football violence vs political violence

[Ole]

And "support for the police" is not the question anyway. It's "support for anarchists/leftists who attack police". They're significantly different questions.

That's a different argument completely though. And it depends on the situation - sometimes the only way to retain public support if not sympathy is to engage in violence.

It is a different argument yes and I agree, everything's about circumstances - I'm not endorsing a principled non-violent stance. If it is more effective it is the right thing to do (given that it's justifiable in itself of course).

out of curiosity have you any evidence to support this view?

unlike ole you've got the wit not to make up claims you can't support.

He says, without waiting for an answer.

I don't have empirical evidence, like scientific polls determining how sympathetic the British public would be towards anarchists and leftists once they were to start attacking police officers - not to say that such empirical evidence of any degree doesn't exist, I don't know if it does or not - but thankfully it's not the only instrument we have to understand the world we live in, Pickman's Model. I believe fairly straightforward reasoning can lead me to the conclusion I've reached: first, people generally perceive the institution of the police as a legitimate force to maintain order, but much more than that, they view people who attack police as criminals. No poll... it just seems obvious. It's difficult to think of any instance where this hasn't been the case...

If winning public support is paramount, attacking coppers doesn't seem like a good idea at all. It carries with it a massive risk of losing substantial public support, and in my opinion, equally effective political action can usually be taken without committing yourselves to violence against police and shouldering the risk that carries.

In my opinion.

 

[Onket]

It's very unlikely we will see any large scale attacks on the Police at demos where there isn't also clear evidence of the Police acting in a way that can be seen, confining, enticing and attacking protesters. This is usually the case, anyway. There would have to be a massive re-thinking of Police tactics for this not to be the case. If that happens, then AH hss a point. In normal circs sympathy for battered coppers who hit first is limited.

 

[Pickman's model]

Ole

Just because somethings SEEMS obvious, that doesn't make it true. you've said you don't have anything, bar bluster, to support your claim. But i'll ask one last time anyway. Do you have any evidence to support your assertion?

 

[Onket]

Do you have any evidence of what people you know have talked to you about, Pickman's?

Stop asking a silly question.