I don`t envy the job our Police have to do these days, but guidelines and restriction of power are there for good reason. I appreciate they feel their hands are somewhat tied, but the fact is they are asked to control a situation at the sharp end.

I think an increasing number of people are asking who exactly is addressing the root causes for these situations. Let me state, I`m an avid anti war protester. I`ve never been involved in a riot, and I hope I always have the sense to see what`s coming, and get away from an area, as I always have thus far. I despised the riots last year, but I equally despise using them to grab further medieval powers.

Marches I have attended peacefully have often ended up in confrontation, because, whilst there is an apparent right to peacefully protest, it`s a freedom with a dictated time-scale. I`ve been on marches and have witnessed the friendly flat caps replaced by the full riot gear, which has been followed by "kettling" and violence. The tactics have been to compress people until they react, and then it`s become a free for all. The Police have a duty to themselves too, to protect the integrity they are viewed with up close.

We need the boys in blue, by God do we need them, but every single man in uniform or otherwise needs to respect the rights of people to act within the law without harassment. I know I digress a little, but all the serving Police`s kids and grand kids are inheriting what we leave behind. Our liberties are worth standing up for.