Mounted Police in London riot

[Eventer55]

Please keep all the police horses in Your prayers, they have just arrived and the protesters are throwing bottles, rocks and anything they can get their hands on.

I always feel afraid when horses are used. I can't go into how I feel about the horses and their bravery.

[Daydream Believer]

A poem from the Civil War I memorized as it really moved me. I think it could be applied to police horses also.

It's the daily work of horses, as they answer the spur and rein,
with quickened breath mid the toll of death
through the mud, the holes, the rain.

They walk with the spirit of heroes and care not for the medal or cross,
but for duty alone into peril unknown,
they go never counting their loss.

[Kenike]

Keep us updated, please?
I'll be jingling for the horses and their riders. Both are equally brave, though only one has the absolute "choice" to be there (quotes because it's their job, so they're ordered, but they still have the conscious choice)

[Kate66]

Hmm, not sure I would call it a "riot" - it's a protest and is relatively calm., as calm as you can expect with approximately 4,000 people. Here is a direct quote from the CNN website taken one minute ago.

"Eleven people were arrested for being in possession of police uniforms, a police spokesman told CNN. They had earlier been stopped while riding in an armored personnel carrier near Bishopsgate, close to the Bank of England. Another two people were arrested outside the bank for violent disorder and threatening behavior.

Protesters occasionally lunged forward against the police line, and one masked protester hit out at officers with a long black pole. One police officer was whisked to the side after apparently being hit. Police held their line and occasionally pushed protesters back with their hands.

A police spokesman refused to confirm whether officers had been injured. "On the whole, it's not been too bad," he said when pressed about the nature of the protests.
"

BBC talks about windows at the bank being smashed and some police officers being pelted with "fruit, flour and empty beer cans".

Sure, not pleasant, but it's not as if there are stabbings and gunfire going on. Good grief, this is England by George!

[fernie fox]

It was a quiet Demonstration,unfortunately when the demonstrators tried to leave the area,the police had blocked off all exits

Who knows why, but apparrently that was when things got a little rough.

[Glimmerglass]

A very nice looking couple of greys (http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//090401/481/10f1c29dc73748fb9ab7905bcc3ab0a1/)

[danceronice]

Sure, not pleasant, but it's not as if there are stabbings and gunfire going on. Good grief, this is England by George!

Well, given the history of people who protest World Bank meetings and trade meetings and the like, better safe than sorry. They tend to be a violent crowd.

[2DogsFarm]

Great pic Glimmerglass!

It appears the Police horses have riot gear on as well as their riders.

[Glimmerglass]

Sure, not pleasant, but it's not as if there are stabbings and gunfire going on. Good grief, this is England by George!

Well this was a London protest in Jan 11, 2009 - so not exactly eons ago (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1111203/Protesters-clash-police-100-000-strong-London-Gaza-demo-descends-violence.html) and I'd direct folks to this image at that protest of the mounted police and protestors: your man isn't offering tea to that horse (http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/01/10/article-1111203-0302A269000005DC-370_468x286.jpg)

[JSwan]

Well, given the history of people who protest World Bank meetings and trade meetings and the like, better safe than sorry. They tend to be a violent crowd.

Yeah - I'm afraid to look at the news. A routine meeting is usually pretty violent.

Glimmerglass - great photos but I'm afraid if I had a gun I might be tempted to shoot that protester. Nothing is quite as vile as a person would harm an animal or a child. Vile.

[Kate66]

Well this was a London protest in Jan 11, 2009 - so not exactly eons ago (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1111203/Protesters-clash-police-100-000-strong-London-Gaza-demo-descends-violence.html) and I'd direct folks to this image at that protest of the mounted police and protestors: your man isn't offering tea to that horse (http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/01/10/article-1111203-0302A269000005DC-370_468x286.jpg)

I'm not saying that there are never riots - Nottinghill riots, eons ago, were very violent. The protests yesterday were not riots. I don't see a single report of stabbing or gunfire from yesterday. Throwing shoes and flour. The article that you quote, from that reputable paper - the Daily Mail - also, actually, if you read it talks about 3 police officers being injured - no stabbings or gunfire there either, mostly property damage.

[Moesha]

Smashing windows at the RBS and BOE is pretty violent to me, one person died and I'm not sure I want to know what it takes to be "riot" labled if some of yesterday's behavior in The City was not considered so by some. Anarchists and opportunites who had little knowledge of what they were even there for and are there just to have something to do...people are suffering and the world economy is teetering...but violence is not going to do anything to help..strength, honest conviction and hard work will.

[twobays]

Smashing windows at the RBS and BOE is pretty violent to me, one person died and I'm not sure I want to know what it takes to be "riot" labled if some of yesterday's behavior in The City was not considered so by some. Anarchists and opportunites who had little knowledge of what they were even there for and are there just to have something to do...people are suffering and the world economy is teetering...but violence is not going to do anything to help..strength, honest conviction and hard work will.

The NYT is saying that the man who died just collapsed and was dead. They're thinking it was a preexisting condition...it wasn't like he was clubbed over the head or anything.

It looks like its quieting down today, but yesterday was without question a riot. When people are burning effigies and screaming about killing people, that's pretty freaking violent!