Tory GLA member attacks G20 protestor for aiming to make money from her alleged mistreatment by police

Often controversial (see here and here), London Assembly Brian Coleman has today said, according to a press release from London Assembly Conservatives, that he believes that the woman struck by a policeman during G20 protests outside the Bank of England is looking to make a “quick buck”.

Newspapers are reporting that Nicola Fisher has hired publicist Max Clifford with the aim of selling her story for £50,000.  Mr Coleman said:

“This is utterly disgraceful profiteering from someone who was on an anti-capitalist demonstration. Nicky Fisher turned up to this protest, which everyone said could be violent. She put herself in this situation and lo, she was hit. It’s like going gambling and then complaining that you’ve lost money. All right-thinking people will have little sympathy for her. The police were dealing with a very serious situation caused by some very silly people.”

On Platform today, David Davies MP defends the police's handling of the G20 demonstrations.  On CentreRight yesterday Graeme Archer said that the G20 incidents made the case for thorough reform of the police.

Tim Montgomerie

Comments

[Norm Brainer]

Good on her!

It was all a bit of a farce anyway about the anti-capitalistness of it - they were complaining they don't want money, yet having a go at the bankers for losing their money.
Which is why I think it didn't get too riotous as people weren't too sure what to riot about.

[Martin Coxall]

Why the hell shouldn't she attempt to profit from her drubbing at the hands of Her Majesty's Finest?

Aren't we Tories? Don't we approve of individual enterprise?

[rugfish]

"The police were dealing with a very serious situation caused by some very silly people.”

Eh?

The police were acting illegally and she is entitled to claim against them and to fund the dislocation of her jaw bone and the facial surgery and the anxiety and the upset and the fear she may have of police for the rest of her life and the time off from work she might have to suffer attending court against the evil b*st*rd.

MP's are the last to talk to the public about claiming money for public affairs.

[Mark Hudson]

An anti-capitalist making money from this. Love it.

[Alexander Smith]

The police may have behaved outrageosly, and if so the offending officer should be disciplined and if she needs medical treatment- which she has to pay for out of her own pocket- then it should be paid for her.

However, she is also now using her ordeal for publicity, which is shameful and also outrageous. One can condemn the actions of the police whilst also condemning this individual's tawdry attempt to make a buck from it.

[DCMX]

She has certainly forfeited any high ground in my opinion and you have to love an anti-capitalist making money out of the capitalist press!!! Betcha she doesn't give the money away.

[Pete]

Of course the Police should just let them run riot to burn and smash their way around London causing million of damage.

[Pete]

I should add for a demonstration involving thousand of potentially violent people and thousand of Police maintaining order - with hundreds of cameras - only two incidents were recorded that might cause some concern regarding Police behaviour. I think they did a splendid job when confronted by that baying mob.

[Paul]

If the woman makes money by selling her story - good on her. It would be a different story if she was making money from the tax payer - Then her actions in taunting the police should be held against her.

On the other hand - The young "hot-head" police officer overstepped the mark. Here's hoping that there is a robust disciplinary procedure in place that deals with his actions and not one that turns it into a "disciplinary by media" with action taken only because it will make some-one else look good in the press.

[Catriona Mackenzie]

She's utterly vulgar. I saw all of those G20 protestors, they are so smug and have huge chips on their shoulders.

Those folks are just crusties, they need to have a good bath, before going out into the public domain and destroying the quality of our air, they're pollutants.

[Matt Oliver]

Least its not taxpayers money... anyone taken a look at Brian Coleman's expenses recently

Pot, Kettle anyone...

[pp]

Why is it any of his business?

What does he suggest - gagging people with complaints against the police? That would be in line with making it illegal to take their photos. Especially when the hide their ID numbers.

Are you sure he isn't part of Jacqui Smiths team at the home office?

[Cleethorpes Rock]

Maybe she needs the money for her council tax to pay for all of Coleman's cab fares.

[Deborah]

"Nicky Fisher turned up to this protest, which everyone said could be violent. She put herself in this situation and lo, she was hit."

She might have expected to get hit by a protestor - but by a policeman?

Brain Coleman has some strange views.

[Serf]

Those folks are just crusties, they need to have a good bath, before going out into the public domain and destroying the quality of our air, they're pollutants.

That does not change the fact that this women was the subject of police brutality. If she sells her story, good luck to her.

It makes her a hypocrite, but so what. We never thought that all these property is theft types were non materialist did we?

[Victor, NW Kent]

I can definitely say that I have never been injured in a demonstration. That is because I regard civil disorder as a crime. However, I did march against the Iraq invasion, peaceably.

It was perfectly apparent to all who joined that this would lead to some element of violent confrontation. The video appears to show her shouting at the policeman and moving towards him.

If there only three injuries then the police did well. One died that day, perhaps of some illness aggravated by a policeman. Take any group of 25,000 people anywhere any time and there is likelihood of one of them dying on any given day.

It would have suited some of the extremists if many had been killed and injured.

[Forlornehope]

She sounds pretty despicable. However, under the laws of England, being despicable does not constitute grounds for being beaten up by the police; nor does being obstreperous and shouting obscenities at a police officer. By all accounts the officer concerned was a sergeant. He should have known better than to respond as he did.

[Ross Warren]

If this woman was abused by an overzealous public servant then really she has the law on her side. As it is the public will expect some punishment to be meted out to those officers who misbehaved. I would like to see her compensated and the officer formally told off. If that is she is an innocent victim of directed premeditated blows. Hotheads are bad new on either side of the divide between the public and the population.
I can only comment on what I have been selectively shown by the press. The case of the man who died shortly after being rugby style knocked over by an officer. Looks to be an unfortunate incident in every respect
and it has left a very bad impression of policing in general. Its simply not OK to play these incidents down, or make accusation's against innocent parties.

[Nigel Fletcher]

Someone please lock Brian in his office before he finds his way to a microphone or camera. You know it makes sense.

[Thatcherite88]

The police may have been acting illegally, but the use of the force was entirely justified. The woman should sue, of course she should, but I hope that the judge uses common sense and exonerates tyhe police from any wrongdoing - in a crisis one should not be held responsible for acting when threatened!

[Former friend of Freer]

Oh dear. Brian is off attacking private individuals who are bringing law suits.

Last time he did that at Barnet Council it cost the taxpayers there millions in legal costs.

For those who don't follow Barnet's news, in the year the, supposedly, Conservative Council lost £27 million on a gamble in Iceland, put up Council Tax by the highest amount in London the 'fat cat' Councillors hiked some of their allowances by nearly 50%.

So is really on the take and on the make?

How can Conservatives in Barnet and Camden replace this man with someone who doesn't bring the party into disrepute?

[Helen]

I understand Max Clifford will be her agent. She will be lucky to see any of her ill- or otherwise-gotten gains.

[TimberWolf]

...and Brian Coleman is going to be Mayor of Barnet!

[matthew]

What an idiot. She was attacked by the police. She commited no crime. She is not even sueing the police, she is just trying to sell her story.

He is acting as if she is one of those criminals who sues because their porridge was cold in prison.

Coleman should keep his mouth shut.

[Cleethorpes Rock]

What's the point of Brian Coleman?

[JRH]

"An anti-capitalist making money from this. Love it."

It's a gross and ignorant assumption that she's necessarily anti-capitalism. (she might be, but since on-one's asked her, there's no way of knowing).

Has it not occurred to you that some of those protesters might hold views not that far from your own?

Not every protest is made up of unwashed crusties, baying for new socialist/anarchist dawn. Some of us are poltically moderate and increasingly frustrated and angered by the lack of viable political representation.

This idiot's pronouncements don't help matters one little bit.

[Graeme Archer]

Brian Coleman thinks the *demonstrator* looked a bit funny? Shame on you who agree with him. The day you deserve to get beaten by a cop because you dress funny is the day this country really is in trouble.

Times ten to the folk who suggest Mr Coleman should keep his stupid mouth shut in future. He's a disgrace to Tory London.

[Steve Foley]

I haven't previously been a fan of Brian Coleman but he may well have a point here. Well seen she went to Max Clifford who will spin anything for a buck. Nuff said.

[Sally Roberts]

I agree with Steve Foley on this. It has to be seen as a little strange for an avowed "anti-capitalist" to go to Max Clifford and to receive £50,000 for her story. Is she going to give this to charity? I think we should be told.

[Edward Huxley]

If you choose to attend a protest where vioence is likely, don`t be surprised if you find it.

[Edward Huxley]

Correction. Should be violence!

[Former PTU Coy Cdr]

As an ex police officer with considerable hands-on experience of public order policing in far worse situations than this I assure you that the police officers filmed in these incidents gave the impression of being a disorganised and undisciplined rabble. Bellowing "Keep back!" and lunging at the crowd just increased the tension. Their demeanour was aggressive. There was no evidence of drill or discipline in their handling of the situation and the back-handed swipe by the Sergeant represented an appalling loss of control and was simply an unprovoked assault. Make no excuses for them. That woman represented no threat or danger beyond nuisance and if she was acting illegally she should have been arrested. The police seemed scared if not in a state of actual panic. It was a disgraceful spectacle. If civil police officers are going to be entrusted with paramilitary weapons, equipment and tactics then they need the requisite paramilitary discipline, drill and supervision. No amount of macho posturing, physical fitness routines or "hard man" pretence substitutes for this. Unfortunately one of the best police forces in the world for professional, effective and above all proportionate public order policing was abandoned by the British government in 1997 (largely due to the Conservatives) and no attempt was made to utilise their training, skill or experience to improve the British police. The Home Office and ACPO had "nothing to learn" from these colonial types. The consequences of that arrogant dismissal were all too plainly demonstrated during the G20 disturbances when the Met showed themselves to be rank amateurs, who through unprofessional, heavy-handed hostility and unnecessary aggression alienated the goodwill of the public and exacerbated the situation. "Up for it"? Sadly, no.

[pp]

Now it turns out that Tomlinson's attacker is being charged with manslaughter.

Unlike demendez, the police couldn't get all the footage in time.

Thank goodness for mobile phones.

Or will the phone owners be prosecuted for taking the photos?

Oh well, I am sure Jacqui Smith will tell us it would be 'irresponsible' to have done any thing else.

[James Cullis]

at last some1 w2ho wil;; stand up for social order

[The Bishop Swine]

"Now it turns out that Tomlinson's attacker is being charged with manslaughter"

A most unfortunate series of events. The young officers life is now going to be ruined becuse of a momentary lapse of control. He appeared to bring Tomlinson down with a single rugby style bump. Of course there is also a family morning the loss of a Father and Grandfather. I think that is about all we can say until the case comes to court. I think we can all agree that this is a tragic case for all concerned.

[Cheap Jordans]

One thing that surprised me in my own happiness project is the truth of the proposition that Novelty and challenge bring happiness~