 'ad hominem' before continuing to make **** of themselves!One of the most widely misused terms on the Net is "ad hominem". It is most often introduced into a discussion by certain delicate types, delicate of personality and mind, whenever their opponents resort to a bit of sarcasm. As soon as the suspicion of an insult appears, they summon the angels of ad hominem to smite down their foes, before ascending to argument heaven in a blaze of sanctimonious glory. They may not have much up top, but by God, they don't need it when they've got ad hominem on their side. It's the secret weapon that delivers them from any argument unscathed. In reality, ad hominem is unrelated to sarcasm or personal abuse. Argumentum ad hominem is the logical fallacy of attempting to undermine a speaker's argument by attacking the speaker instead of addressing the argument. The mere presence of a personal attack does not indicate ad hominem: the attack must be used for the purpose of undermining the argument, or otherwise the logical fallacy isn't there. It is not a logical fallacy to attack someone; the fallacy comes from assuming that a personal attack is also necessarily an attack on that person's arguments. Therefore, if you can't demonstrate that your opponent is trying to counter your argument by attacking you, you can't demonstrate that he is resorting to ad hominem. If your opponent's sarcasm is not an attempt to counter your argument, but merely an attempt to insult you (or amuse the bystanders), then it is not part of an ad hominem argument. Actual instances of argumentum ad hominem are relatively rare. Ironically, the fallacy is most often committed by those who accuse their opponents of ad hominem, since they try to dismiss the opposition not by engaging with their arguments, but by claiming that they resort to personal attacks. Those who are quick to squeal "ad hominem" are often guilty of several other logical fallacies, including one of the worst of all: the fallacious belief that introducing an impressive-sounding Latin term somehow gives one the decisive edge in an argument.
Osama bin there
says...
10:06pm Mon 20 Apr 09
tinkywinky wrote:If you are going to post here get your facts right, t0sser.
Osama bin there wrote:Whatever. Get a life.
tinkywinky wrote: Even if she did 'provoke' the police officer, does that justify him bashing her in the face and hitting her with a truncheon? If provocation is ok then next time some old biddy pushes in front of me and gives me a dirty look at the supermarket, I can punch her in the mouth can I Argus? It was police brutality and extreme. The giant officer who battered this small femail should be sacked. Lets not forget the murder of Ian Thomson either.Are you a clairvoyant? Can you see into the future? The case has not gone to trial, and no one has been charged with murder, never mind convicted of it. Have you ever heard of libel?
william of orange
says...
10:40pm Mon 20 Apr 09
Redbeard wrote:
RickH wrote: I would suggest that a number of the contributers to this 'debate' need to go away and learn the meaning and application of 'ad hominem' before continuing to make **** of themselves!One of the most widely misused terms on the Net is "ad hominem". It is most often introduced into a discussion by certain delicate types, delicate of personality and mind, whenever their opponents resort to a bit of sarcasm. As soon as the suspicion of an insult appears, they summon the angels of ad hominem to smite down their foes, before ascending to argument heaven in a blaze of sanctimonious glory. They may not have much up top, but by God, they don't need it when they've got ad hominem on their side. It's the secret weapon that delivers them from any argument unscathed. In reality, ad hominem is unrelated to sarcasm or personal abuse. Argumentum ad hominem is the logical fallacy of attempting to undermine a speaker's argument by attacking the speaker instead of addressing the argument. The mere presence of a personal attack does not indicate ad hominem: the attack must be used for the purpose of undermining the argument, or otherwise the logical fallacy isn't there. It is not a logical fallacy to attack someone; the fallacy comes from assuming that a personal attack is also necessarily an attack on that person's arguments. Therefore, if you can't demonstrate that your opponent is trying to counter your argument by attacking you, you can't demonstrate that he is resorting to ad hominem. If your opponent's sarcasm is not an attempt to counter your argument, but merely an attempt to insult you (or amuse the bystanders), then it is not part of an ad hominem argument. Actual instances of argumentum ad hominem are relatively rare. Ironically, the fallacy is most often committed by those who accuse their opponents of ad hominem, since they try to dismiss the opposition not by engaging with their arguments, but by claiming that they resort to personal attacks. Those who are quick to squeal "ad hominem" are often guilty of several other logical fallacies, including one of the worst of all: the fallacious belief that introducing an impressive-sounding Latin term somehow gives one the decisive edge in an argument.
Guerrero
says...
11:27pm Mon 20 Apr 09
simonp503
says...
6:49am Tue 21 Apr 09
Guerrero wrote:Your right mate using the truncheon was out of order he should have used a good zap of the tazer followed by a hit of pepper spray,maybe we can send her out to Iran to start up a protest movement over there although i'm not sure where she could cash her giro.
If I was unable as a six feet two fourteen stone male,with many years of police training, in posession of a truncheon,pepper spray and possibly a tazer to be able to deal with a five foot seven stone unarmed woman without bashing her up I would seriously worry about myself. Is ther something terribly old fashioned(I'm 48) about not hitting women??????
tinkywinky
says...
7:12am Tue 21 Apr 09
Osama bin there wrote:I will post here wheather my facts are right or wrong.
tinkywinky wrote:If you are going to post here get your facts right, t0sser.Osama bin there wrote:Whatever. Get a life.tinkywinky wrote: Even if she did 'provoke' the police officer, does that justify him bashing her in the face and hitting her with a truncheon? If provocation is ok then next time some old biddy pushes in front of me and gives me a dirty look at the supermarket, I can punch her in the mouth can I Argus? It was police brutality and extreme. The giant officer who battered this small femail should be sacked. Lets not forget the murder of Ian Thomson either.Are you a clairvoyant? Can you see into the future? The case has not gone to trial, and no one has been charged with murder, never mind convicted of it. Have you ever heard of libel?
Tye
says...
7:30am Tue 21 Apr 09
tinkywinky wrote:Post whether the facts are right or wrong?
Osama bin there wrote:I will post here wheather my facts are right or wrong. pratt.tinkywinky wrote:If you are going to post here get your facts right, t0sser.Osama bin there wrote:Whatever. Get a life.tinkywinky wrote: Even if she did 'provoke' the police officer, does that justify him bashing her in the face and hitting her with a truncheon? If provocation is ok then next time some old biddy pushes in front of me and gives me a dirty look at the supermarket, I can punch her in the mouth can I Argus? It was police brutality and extreme. The giant officer who battered this small femail should be sacked. Lets not forget the murder of Ian Thomson either.Are you a clairvoyant? Can you see into the future? The case has not gone to trial, and no one has been charged with murder, never mind convicted of it. Have you ever heard of libel?
chris elmes
says...
7:49am Tue 21 Apr 09
tinkywinky
says...
10:09am Tue 21 Apr 09
Tye wrote:Am I bothered. Most posters on here are Beano readers anyway. Stick to the story and mind your own business. Nosey pig.
tinkywinky wrote:Post whether the facts are right or wrong? Do you not realise what a fool that makes you sound like - no-one who posts here regularly will ever believe anything you say again PS Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story - areyou a reporter for the Daily Star or maybe the Sport?Osama bin there wrote:I will post here wheather my facts are right or wrong. pratt.tinkywinky wrote:If you are going to post here get your facts right, t0sser.Osama bin there wrote:Whatever. Get a life.tinkywinky wrote: Even if she did 'provoke' the police officer, does that justify him bashing her in the face and hitting her with a truncheon? If provocation is ok then next time some old biddy pushes in front of me and gives me a dirty look at the supermarket, I can punch her in the mouth can I Argus? It was police brutality and extreme. The giant officer who battered this small femail should be sacked. Lets not forget the murder of Ian Thomson either.Are you a clairvoyant? Can you see into the future? The case has not gone to trial, and no one has been charged with murder, never mind convicted of it. Have you ever heard of libel?
Osama bin there
says...
11:33am Tue 21 Apr 09
tinkywinky wrote:It's self evident that you don't have the intelligence to understand the Beano.
Tye wrote:Am I bothered. Most posters on here are Beano readers anyway. Stick to the story and mind your own business. Nosey pig.tinkywinky wrote:Post whether the facts are right or wrong? Do you not realise what a fool that makes you sound like - no-one who posts here regularly will ever believe anything you say again PS Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story - areyou a reporter for the Daily Star or maybe the Sport?Osama bin there wrote:I will post here wheather my facts are right or wrong. pratt.tinkywinky wrote:If you are going to post here get your facts right, t0sser.Osama bin there wrote:Whatever. Get a life.tinkywinky wrote: Even if she did 'provoke' the police officer, does that justify him bashing her in the face and hitting her with a truncheon? If provocation is ok then next time some old biddy pushes in front of me and gives me a dirty look at the supermarket, I can punch her in the mouth can I Argus? It was police brutality and extreme. The giant officer who battered this small femail should be sacked. Lets not forget the murder of Ian Thomson either.Are you a clairvoyant? Can you see into the future? The case has not gone to trial, and no one has been charged with murder, never mind convicted of it. Have you ever heard of libel?
Bartram
says...
11:44am Tue 21 Apr 09
Bobster
says...
12:26pm Tue 21 Apr 09
Guerrero wrote:Isn't that sexist? Nicola the soap dodger would surely disapprove!
If I was unable as a six feet two fourteen stone male,with many years of police training, in posession of a truncheon,pepper spray and possibly a tazer to be able to deal with a five foot seven stone unarmed woman without bashing her up I would seriously worry about myself. Is ther something terribly old fashioned(I'm 48) about not hitting women??????
Bobster
says...
12:27pm Tue 21 Apr 09
Guerrero wrote:Isn't that sexist? Nicola the soap dodger would surely disapprove!
If I was unable as a six feet two fourteen stone male,with many years of police training, in posession of a truncheon,pepper spray and possibly a tazer to be able to deal with a five foot seven stone unarmed woman without bashing her up I would seriously worry about myself. Is ther something terribly old fashioned(I'm 48) about not hitting women??????
twosugars
says...
3:17pm Tue 21 Apr 09
hulabaloo
says...
7:04pm Tue 21 Apr 09
Guerrero
says...
10:47pm Tue 21 Apr 09
John Rambo. wrote:Hitting women is easier though???
Txa wrote:I would love you to do my job for a month and see if you still have the same views, it's easy to be an armchair critic when you are well out of the way of any danger, I treat everyone as an equal male or female it's totally irrelevant to me the gender, only only how people behave!.John Rambo. wrote: As a doorman I wish we could just hit trash that behave like her! good on the copper, what was he supposed to do? let me say that I am no great fan of the old bill but in this particular case he was 100% right in what he did! he was challenged in a physical manner, and he answered the challenge in a way she did not like, tough! do not challenge (assault) people if you can't handle the consequences!!!!!!.That's way you're not a policeman, you couldn't deal with it in first place. Police are trained to deal with difficult situations.
chris elmes
says...
9:42am Wed 22 Apr 09
Txa
says...
12:56pm Wed 22 Apr 09
Guerrero wrote:Agree Guerrero, even hitting a man wouldn't be correct. Again, if you can't deal with the pressures of being a policeman don't be one.
John Rambo. wrote:Hitting women is easier though??? They tend to be smaller,lighter and less likely to hit back. I've done your job and would never consider hitting a woman an option. Progress I suppose.Txa wrote:I would love you to do my job for a month and see if you still have the same views, it's easy to be an armchair critic when you are well out of the way of any danger, I treat everyone as an equal male or female it's totally irrelevant to me the gender, only only how people behave!.John Rambo. wrote: As a doorman I wish we could just hit trash that behave like her! good on the copper, what was he supposed to do? let me say that I am no great fan of the old bill but in this particular case he was 100% right in what he did! he was challenged in a physical manner, and he answered the challenge in a way she did not like, tough! do not challenge (assault) people if you can't handle the consequences!!!!!!.That's way you're not a policeman, you couldn't deal with it in first place. Police are trained to deal with difficult situations.
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Tye says...
8:35am Mon 20 Apr 09
Surely "working voluntarily" stops HER getting a job - perhaps that needs to be investigated?