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Four Scenarios On Jean Charles de Menezes

by | 3rd, November 2007

DIZZY looks at the case of Jean Charles de Menezes V The Metropolitian Police:

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner seems to be under quite a bit of pressure doesn’t he? But I can’t help wondering that no matter what had happened the same would be true as well as the widespread criticism of the Police in general, especially if you think of the possible scenarios and what would have happened after that.

Scenario 1: Jean Charles de Menezes a valid subject and taken down.

Police follow de Menezes and take him down in the same place and way as before. Inevitable inquiry finds that there were health and safety failures putting the public and police at risk as they allowed a suicide bomber to get all the way on to a train before dealing with it. Systemic operational failures cited, people call for the Commissioner to reign.

Scenario 2: Jean Charles de Menezes a valid subject who successfully detonates himself on the Tube.

Inevitable inquiry finds systemic operational failure. Total failure by the Police to reduce risk to the public under Health and Safety laws and apprehend a terrorist before he successfully carried out an operation, phrases like “they had him in their sights but failed to act” would appear in print. Calls for the head of the Met to resign.

Scenario 3: Jean Charles de Menezes a valid subject and arrested on Tube by armed officers.

Inquiry finds that the officers failed to consider the risk to health and safety of the public by allowing a valid target to get on a train, as well as causing panic on the tube with plain-clothed officers waving guns. Systematic communication failures cited as cause going up the chain of command. Calls for the Commissioner to resign appear in the press.

Scenario 4: Jean Charles de Menezes not a valid subject but arrested on the Tube and later released.

Public outrage at an innocent man being apprehended on Tube and arrested at gunpoint causing unnecessary panic at a time of heightened awareness. De Menezes takes Police to court for unlawful arrest. Evidence reveals systemic failures in the police operation. Questions are raised about the unnecessary risk posed to the public by the police for waving guns around and also the question of where the “right man” might be. At some point the Met commissioner’s head on a plate would be called for.

Having said all this I could just be a little too cynical about the way these sort of things usually pan out.

What if he had been a British subject? An Iranian?

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Posted: 3rd, November 2007 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink