Police Discrimination/ Harrassment

[ionnsaigh]

Bearing in mind it was a Public Holiday - (Good Friday) - 9-30PM Campbelltown, Main Street.
We found ourselves on the main drag. I notice a large number of young people 30 approximately - had gathered between Vicky Wines and the Newsagent. They where standing in individual groups of three to four people. We walked through the various groups - being of a sensitive nature and from past experience - my gang antenna - bristled with activity. Believe you me - I can tell a fish supper from a mile off . Anyway we found ourselves in groups of teenagers - probably school friends - doing the thing teenagers do. Not once did I detect any malice directed at our party. If they were a - shouting stamping spitting - writing on walls - causing mayhem type of bunch - I would have noticed. So credit where credit is due - thanks bunch.

To my initial amusement Two Police Officers - Woman an Man - began ushering the Children down the street towards the harbour - the male officer shouting - keep moving and I don't mean the next corner. Being on holiday has provided time to think - before usually responding in a reactionary manner - via this machine.
The police by their action - endanger these young people to a greater extent - by driving them out of the very centre of Town. So where were they supposed to go ?. They where driven to an area that has less people -less street lights and activity. Who gives the orders that creates - a ghost town in the First Day of a Public Holiday - because those teenagers were on holiday also. If any of my two sons had been moved on as such - I would be breaking down the doors of the local nick. I think that this type of policing creates - a certain amount of - justified resentment - towards authority. The very thing that creates antagonisms - that fester for a number of following years.

On Sunday morning (Easter Sunday) at 1-30AM. Hundreds of late night revellers had poured out of the local bars. The place was absolutely heaving - with large groups of people most the worst of wear. However they were generally well behaved - not as well as the young people - however behaved. The police as one would expect were in attendance. The starkness of approach was pretty self evident - did the police attempt to shepherd the crowd towards the harbour- no too right they didn't. So my question is simple enough - and directed at the officer in command - Are you picking on the young people?.

[The modfather]

Really do you have that little time on your hands you have to write an essay about policing in the town. By reading your post its clear that you dont stay in campbeltown or don't get into town much when you are not taking the local infestation of buckfast drinking, tracksuit wearing "mad wae it" youngflas

[ionnsaigh]

How sad - The modfather,
Local infestation of blah blah blah - what a horrific - shallow opinion - you have of young people.
You have just managed to insult every parent - whose son or daughter - was in the town Good Friday night.
Shame on you.

[Jock Strap]

How sad - The modfather,
Local infestation of blah blah blah - what a horrific - shallow opinion - you have of young people.
You have just managed to insult every parent - whose son or daughter - was in the town Good Friday night.
Shame on you.

Well said Ionnsaigh - nothing wrong with your post and it is the Modfather who misses the point exactly.

[spangles]

Completely agree with Ionnsaigh. Good post

S

[jock the boat]

Gauds sake man, what are they gan to dae at that time o night? The heroins no kicked in by that time.

[spangles]

Gauds sake man, what are they gan to dae at that time o night? The heroins no kicked in by that time.

Not funny. The majority of these that were moved on are schoolchildren. Don't class these children as having the same pursuits as yourself.

S

[westport321]

well said Ionns, I have always wondered why teenagers are eyed with suspicion at all times. Teens have a lot to offer society but because of their age, there suggestions are usually ignored.

[general jack o'niell]

the type of schoolage teens that are in the habit of spending the weekend trying to get blootered, and there are some, can't deny it, are more or less shunned by the majority and therefor are less likely to be among the groups mentioned. we all know as parents that most of them have "tried it" some a few times, thankfully from what i can see, they've got it out of their system and have the brains we like to give them credit for as parents. they are far more interested in playing poker

[Ninja Mania]

Have to agree with Ionns on this, there is not much the teenagers can do at this time of night, also, they are seldom the ones who cause any bother on the street, yet they are the ones who constantly get moved on. This is a little unfair on then, this is the type of harrasment which will earn the police no respect from them in later years.

Having said that, the shop owners get complaints of youths blocking doorways, preventing customers from entering their business, this can lead to lost revenue, so if they have reported this to the police, then the police have to respond, its a catch 22 situation for them.

Perhaps the piece of ground at the back of wollies could be roofed, so there was somewhere they could at least stand under, this was written in fun, but its sadly pretty close to the truth, because if they are constantly herded about the place, then a shed should be put up for them too have somewhere to go, and I dont mean with gates or walls round it, just a roof, keep treating the youth of today like animals, and they will eventually rebel.

[general jack o'niell]

personlly i'd tax a certain shop to pay for having the chewing gum cleaned off the pavements, the bins have only slowed things a bit, or maybe they buy it elsewhere then walk all the way to stand outside another shop to chew it? and i'm scotlands first entry in the eurovision song contest next month, i've got together with jimi hendrix and the alexander brothers and i'm singing a song called "nobody's chile"

[Bitter End]

Eurovision song contest Cheneral naw Sooth American !!!

[general jack o'niell]

oh dear, knew there'd be one, its pronounced the same way as the guy that does MOTD2 and that crap seven o'clock show but without the "s" at the end, but since jimmy shand never covered it i wouldn't expect you to know that, your more to be pitied than scolded i can assure you

[bill]

So my question is simple enough - and directed at the officer in command - Are you picking on the young people?.

My question is also simple enough.......Why, if you felt so strongly about the matter,did you not ask the officers why they were moving the young ones on? ? ?

[ionnsaigh]

bill - good question -the thing happened - I had time to think about it . The officers where carrying out orders - I suspect - so I attribute no blame to those concerned. - I just felt sorry for the kids.