The boys in blue do it again and get caught again

Just when you think you had seen all the police violence and miscarriages of justice you could take for this year, along comes another one, this time in Bolton. Alan Clough, a 63 year old veteran anti-Fascist campaigner was protesting against the EDL in Bolton several months ago. He was arrested and accused of physical assault against the police. But, as luck would have it, Granada TV had a very different tale to tell based on their film from the day. It shows that far from attacking the police, Mr Clough was the victim of an unprovoked attack from the police. Charges against Mr Clough were dropped and Greater Manchester Police are now conducting an internal investigation.

I wonder if the Independent Police Complaints Commission will find anything of interest or will it be like the Tomlinson and De Menezes cases. Interestingly the officer who struck a woman at the G20 demo last year was on duty outside Downing St last week during the anti-cuts demo. He was another who was acquitted with no action following. Just as well that nobody was carrying a dangerous looking orange drink carton or he would have struck out again.

Here is a poem on police violence by Richard Frankland - says it all really about police actions in this democratic green and not so pleasant land.

In the back of a van they beat him.

Grown men enforcing the law,
on a teenager who has had to fend for himself,
since he was eight and probably more.
They beat him to teach him a lesson,
that violence doesn't pay!
They beat him so he would respect them,
through fear he might not do it again.
The beat him in a van,
parked out the way of prying eyes
because they are the law and they can do what they like.
Or so they like to think.
They beat him and his resentment grew.
They beat him and his anger brewed.
They beat him and revenge he planned,
respect was lost and won't be found.
They beat him and they will again,
or someone else to show their hate.
Of the scum that scourges our pleasant land,
but in doing so they are the same.
No different, no far far worse.
As they are the ones that we should trust,
look up to and be inspired by.
Yet I'm not sure that we can,
whilst this goes on in the back of a van.