Why did the police punish bystanders? – Times
“At 8.45pm, as the last protesters were allowed to leave, I asked the police about the tactics. One said the intention was to keep demonstrators there until all they wanted to do was head quietly home. That does not explain the slow territory squeeze.
“Another suggested that keeping the crowd until it got violent was a useful way to identify troublemakers before the G20 proper began. Those are good operational strategies. But they are not a justification. The police should not have the authority to enact collective punishment.”
Comment: “I was there to have a look at a protest but was trapped in for five hours in increasing danger. I asked a police woman what she gained from not letting my injured and innocent friend out. She replied that ‘Maybe you’ll think twice before coming to a protest’. It’s not their job to prevent protest.”
territory squeeze: a strategy called ‘the kettle‘, protesters herded into an area and kept there for hours.
“I’ve suddenly gone from being an outside observer to being one of 2000 people (not all of whom were protesters, I can assure you) trapped in the middle….”