Forest Gate 2
I told some sceptical people, shortly after the arrest of some young Muslims accused of plotting to behead a British soldier that they would more than likely be released without charge.
It was, I said, now the standard way of doing things for the police: Arrest people, tell everyone what they are supposed to have done, gain the kudos and then quietly release them a little later without charge.
We shouldn't be grateful that they weren't shot (but we are). We should be worried that the police are wasting so much time generally, and then damaging people's lives in these cases more specifically.
The police need help, they need to remember their raison d'etre. They need to start arresting people who've actually committed a crime.
It was, I said, now the standard way of doing things for the police: Arrest people, tell everyone what they are supposed to have done, gain the kudos and then quietly release them a little later without charge.
We shouldn't be grateful that they weren't shot (but we are). We should be worried that the police are wasting so much time generally, and then damaging people's lives in these cases more specifically.
The police need help, they need to remember their raison d'etre. They need to start arresting people who've actually committed a crime.