Matthew Thompson Profile picture
Jun 6, 2020 8 tweets 5 min read Read on X
Still tense here outside Downing Street as punches are thrown at police and they try and force the crowd back down Whitehall.

Now it’s just become a stand off as the protestors won’t budge.

@LBC @LBCNews
Now decending close to a full blown riot here on Whitehall as police in full riot gear attempt to kettle the protestors, and violent scuffles break out all over the street.

@LBC @LBCNews
Prayers in the midst of a protest that is losing control.

Extraordinary contrast.

#BlackLivesMatter #BLMLondon

@LBC @LBCNews
It’s calmer now as police have formed a cordon right around the protestors on Whitehall.

There are still sporadic outbreaks of violence, in spite of chants of “no violence” from many in the crowd.

A lot of people here now just cold and want to go home.

#BlackLivesMatter
We’ve now been cordoned here on Whitehall by police for around 2 hours. The cordon is slowly tightening around us, shrinking every few minutes.

Atmosphere much calmer. But I do question the wisdom of squeezing us ever tighter together making it harder to socially distance...
Crowd is getting restless. Chants of “let us go”. And one man in particular is repeatedly charging at the police lines, creating a potential flash point each time.

@LBC @LBCNews
One officer tells me part of the delay in letting people leave is that they may all have to give their details under so-called Section 50 powers.

Those say anyone suspected of anti-social behaviour has to give their details to police. Certainly some here in that category...
As the crowd dwindles behind the police line at the Cenotaph, that’s me signing off for the night.

The protestors will be back tomorrow, the police will be back tomorrow, and therefore I’ll be back tomorrow.

Catch it all on @LBC from 2pm. Image

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More from @mattuthompson

Mar 8, 2023
I’m afraid Nick Robinson on @BBCr4today rather let Suella Braverman get away with it this morning.

He tried to pin her down on the lack of safe legal routes to the UK. She referenced the UN resettlement scheme.

But that is not relevant to the discussion. A short 🧵
It has to do with the distinction between refugees and asylum seekers. They are often fleeing very similar situations. But there’s a key difference.

Refugees are already legally recognised. Asylum seekers are not, and must make a claim. It is their human right to do so.
The UN resettlement scheme that Braverman referenced *only deals with legally recognised refugees*.

Often from camps in neighbouring countries to the one they’re fleeing.

People who come to the UK via this route are already recognised and do not enter the asylum system.
Read 6 tweets
Mar 6, 2023
NEW: Now that Wayne Couzens’ court proceedings have ended, @policeconduct have published their full report into a WhatsApp group of Met officers that he was part of, which shared racist, sexist and homophobic content.

A warning. Deeply offensive content

policeconduct.gov.uk/sites/default/…
Two of the members of the WhatsApp group, Joel Borders and Jonathan Cobban, were sentenced to prison last year.

They and four other officers were dismissed for gross misconduct.

Some examples of the messages follow.

Once again, a content warning.
A discussion on the WhatsApp group between Wayne Couzens, Joel Borders and Jonathan Cobban about Hounslow is truly eye opening in its open, virulent racism.
Read 6 tweets
Mar 6, 2023
Am at the Old Bailey today for the sentencing of Sarah Everard’s killer, Wayne Couzens.

He is already spending the rest of his life in prison, but will be further sentenced for three incidents of flashing.

The last of those occured just days before he murdered Sarah.
The sentencing is underway.

Couzens is appearing via video link from HMP Frankland, where he is serving his whole life sentence.

He is wearing a grey, prison issue tracksuit, and has a long grey beard.

The prosecution are setting out the facts of the case.
The first incident occured in woodlands in Kent, on 13th November 2020. A lone female cyclist was on a narrow rural lane, and Couzens stepped out, totally naked.

He proceeded to pleasure himself whilst looking at her.

She cycled on, and reported it to police.
Read 11 tweets
Jun 13, 2022
You can watch today's Court of Appeal hearing on the Rwanda policy live on YouTube, here:

The central argument in the appeal, currently being put forward by Raza Husain QC, is that Mr Justice Swift "erred in law" in his judgement on Friday, when he denied the request for a ban on Tuesday's flight to Rwanda.
The Court of Appeal has just heard that there are now only 11 people due to be on tomorrow's flight to Rwanda.

Today's @thetimes report is raised as evidence that it may even be in single figures.
Read 12 tweets
May 20, 2022
The NI Protocol, according to @SpeakerPelosi, must be kept because it "preserves the important progress and stability forged by the [GFA] accords."

Any US journalists want to ask her from me how she squares that with the fact the very institutions it "forged" aren't operating?
Like. It should be painfully apparent to anyone who is actually observing the situation in Stormont with a modicum of objectivity, that far from preserving the stability forged by the GFA, the Protocol is actually actively undermining it.
I say once again, I am not taking a position on whether the Protocol is desirable, or whether the DUP and others are right to be boycotting Stormont.

The fact is that they are. And they're doing so *because of the Protocol*.

So how can it be a guarantor of stability?
Read 4 tweets
May 19, 2022
BREAKING: The @metpoliceuk investigation into #Partygate, Operation Hillman, has concluded, the police say.

In total, 126 fines were issued.

@LBC
We now actually have some interesting information about the rationale and methods in the police investigation.

The Met say they do not normally conduct retrospective investigations. But exceptions were made for "flagrant breaches", as follows: When subject knew it was an offence  When not investigating
Operation Hillman involved 12 full-time officers, and the total cost was approximately £460,000.
Read 8 tweets

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