Enforcing the Palestine Action ban is exhausting, unsustainable and making cops miserable, Met officers, government lawyers and the police federation have told Novara Media.
One officer described feeling “ashamed and sick” when they arrested a disabled person on terror charges. “That feeling won’t leave me anytime soon,” they said. Another told an arrestee it’s “not the work I came into the police to be doing”.
A Police Federation spokesperson, meanwhile, criticised the fact there are “no ‘extra’ officers” to police Palestine Action protests, putting London’s Met police in particular at high risk of burnout. “Officers are emotionally and physically exhausted,” the spokesperson said. “The demand is relentless. And it’s not sustainable.”
Officer A, who described feeling “ashamed and sick” to Novara Media on the condition of anonymity, said they were following orders that they didn’t believe in. “I was told to help in the arrest of a disabled person for holding up the sign stating they opposed genocide and supported Palestine Action, which I did."
Good job to the police for standing up against actions they believe to be wrong. /s
And this is why ACAB. Can tell it’s evil, just goes along anyway, because well, I was told to!
Yeah “just following orders” should feel shit because it’s wrong, listen to your body folks
Even the Met think it’s wrong, they are the worst force in the UK. Your off the map without a compass when the met are criticising you.
“I was only following orders”
