Another couple for you.
Several years back, I was drafted down to Bradford for what we call mutual aid as West Yorkshire Police asked for extra boots on the ground with the reason being that the far right were marching and protesting in an area that had a high Asian population, and trouble was expected as you can imagine.
I was posted to an area which protected a left wing counter protest group, and despite some world class attempts by far right infiltrators in Burberry and associated attire, that bit went fairly smoothly.
Later on, I was walking in the area with a colleague near to our bus and we were in full public order kit, minus the lid, and wearing caps when we got talking to three Asian lads after one heard my accent and asked what we were doing there. We got talking to these lads and were talking about everything except that ills of the world and cars, football, cricket etc were the talking points and we were having good craic with them until a left wing squad stood between us and them and told the lads not to talk to the police as they would be arrested. I politely pointed out that Toyota MR2 Turbo imports and Newcastle United weren't prescribed entities but it fell on deaf ears and they countered on before leaving and handed the lads their rights on cards. Strangeley enough, not a camera was in sight. The Asian lads took it in good humour and we all shook hands before going out separate ways.
A couple of years ago, I was involved in policing another protest relating to immigration. Despite numerous warnings, around half a dozen were arrested for obstruction of the highway, and I remember being a windy and wet day. I was again. on public order duties but I had the plum job of driving a riot van and avoiding the weather. One of the people arrested was a lass who was around 30 years old and bless her, she looked like a drowned rat when being led to the cage area to the back of the van prior to another transport vehicle arriving to take her to a station. I shouted at the arresting cops the put her in the back of the van I was in but not the cage as the heaters were on and in she came. The same lass saw that there was a slab of water on the bus and ever so politely asked if she could have one as she hadn't had fluids in hours. Help yourself was the reply as she was not handcuffed, and she was no bother. I don't want money or medals for this as it's the right thing to do, but again there wasn't a camera in sight. There were loads being waved about while confrontation was going on, but the media and certain groups do not like any coverage of police doing the right thing, and this is something that irks me at times.
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