but who cares we have made up our minds before it went to trial.

couple of questions:
can you define to me what YOU call a weapon, somehow the dictionary is a bit wishy washy
how should the cops react? they stand there and get stuff thrown at them, get called things that make your hair stand on end and then we all cry when one of them finaly looses it?

got no love either way, bet it does seem that behaviour at demos is just about cop baiting, sorry but what about the message? or dont we care any more, this is our public face and all people are seeing is cop baiting thugs,

if all that is remembered of a demo is the violence and "direct action" then all we are is a buch of manipulated half wits playing at change.

If all you want is the sound of breaking glass then join C18

Fair enough you're right anything can be a weapon, how you use it, but on a more general note do you remember anything about the G20? How thousands of peaceful people were held prisoner and gradually squeezed more and more by the police in the middle of the sun no water no toilets and randomly beaten, this is one case that happened to be well documented on camera there were other cases of police punching people in the face after having lined them up for photos. No one has a right over any one else's lie we are all autonomous individuals and as such deserve respect, that uniform says 'I own you'. I'm not advocating violence against the police or for double standards but you sound like some one defending Israel because after destroying someone's land and shooting at them they threw a rock and you say 'do you expect the israeli soldiers to just take it'. You have an incredibly warped view of the nature of protest, a very popular one in the corporate media, among politicians, fascists etc. But your small point about 'what's a weapon' sounds pedantic and makes you sound like a fascist, sorry but maybe you should think before attacking every single little point and wonder if everyone else on here is going to share your naieve, ignorant unfounded views as an apologist for those arogant enough to think they have the right to control another person(the police). Any one dumb enough to give a total stranger(the police) power over their life well you deserve all the confusion and frustration and isolation and despair and self loathing that goes with it, I konw my enemies, do you?

I'll remember to perform a back-handed clearence strike as apparently if someone says something to you that you don't like and they are carrying a carton of orange juice then that is perfectly legal.

Why did Nicola Fisher not turn up at court? I feel this could be police intimidation of witnesses. Notice how they keep calling her an animal rights activist. I reckon they are saying they will frame her for some animal rights stuff. The demo that day was against police brutality and so her being into animal rights has nothing to do with it. it's the police trying to confuse the issue.

'Clearance' has it spot on - they're trying to make her sound bad by association - it seems strange that she is labelled as an animal rights activist while on a G20 demo....!!

Well, I hope the orange juice theory also applies to coppers eating donuts.. by all means, those donuts could be used as an offensive weapon (you ever tried to get grease out of a nice jumper? now THAT'S assault!). I would certainly feel threatened by their high calorie intake as well as their plump, misguided and baton-happy owners. Case closed!

"I'll remember to perform a back-handed clearence strike"

When you do it remember to do it while wearing gauntlets. The video at  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/11/g20-woman-assault-police-investigation shows that this thug had gone to the event equipped for violence.

if not a cop yourself.. all the public see is cop bating thugs? Come on! What the public see is thugs in police uniform clubbing and setting dogs on hippies, killing innocent bystanders and smacking women in the face for being what? mouthy? Your message is obey the powers that be and stay in line

FUCK OFF

Anyone who's gone through life with a name like that is almost certain to develop a mean streak.

so the trail is still on? this is just a lift from a national newspaper - just reportage from the court - think perhaps it is your mind that is made up that your colleague Smellie is justified regardless of the evidence and verdict ....

It really isn't good enough. He must be stopped from doing this.

Smellie hates animal rights people. You are right that the AR lable gets used to attack people. When a Dutch "animal rights activist" shot Pim Fortuyn he did FOR THE MUSLIMS not the animals. Yet he was described as an animal rights activist..not an Islamic terrorist.

Smellie has along history of vendetta against AR.

As for "if you like the sound of breaking glass join C18" that woould be better written as "if you like the sound of breaking glass" join the SWP! They are far more violent.

From the guardian report:
"Metropolitan police sergeant Delroy Smellie, 47, initially hit Nicola Fisher, 36, with a "clearance strike" by hand, which "enraged" a crowd of demonstrators outside the Bank of England."

Err, the crowd were 'enraged' when he twatted her with his baton (the 'enraged' crowd seems to consist of photographers!)


"he said. "I was not aware of any colleagues who were facing the crowd in Threadneedle Street. I thought from the moment I turned that I was by myself with a large threat in front of me.""

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/15/g20-protest-police-videos-catalogue - at 50 seconds there is a cop stood in front of him.

He's a lying thug and should be sent down.

i went to the g20 demos and was a peaceful protestor. i had no experience of police violence or any problems with the police. i was kettled by the police, told i have to "deal with it" when we had no toilets, food, or water, and then i had my ankle stomped on by a police officer. when i went to get medical attention i was laughed at, and mocked, told i could "go to the ambulance, but, oh no, wait, they're behind the police" *laugh*. i was badly hurt, and only let out when i was crying and begging a female officer who'd just arrived. i did not provoke the police, and the people around me were perfectly peaceful. the mood only changed when the police decided to be violent and intimidating and rough with protestors.