Last night, the Kill the Bill protests at Bristol continued, less than a week after Sunday's violent clashes between police and the public. I say violent clashes, but what actually happened last Sunday was police moved in on peaceful protesters, many of who were sitting down, and battered them with batons and riot shields. When things inevitably kicked off, the BBC and other media outlets reversed the footage to make it look like the police were responding to violence from the public.
The media blamed the public for police brutality.
The media have been extremely reluctant to show police battering unarmed, cowering civilians, which is the first thing they would do, if they were remotely interested in journalism. Instead, they've tried to manufacture consent for the fascist state, aided and abetted by gormless Blue Ticks, many of who are well-meaning but live such a life of privilege, they can't see beyond the possibility of police being the good guys.
Avon and Somerset police were yesterday forced to admit they made up injuries sustained by police officers last Sunday, such as broken ribs and a punctured lung. And let's not get into rumours of agent provocateurs deliberately setting fire to a police van because I cannot verify this claim one way or another. But I can show you the video footage and eyewitness accounts from last night's protests. Protests at which police clearly felt angry and humiliated and got their revenge on the public in the most shocking ways imaginable, the moment it got dark.
Below is one of the most sickening things I've witnessed. Look at the ferocity of the blow which struck an innocent, peaceful woman and then tell me the culprit doesn't belong behind bars for a very long time.
Here is a police officer punching a woman right in the face for no reason. Fascism has truly arrived, folks. #BristolProtests #KillTheBill pic.twitter.com/EA6rzgyr9x
— RD Hale (@RDH4L3) March 27, 2021
Watch the police battering downed civilians with their riot shields.
Remember that this level of police violence will be justified towards ANYTHING you want to protest in the future.It's not about which side of the political spectrum you're on, it's only about maintaining power.#BristolProtests pic.twitter.com/M4bjJ92q1m— Dr Farbod Ⓥ💙 (@EmergencyBod) March 27, 2021
Just look at this and tell me it was proportionate.
After @ASPolice retracted their widely reported claims that officers suffered “broken bones” & a “punctured lung” during #BristolProtests on Sun night-this was them last night showing how to use reasonable, legitimate & proportionate force🙈 #KillTheBill pic.twitter.com/1iCAKWsram
— Aamer Anwar🎗✊🏽#BlackLivesMatter (@AamerAnwar) March 27, 2021
And here is what happened to a journalist.
Police assaulted me at the Bristol protest even though I told them I was from the press. I was respectfully observing what was happening and posed no threat to any of the officers. I have muted the latter part of the video to spare you all the pain of hearing my shrill voice. pic.twitter.com/a7a0Nnw0bG
— Matthew Dresch (@MatthewDresch) March 27, 2021
More riot shield brutality.
Cops in a Bristol now chopping at protesters on the floor with their riot shields . Disgrace. #bristol #BristolProtest #killthebill pic.twitter.com/q2OIWqr1HB
— PodcastMedia (@PodcastMedia69) March 26, 2021
And check out these injuries.
I’ve been given permission to share these pictures from someone assaulted last night in Bristol.
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) March 27, 2021
From the response of the media, police and government this either didn’t happen or is entirely fine. pic.twitter.com/kgbtGhrSLY
One of the most terrifying aspects of recent events is how the mainstream media have been so derelict in their duty of reporting the truth. There has been deliberate misrepresentation every step of the way. Police brutality has been described as "scuffles," broken windows have been described as "disgusting violence" and anyone who has condemned the actions of police has been called anything from a "conspiracy theorist" to a "lefty thug" to a person who hates this country and should leave.
Video footage has been available all along for all to see and so have the eye witness accounts. But Bristol has played out like all major protests throughout history, from the Suffragettes movement to the civil rights movement to what we're seeing today. Police brutalise protesters and lock some of them up, and the mainstream media provide their propaganda to manufacture public consent.
One BBC journalist tweeted that a recent Bristol protest was peaceful until police showed up and then he mysteriously deleted his tweet. Did his bosses have a word? BBC news reports have implied police were forced to take action at each protest in response to public violence, but this was demonstrably nonsense. Eyewitnesses have consistently reported each protest was peaceful until police arrived and attacked protesters. So how about we send no police to the next protest and see what happens?
Let's not forget, this whole situation has arisen because the Tories want to effectively ban peaceful protest and impose prison sentences of ten years on those who break their draconian laws. When you consider they are also giving secret police the power to rape and murder with impunity, things become extremely terrifying. The protest ban may not yet be law but police are already acting as though it is, and will almost certainly face no consequences for this. Let's not also forget the anti-protest bill is their baby - it only came about because of government lobbying on their part.
The police force is unquestionably a fascist organisation, operating above the law, free to brutalise and imprison whoever it pleases. And if you dare venture out to protest this, you risk becoming one of their victims and having your name dragged through the mud by the press. It is the very finest people who campaign and protest for our rights and the very worst people who try to prevent them from doing so.
It's time to decide whose side you're on because history is watching.
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