Friday 6th January 2012

Passing the Victoria Shopping Centre at about 3.20pm this afternoon, 2 police cars suddenly arrived next to me on the pavement area at some speed. They contained armed officers.

People asking each other what was goin on. A spoke to a man who said he had just come from the back of the Victoria Centre and there were 4 more police cars there.  I was about to go and have a look there, when the police helicopter arrived and seem to spend more time surveying the side where I was.  Dog units were also arriving.  Then, suddenly, a number of officers armed with the regulation Heckler and Koch's ran past me at speed. Outside the Hilton Hotel in Milson Street they catch up with a man and bark a series of instructions at him. A number of officers had guns leveled at him, one aiming a taser.  I could clearly see a red dot from the weapons, 'painted' on his chest.  Police then handcuffed him and searched his clothes.  Reveiwing the pictures later, all I could see that the police discovered was a walking stick and a folded pen knife.

I guess the police had been informed of arms being involved, but I gather the individual was suspected of robbery in John Lewis's store. After a while, he was lead away in handcuffs.

Police say that the man was arrested for attempted robbery, but later stated that no firearms were used and no one was injured.

It is a fact that police are routinely unarmed in Britain.  But it is my experience that I am seeing [and hearing about] an increased frequency of armed operations in Nottingham. Just an hour earlier, in one of the main shopping streets there, I noticed a red post office security van passing.  Immediatly behind, a 4xwheel specialist police vehicle, again with H&K guns cleary visible as they passed. Over the Christmas period, I had seen other security vans being similarly protected, I guess because of the increased takings from stores. The media seems to tell me this is true nationally. I wonder at what point the temporary deployment of armed officers on the streets become a routine deployment?  Will this happen by an imperceptable stealth, gradually until we reach a 'tipping point' or, will it be decided through a democratic process of some sort?  ...... just asking.

some earlier example of Nottinghamshire Police armed operations:

'Armed turnout' of Nottinghamshire Police. [another false alarm]

http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/08/320811.html

Photographer arrested by armed officers [finally, the pictures]

http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/395750.html

Another Armed Turnout by Nottinghamshire Police

http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/1743

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ALAN LODGE 

Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham.  UK

Email:                 tash@indymedia.org

Web:                   http://digitaljournalist.eu

Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]

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"It is not enough to curse the darkness.

                                   It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"

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