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Police will remove children from Brighton protest

11:30am Tuesday 30th November 2010 in News By Rebecca Evans

Police are promising to remove children from a mass demonstration today if it turns violent.

Thousands of pupils and students are expected to join a march to Hove Town Hall in protest at education cuts and a rise in university tuition fees.

Officers are warning children they will use powers under the Children Act extricate children from the protest if they are deemed at risk of “significant harm”.

But police refused to comment on how the powers would be used and would not confirm how many officers will be on the streets today.

Yesterday, Superintendent Steve Whitton, who is heading the police operation, urged parents to talk to children about the “consequences of their behaviour”.

He said: “Many people expressed concern that there were children involved in the recent demonstration, some of whom found that they were held in containments by police to prevent further breaches of the peace and to allow police to carry out controlled dispersals. I would like to make a direct plea to parents and carers of the school children and young teenagers who intend to take part in the protest: please speak to your child and make sure they understand the consequences of their behaviour. They may render themselves vulnerable if they follow 'the crowd' and those not directly affiliated with the cause who are intent on taking over the protest for their own means.”

Comments(10)

longman says...
11:53am Tue 30 Nov 10

Parents have a duty of care to ensure their children are kept safe from harm. They are also required by law to see that their children in in school for the entire school day, unless their child is ill or has an appointment with a dr, dentist etc. Attending a prostest is not a valid excuse for a child to be absent from school. These children are at risk, as such they should be take into care! With so many children at risk, the care system will be swamped. Be resposible or suffer the consequences! Most of those children dont care about education cuts, they just want to miss school!

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Andy R says...
12:26pm Tue 30 Nov 10

Ha! Ha! Would all 3000 have to be taken into care today, or could it be staggered over the rest of the week?

And have you got any other gems like that in your little book of jokes?

One of the joys of these demos is the totally impotent outbursts of authoritarianism they seem to provoke in some quarters.

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pun master says...
12:27pm Tue 30 Nov 10

I wouldn't worry too much; at the school I work in, most of the 400 or so kids that walked out last week are not doing it today 'because it's a bit too cold.' Viva la resistance!!

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sparky_2004 says...
12:33pm Tue 30 Nov 10

The only way kids will be 'in harms way' if if the police start their 'kettling' detention tactics again!...So what are they gonna dothen? Start hauling out kids at batons point?...That'll make good media coverage! As usual, an ill-thought out statement from the police...No wonder they don't wish to comment!!

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Number Six says...
1:13pm Tue 30 Nov 10

pun master wrote:
I wouldn't worry too much; at the school I work in, most of the 400 or so kids that walked out last week are not doing it today 'because it's a bit too cold.' Viva la resistance!!
I wondered about that. I thought that they could wait until schools closed because of the weather and use that time to demonstrate

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Granny says...
1:20pm Tue 30 Nov 10

Remove them anyway then fine the parents for allowing their darlings to play truant

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RickH says...
1:24pm Tue 30 Nov 10

"But police refused to comment on how the powers would be used "....would that be because they're still running it past their lawyers? And would that be 'children' as in less than 18 years old. Are they going to ask for IDs to ensure that the law is appropriately exercised. Sounds like clutching at straws and seems to be a vague (and poor) attempt to encourage 'children' to stay away.

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rashidk says...
5:30pm Tue 30 Nov 10

Significantly, no mention of the schoolgirls who linked arms around a kettled police van to protect it from damage - one of the most heartening - and neglected - images to emerge from the London demonstrations. The parents and carers of those children should be proud of what their youngsters did and the police should acknowledge the courage and dignity of those schoolgirls.

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Bert Fox says...
7:17pm Tue 30 Nov 10

Luckily that particular fantasy will only ever happen in your twisted mind.

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Bert Fox says...
7:18pm Tue 30 Nov 10

longman wrote:
Parents have a duty of care to ensure their children are kept safe from harm. They are also required by law to see that their children in in school for the entire school day, unless their child is ill or has an appointment with a dr, dentist etc. Attending a prostest is not a valid excuse for a child to be absent from school. These children are at risk, as such they should be take into care! With so many children at risk, the care system will be swamped. Be resposible or suffer the consequences! Most of those children dont care about education cuts, they just want to miss school!
Luckily that particular fantasy will only ever happen in your twisted mind

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