Large British anti-Austerity protest. 30K policemen joined

[alhoon]

http://news.yahoo.com/thousands-brit...141105856.html

Staggering numbers here.

"Unions predicted some 400,000 public sector workers would walk out, a smaller protest than in November when Britain saw the biggest strike in years "

"The government said only about 150,000 had taken part and dismissed the action as "futile". Cabinet Office minister Frances Maude said, "public services were mainly unaffected". "

"
Budget cuts and a government-commissioned report that recommended allowing officers to be sacked, introducing pay reductions and raising the pension age, have all caused disquiet.

However, the sight of some 30,000 police officers marching through London will be embarrassing for Cameron's centre-right Conservatives, who pride themselves on being the party of law and order."


30K policemen in an anti-austerity protest? That's something big...
I think those numbers, even the 150K one the goverment "dismisses" as small dwarfs even our protests.

I think it's complete arrogance by a goverment to say that 150K people fighting and protesting about their rights is a "futile" action and dismiss it. That's dismissing the population of a good sized town.

Also this "The Police Federation, which represents 135,000 low-ranking officers in England and Wales" 30K out of 135K low ranking is about 30% of the whole workforce!

[Big War Bird]

The purpose of a police force is to adequately enforce the law, not to provide jobs and pensions to police school graduates. The compensation tables for police officers should be focused on achieving the former.

[Thorn777]

^Yeah, free law for freedom.

Pensions...what are they thinking. Anyway. Good to see the system shooting itself in the foot. They would need those coppers the coming austerity cycles.

[alhoon]

Whether you think or not that cuts should be made, to simply dismiss a protest that 30% of the hurted profession takes part is arrogance.

[Their Law]

In this case it's largely a reaction to the pension reform plan proposed by the government.

[Big War Bird]

Whether you think or not that cuts should be made, to simply dismiss a protest that 30% of the hurted profession takes part is arrogance.

If one thinks they are wrong of course it is dismissed.

[Claudius Gothicus]

Will we be seeing a full blown class war, with street rioting, police deployments all over London and Conservative/Libdem Offices getting burned down?

[Phier]

This just in, Unions think they are deserved special treatment over other citizens, news at 11.

[alhoon]

If one thinks they are wrong of course it is dismissed.

I can understand them disagreeing. But we're talking about a huge number of people that went on the street. At least treat them with respect, say (again) the reasons you did what you did and try to see if you can do something different.

[Emperor Arcturus Mengsk]

Oh bloody nuggets, those pesky puny peasants dare walk the streets in protest again?

*Puffs a big wide cuban*

Quickly! Contact our man within BBC, get the word out just how ruinous this demonstration is to at least 6 other groups of people!

*Sips on fine wine*

[Ferrets54]

The strike was significantly smaller than all that. Alhoon's figure comes from the Unions, who have a motivation to inflate. The Government estimate was 150,000 people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18010526

It's also not really an anti-austerity strike, but a public sector strike:

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news-i...-2012051026619

[Enemy of the State]

Yay for fiscal insanity.

[ivan_the_terrible]

The strike was significantly smaller than all that. Alhoon's figure comes from the Unions, who have a motivation to inflate. The Government estimate was 150,000 people.

The OP mentions both figures...

[Thorn777]

Yay for fiscal insanity.

Yep, more taxcuts for the wealthy are needed - the wealth creators. them pensions for police officers.

Today in Holland most new police officers, or at least many, are bumbling idiots, because they lowered the educational entry level to lower the pay. A Dutch cop gets like 1500-1700 a month wage, he could make as a forklift driver. And it shows in all statistics. In Germany, where cops need a college degree and get much higher pay, there is a 60+% higher crime solving rate(dont know the English term), and I generally view German police as much more qualified people taking their state-official role much more seriously.

So yeah, dare they demand decent pay for such a job. Let alone pensions after all them 20+ hour shifts. Taxcuts is the answer...the wealthy make us safe.

[justicar5]

This just in, Unions think they are deserved special treatment over other citizens, news at 11.

This just in Bosses have been receiving special treatment forever, if austerity bites well they are the ones who got us into this they can pay for it. Confiscate the estates of all the cities management teams, that should help alot, then exile them, do it the Roman way, if they stop within 500 miles of the border hunt them down and crucify them. (Ah Fred Goodwin nailed to a cross, now there's an image to warm the heart.)

[HissingNewt]

You guys allow your police officers to go out on strike?

[magpie]

You guys allow your police officers to go out on strike?

No these people were off duty HN. No strikes allowed with cops or armed forces.

[HissingNewt]

No these people were off duty HN. No strikes allowed with cops or armed forces.

Oh, ok. I missed that part.

[Rolling Thunder]

The strike was significantly smaller than all that. Alhoon's figure comes from the Unions, who have a motivation to inflate. The Government estimate was 150,000 people.

Not that the government have any motive to understate the scale of the action either...

[alhoon]

The strike was significantly smaller than all that. Alhoon's figure comes from the Unions, who have a motivation to inflate. The Government estimate was 150,000 people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18010526

I have also given the goverment's estimation and I commented based on that. Although the goverment has motivations to deflate too. I believe in truth, there were like 200-250k.

For a democratic goverment to dismiss it as "Just 150K people" is arrogance IMO. And not all policemen are in Unions. For 30% of all the policemen to go on strike... it means 99% strongly oppose it. Since as people said those were off-duty, it's actually more than 30% of those available to go on strike.