This Saturday approximately 10.30pm four people entred the Plough pub in Easton looking flustered. When asked if anything was up the story came out that they were walking past the play area behind Easton Community (Ha!) Centre when the two women and two men were all attacked by 17, YES, severnteen youths.
Eventially a cop car pulled up with 3 cops inside-2women and a fella driving.
They all sat inside their car while one of them chatted to one of the victims for 5 minutes. Then they proceeded to drive around, along with another cop car that had joined them pretending to be responding - they even drove up and down the cycle track a little. Well done guys-you useless waste of spaces!
This response has already been posted in the previous article, I have reposted it here because of its relevance
There is a lot of concern within Easton about a tiny minority of the community that find it acceptable to physically attack and rob other members of the community, this is anti social behaviour of the lowest order.
There are already a group of people who are taking steps to organise the rest of community to ensure that this tiny minority clearly understand that it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
If you are concerned about the problem; you might already have been attacked, know someone who already has, doesn't want to be next, or are just concerned about what is happening to other people please get involved.
I would urge people to come along to the next Partners and Community Together (PACT) meeting in Easton next month, to discuss what action can be taken. The meeting will possibly be on Thursday 9th July, but I will post the confirmed date nearer the time. The meeting will give people a chance to discuss their issues with the police and with a council representative, but also to have a meeting afterwards for everyone interested in getting involved.
We are aware that the police and council have limited resources and may not be able to solve our issues, and some people feel that we should not be looking to the authorities to solve community issues, instead we need to organise ourselves. We would be looking to organise within the law, and will not be aiming to combat this violence with more violence.
Hi, Not In My Name, you seem to be hair-splitting. The 'we' sentence is clearly a polite way of saying: 'if you want to organise some mob violence, this is not the meeting for you'.
No hard feelings, but this seems like a fair enough caveat to put on an agenda for a meeting when feelings are running understandably high after people have been attacked. The post still provides plenty of scope for constructive ideas to be shared amongst members of the community and collective action to be agreed at the meeting.
thanks for your input "not in my name". If you want names and addresses of the potential attackers, or want to know where they hang out, it's pretty common knowledge both between the local community and the police.
"we" are no authority or organisation, but a group of local people who want to solve this problem for the long term, and believe that solving it in a non-violent way would be most effective. If you don't agree with that view, than you are welcome to come along and voice your opinion or organise your own meeting.
I would like to remind you that the police will be present at the start of the meeting, and we were planning on having a separate meeting after the official PACT meeting has finished. If you intend to use solutions outside of the law, you might be better off having a meeting away from th PACT meeting where the police will be present, but that's not "us" telling you what to do, just a practical suggestion.
I'm sorry you took offence to my post, I really don't understand your agressive attitude towards people trying to organise something positive?
As someone who over the years has been to similiar meetings as the one advertised above, I would advise that it is essential to keep it really focused and to keep on just one specific problem or area (the cycle path, in this case). Get people (particularly the police) to give a firm commitment to what they are going to do. Otherwise, the whole of Easton gets discussed and in the end there is just too much to deal with and the police (and any others in influential positions) simply give wishy washy replies and nothing concrete gets done.
Keep it focussed. Deal first and thoroughly with the cycle path attacks and then - if there is still time at the meeting - move on to other things.
Disappointing to learn of another bike path attack last Friday! There may of course have been more that we aren't aware of...personally I've passed through the hot spot on the bike path quite a few times recently between 9pm and 10.15pm, and aint seen anything out of order at all. In fact I've seen quite a few people out and about looking most unconcerned, which is great. Admittedly the danger time appears to be after dark (say after 10.30pm), but not being a huge pub-goer anymore i tend not to be out so late. Noted however are a number of 'CCTV in operation' signs, but only 1 apparent camera at the bike path exit to Russell Town Av (City Academy), but who knows if it works?
There's been a suggestion that the 9 July meeting has in fact been cancelled, allegedly by the police (staff changes?). Can moral minority confirm this, especially as its only 6 days away? There is no date given on the police website, Easton beat page here http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/localpages/BeatDet...ID=88 which is in any case worth a look before dipping your toe into state control.
Also worth a look, for those who have not yet stumbled into the murky world of top down community solutions (that is, community responses imposed on communities after a modicum of consultation, that most aren't aware of and/or are unable to attend), is the Council's PACT PR here http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/press-releases/20...ct.en
PACT is part of Safer Bristol (read all about some of that here http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/community-and-...tion/). PACT of course sounds great, who doesn't want to live in a safer world? However the solutions, as gleaned from the websites, appear to be based more around criminalisation of misbehaving, and increased surveillance. We already live in the most CCTV monitored European state, is more surveillance really the solution? Is more cops/prison sentences really the solution? If they are, why? Because so far, they do not appear to be working (see endless stats on reoffending etc etc).
Cool poster by the way. If nothing else, it may get the younger generations asking 'who was Thatcher'? And hopefully their elders will pass on the appropriate warnings, including why they should never ever vote Tory!
"'nice poster, I only hope the 'muggers / robbers - are old enough to know who she was and what she did?"
That is a good point - a poster that speaks more to the muggers directly using stuff they are familiar with would be a great thing.
Unfortunately i have absolutely no idea what that would be - and i have no intention to try and pretend to be cool and say 'hey yoofs why can't you be like dizzee rascal and chuck d, cos they are nice rather than tupac or biggie'
How about a comment for a poster to be flyposted along the the cycle path reading: 'The next person who even looks as though he might mug me will get a fucking axe in the head!'
And by the way, this reason for the meeting being cancelled - that somebody has changed jobs - is absolutely typical of the mess we are in. Decisions that can effect our whole community are being made by people who do not even live here. By people who do it as 'a job' and at the end of the day toddle off back home to their own 'nicer' area or simply 'change jobs' and therefore its no longer their problem.
When are we going to fucking learn?
make this your indymedia front page
Wednesday July 01, 2009 12:28
by Local
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Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11This response has already been posted in the previous article, I have reposted it here because of its relevance
There is a lot of concern within Easton about a tiny minority of the community that find it acceptable to physically attack and rob other members of the community, this is anti social behaviour of the lowest order.
There are already a group of people who are taking steps to organise the rest of community to ensure that this tiny minority clearly understand that it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
If you are concerned about the problem; you might already have been attacked, know someone who already has, doesn't want to be next, or are just concerned about what is happening to other people please get involved.
I would urge people to come along to the next Partners and Community Together (PACT) meeting in Easton next month, to discuss what action can be taken. The meeting will possibly be on Thursday 9th July, but I will post the confirmed date nearer the time. The meeting will give people a chance to discuss their issues with the police and with a council representative, but also to have a meeting afterwards for everyone interested in getting involved.
We are aware that the police and council have limited resources and may not be able to solve our issues, and some people feel that we should not be looking to the authorities to solve community issues, instead we need to organise ourselves. We would be looking to organise within the law, and will not be aiming to combat this violence with more violence.
"We would be looking to organise within the law, and will not be aiming to combat this violence with more violence."
That's for those who turn up to the meeting to decide, not you, talking as "we".
No hard feelings, but please remember that.
This poster is being distributed on the bike path and in local pubs/ shops in easton to stimulate some discussion on anti social crime.
A notice
Hi, Not In My Name, you seem to be hair-splitting. The 'we' sentence is clearly a polite way of saying: 'if you want to organise some mob violence, this is not the meeting for you'.
No hard feelings, but this seems like a fair enough caveat to put on an agenda for a meeting when feelings are running understandably high after people have been attacked. The post still provides plenty of scope for constructive ideas to be shared amongst members of the community and collective action to be agreed at the meeting.
'nice poster, I only hope the 'muggers / robbers - are old enough to know who she was and what she did?
thanks for your input "not in my name". If you want names and addresses of the potential attackers, or want to know where they hang out, it's pretty common knowledge both between the local community and the police.
"we" are no authority or organisation, but a group of local people who want to solve this problem for the long term, and believe that solving it in a non-violent way would be most effective. If you don't agree with that view, than you are welcome to come along and voice your opinion or organise your own meeting.
I would like to remind you that the police will be present at the start of the meeting, and we were planning on having a separate meeting after the official PACT meeting has finished. If you intend to use solutions outside of the law, you might be better off having a meeting away from th PACT meeting where the police will be present, but that's not "us" telling you what to do, just a practical suggestion.
I'm sorry you took offence to my post, I really don't understand your agressive attitude towards people trying to organise something positive?
As someone who over the years has been to similiar meetings as the one advertised above, I would advise that it is essential to keep it really focused and to keep on just one specific problem or area (the cycle path, in this case). Get people (particularly the police) to give a firm commitment to what they are going to do. Otherwise, the whole of Easton gets discussed and in the end there is just too much to deal with and the police (and any others in influential positions) simply give wishy washy replies and nothing concrete gets done.
Keep it focussed. Deal first and thoroughly with the cycle path attacks and then - if there is still time at the meeting - move on to other things.
Disappointing to learn of another bike path attack last Friday! There may of course have been more that we aren't aware of...personally I've passed through the hot spot on the bike path quite a few times recently between 9pm and 10.15pm, and aint seen anything out of order at all. In fact I've seen quite a few people out and about looking most unconcerned, which is great. Admittedly the danger time appears to be after dark (say after 10.30pm), but not being a huge pub-goer anymore i tend not to be out so late. Noted however are a number of 'CCTV in operation' signs, but only 1 apparent camera at the bike path exit to Russell Town Av (City Academy), but who knows if it works?
There's been a suggestion that the 9 July meeting has in fact been cancelled, allegedly by the police (staff changes?). Can moral minority confirm this, especially as its only 6 days away? There is no date given on the police website, Easton beat page here http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/localpages/BeatDet...ID=88 which is in any case worth a look before dipping your toe into state control.
Also worth a look, for those who have not yet stumbled into the murky world of top down community solutions (that is, community responses imposed on communities after a modicum of consultation, that most aren't aware of and/or are unable to attend), is the Council's PACT PR here http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/press-releases/20...ct.en
PACT is part of Safer Bristol (read all about some of that here http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/community-and-...tion/). PACT of course sounds great, who doesn't want to live in a safer world? However the solutions, as gleaned from the websites, appear to be based more around criminalisation of misbehaving, and increased surveillance. We already live in the most CCTV monitored European state, is more surveillance really the solution? Is more cops/prison sentences really the solution? If they are, why? Because so far, they do not appear to be working (see endless stats on reoffending etc etc).
Cool poster by the way. If nothing else, it may get the younger generations asking 'who was Thatcher'? And hopefully their elders will pass on the appropriate warnings, including why they should never ever vote Tory!
"'nice poster, I only hope the 'muggers / robbers - are old enough to know who she was and what she did?"
That is a good point - a poster that speaks more to the muggers directly using stuff they are familiar with would be a great thing.
Unfortunately i have absolutely no idea what that would be - and i have no intention to try and pretend to be cool and say 'hey yoofs why can't you be like dizzee rascal and chuck d, cos they are nice rather than tupac or biggie'
Answers on a poster please
Yes, the meeting this month does seem to be cancelled as the policemen involved with Easton has apparently moved jobs
How about a comment for a poster to be flyposted along the the cycle path reading: 'The next person who even looks as though he might mug me will get a fucking axe in the head!'
And by the way, this reason for the meeting being cancelled - that somebody has changed jobs - is absolutely typical of the mess we are in. Decisions that can effect our whole community are being made by people who do not even live here. By people who do it as 'a job' and at the end of the day toddle off back home to their own 'nicer' area or simply 'change jobs' and therefore its no longer their problem.
When are we going to fucking learn?