This is an astonishing video posted on YouTube that purportedly shows police officers smashing the windows of the car of retired businessman Robert Whatley, 70, and then dragging him from car.
Notably, the driver complained “It’s something you might expect in America but not in the quiet of the British countryside.”
By the way, the police reportedly pursued him for not wearing a seatbelt.
For more on the story, click here.
Upon reading the interview with the motorist, I don’t believe he was entirely innocent of provoking the cops.
But, the cops did clearly overact and assault the man.
Most importantly, I think, is that if you watch in the background… one cop attempts to intimidate a potential
witness bystander who stopped his car to view the trouble. The cop can be clearly seen blocking the witness and possibly shoving him back toward his private car.
When cops start trying to block witnesses like that, you can bet they know they’re acting illegally.
Turley, not gonna make the correction i mentioned in the above post?
Let me make a correction: The cops did not pull the guy thru his window because you can see the man’s legs come out of the car and land on the road when the cops pulled him out.
Anyone who’s been paying attention to the actions of British law enforcement over the past few years shouldn’t be shocked by this kind of thing. Britain’s law enforcement agencies all seem to be in competition with one another to see who can be the most authoritarian, petty, and absurd.
UK did ratify the UN Covenant which says that people aren’t to be detained without a criminal charge as recognized by international law.
Seatbelts are great but I don’t understand why people in cars should be required to wear them when people riding motorcycles don’t have to wear helmets.
Basically, I think that thugs have taken over law enforcement. The United States Marshals Service will search for people without a warrant and detain them without criminal procedure. USMS kidnapped me as part of an extortionist scheme.
“Not in Britain”? This is the nation where the police can and do observe you on closed circuit camera any time you’re in public. You don’t expect the police to think of themselves as little kings?
(That said, they WERE chasing him for at least a minute before having to corner him. Still didn’t warrant such violence, but this wasn’t going to be treated like a simple traffic stop.)
Alright EC,
So where ya been?
Anonymously Yours
1, August 10, 2010 at 11:27 am
SmallGovGuy,
You need training. Not sure if house training or obedience school is in order, but you are barking up the wrong tree here.
My point is that when the police pull someone over to fine them for no seat belt thay are no longer working to find criminals that harm others they are just acting as a collection agenct for the state.
Kay S,
Do you of Erica S in Cleveland? Another little Dutch girl..her definition.
I hang with lots of 70 YO’s, and older. If they couldn’t drive well before, they can’t now. The skilled drivers are still OK, though some have reduced vision from cataracts or macular degeneration. Most slow down a little by this point. They’re usually more patient than the rest of us. And damn few complain about four hour erections.
AY – I dont think he meant the dice game, but who really knows and who cares? probably just a stupid slang expression of some kind used by pimply teenage basement dwellers who like to claim that, not only have they been tasered too many times to count, they loved every minute of it. Hey, maybe he should run for mayor of Wasilla? He could give Levi Johnston a run for his money.
Oh I looked up farkel. Not very nice but it is a dice game. Maybe I will take a look at it.
EC,
You are back….my favorite line, by the way….I think I can see what you are saying. What does farkle or is it farkel mean?
You know Buddha has been out with a spider bite, something called a Recluse….