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Post by Jerry1971 on Feb 13, 2020 13:54:59 GMT
I care as much as any of us about ensuring our planet is sustainable for future generations, and clearly with this now being a major item on the agenda of public debate we are getting to the point where actions are being taken, and in fairness in Cambridge, action has been taken for many years by the Council in particular. Note the new electric taxis as just one example. However, I absolutely do not support Extinction Rebellion (XR) one little bit. They have transcended beyond a climate change protest movement to an anti-capitalist loony cult (in my opinion :-) ) and we've seen their pathetic demonstrations become more and more frequent since last summer. Next week they plan to completely blockade Fen Causeway, Trumpington Street and Lensfield Road unless their crazy demands made to Cambridge University, Cambridge City Council and Cambs County Council are not met. This is blackmail, pure and simple. They want Cambridge City Council to divest decision making control to a citizens assembly with mandatory decision making authority - probably the most anti-democratic thing I've heard in a long time. So next week, from Sunday 16th - Sunday 23rd February, Cambridge could well be brought to a total standstill as a result of these illegal actions. Twittersphere has, as always, begun to fightback. If you don't wish to spend next week going precisely nowhere, or, like me, you think that the ballot box is the best response to things we don't like, then please have a look at the petition below, and hopefully sign it! www.change.org/p/chief-constable-nick-dean-stop-the-extinction-rebellion-roadblock-in-cambridgeSo far, the Police have been 'stand-off' in their approach to XR's demos, allowing them to take place, even when Highways have been blocked in direct contravention of the Highways Act. This time however is very different. Just think for a moment if you or your family/friends etc need urgent medical attention and the ambulance can't reach you, just as exactly what happened in London last year?
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cambcam
Reserve team substitute
Posts: 2,590
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Post by cambcam on Feb 13, 2020 15:07:41 GMT
To be quite honest I’d be livid if the police sat back and handed control to XR. They’re clearly empowered by their ‘successes’ in London and their arrogance and sense of entitlement needs to be stopped.
I’ve complete empathy for the desire to increase awareness of climate change and influence policy, but their methods are creating hate and division in an already terribly divided society. I agree wholeheartedly this Cambridge campaign is no more than blackmail and absolutely should not be allowed to succeed.
I agree too that XR is much more than a climate change movement and is an anti-capitalist protest group attracting the usual lunatics. How the scientists deal with the undermining nutcases is going to interesting watching, and unfortunately, there are rather a lot of them.
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Post by Jerry1971 on Feb 13, 2020 15:12:00 GMT
Thanks cambcam, I had a feeling you'd agree! Please sign if you can!
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lesj
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Post by lesj on Feb 13, 2020 16:24:26 GMT
Give them 10 minutes to move before putting the fire hoses on them.
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Post by mike_CUFC on Feb 13, 2020 16:59:49 GMT
Give them 10 minutes to move before putting the fire hoses on them. Like the sound of that idea, though 10 minutes perhaps a little generous.
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cambcam
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Post by cambcam on Feb 13, 2020 17:48:12 GMT
The authorities have got a problem on their hands with the disruptive efficiency any rent-a-mob can be mobilised with in the age of digital communication. Irrespective of the ‘cause’, you simply can’t have groups attempting to paralyse society and blackmail authorities into meeting their demands.
It’s going to be interesting seeing how the government and police respond to this. I’m hoping the police clear anyone blocking any road or causing an obstruction immediately and kettle them in large groups, holding them at length until they quite literally start pis*ing and shi*ting themselves, using whatever force is necessary.
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Post by Jerry1971 on Feb 13, 2020 18:35:34 GMT
Give them 10 minutes to move before putting the fire hoses on them. For many of them the fire hoses would represent the first shower of the decade. Perhaps we should all attend to provide soap?
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Post by scooterboy on Feb 13, 2020 20:20:34 GMT
Really get pissed off with the police and their stand off attitude to this if it was some right wing group doing it they would wade in batons raised
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cambcam
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Post by cambcam on Feb 13, 2020 21:54:45 GMT
Really get pissed off with the police and their stand off attitude to this if it was some right wing group doing it they would wade in batons raised There is some truth in that. Not only that, the XR lefties would be incandescent with rage if the police sat back and allowed a right of centre protest group to claim the streets. It just wouldn’t be allowed to happen. It’s one of the many double standards that people are really getting pissed off about and was a significant contributor to the left getting a ballot-box kicking at the last election.
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Post by Jerry1971 on Feb 13, 2020 23:03:59 GMT
So, for this evening’s entertainment, XR Loony Cult members have successfully halted the Cambridge City Council annual budget meeting to the point where it has now been postponed. Once again, the Police stood by and watched. Complete and total double standards again.
Why are these law breakers not being arrested?
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Mark of Carnage
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Responsibility, Resilience, Respect
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Post by Mark of Carnage on Feb 14, 2020 1:02:15 GMT
So, for this evening’s entertainment, XR Loony Cult members have successfully halted the Cambridge City Council annual budget meeting to the point where it has now been postponed. Once again, the Police stood by and watched. Complete and total double standards again. Why are these law breakers not being arrested? to having all the councillors arrested. I know you are anti all things fluffy but if you really do yearn for the kind of police state you seem keen on or even just want effective law enforcement maybe cutting the number of police officers and slashing the budget of the ministry of justice wasn't the cleverest thing to do. Seriously though, protest is very much a part of our democratic process and police are right to take a proportionate approach and give the people they serve a level of respect.
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Post by shaggy09 on Feb 14, 2020 4:51:27 GMT
I can't believe that this increasingly power crazy XR Cambridge are going to be allowed to block a public highway for a week. Their demands are just blackmail, if they want to do something go and protest in China! As someone who has to drive to work in Cambridge i should be allowed to proceed on a public road.
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cambcam
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Posts: 2,590
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Post by cambcam on Feb 14, 2020 10:12:22 GMT
So, for this evening’s entertainment, XR Loony Cult members have successfully halted the Cambridge City Council annual budget meeting to the point where it has now been postponed. Once again, the Police stood by and watched. Complete and total double standards again. Why are these law breakers not being arrested? Seriously though, protest is very much a part of our democratic process and police are right to take a proportionate approach and give the people they serve a level of respect. Seriously Mark, seriously? Are you really ok with the police standing by and letting members of the public cause an obstruction by blocking our streets, with the subsequent impact of anger on others? Would this apply to a right of centre protest group whose beliefs you disagreed with, never mind the blackmailing tactics too?
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Post by spyros on Feb 14, 2020 10:55:37 GMT
Baby, Everything is alright, Uptight, Emboldened right.
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Mark of Carnage
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Responsibility, Resilience, Respect
Posts: 2,558
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Post by Mark of Carnage on Feb 14, 2020 11:16:15 GMT
Seriously though, protest is very much a part of our democratic process and police are right to take a proportionate approach and give the people they serve a level of respect. Seriously Mark, seriously? Are you really ok with the police standing by and letting members of the public cause an obstruction by blocking our streets, with the subsequent impact of anger on others? Would this apply to a right of centre protest group whose beliefs you disagreed with, never mind the blackmailing tactics too? Some emotive language there but essentially yes to both. The right to protest and have an impact through action is legitimate politics and has a long history in this country. I am commited to democratic processes and will defend anyone's right to protest whether I agree with them or not. The police are only there to protect people and property and to preserve the peace which isn't always best served by wading in. The police are right to keep out of it. If you lot get into an altercation with each other then the police may need to intervene which is why it's good that they are there but let's hope it doesn't come to that.
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