EXCLUSIVE: The man who found himself at the centre of a major armed police response as he exercised in a 'gym vest' at a Salford park has spoken of the moment he heard cops shout 'shoot him if he moves'
I just don’t see the need for him to be cuffed once the police know it’s a skipping rope and he’s no threat.
As for “no big deal”, it’s also about optics and respect. A lot of law enforcement techniques are about imposing lack of personhood on someone and by limiting those impositions it shows that the individual isn’t a threat and is being treated as something other than a criminal.
“I said to the police, ‘it’s better safe than sorry’,” he said. “I’m not blaming the police, they were very nice with me. I was being nice with them, we work together. That’s why we pay our taxes so we keep ourselves safe.”
Again, I don’t think he took issue with being processed in handcuffs after being mistaken for a suicide bomber.
I didn’t say don’t take him back to be processed.
I just don’t see the need for him to be cuffed once the police know it’s a skipping rope and he’s no threat.
As for “no big deal”, it’s also about optics and respect. A lot of law enforcement techniques are about imposing lack of personhood on someone and by limiting those impositions it shows that the individual isn’t a threat and is being treated as something other than a criminal.
“I said to the police, ‘it’s better safe than sorry’,” he said. “I’m not blaming the police, they were very nice with me. I was being nice with them, we work together. That’s why we pay our taxes so we keep ourselves safe.”
Again, I don’t think he took issue with being processed in handcuffs after being mistaken for a suicide bomber.