Tory Conference protests overseen by police snipers

by Kit

The Conservative Party Conference (CPC) drew 80,000 out on to the streets of Manchester to protest government’s austerity policies. The expected parties were all in attendance. The People’s Assembly, The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, various unions were representatives. Billy Bragg sang, Charlotte Church spoke, Jeremy Corbyn will be speaking.

Oh, and there were police snipers on rooftops:

https://twitter.com/BenWhittingham2/status/650650558785810432

https://instagram.com/p/8aVdXlybk7/

A representative of the Manchester police had this to say, by way of explanation:

It is an ongoing observation of the biggest march that has ever been in Manchester because of the Tory Party conference. But they are there purely for observation and supporting the police at the march as it’s a major public event. They are high up for that reason, to observe. And they [the guns] are used for their powerful sight, which is stronger than any pair of binoculars. They are not there to shoot people.

Glad we were able to clear that up. So – if you’re ever at an anti-government rally, and feel the gentle warmth of a laser dot on your forehead, don’t worry, it’s just observing you. Because binoculars are rubbish.

In turn, of course, anybody choosing to observe Her Majesty’s jubilee parade from the roof of a London office building with a scoped rifle will be permitted to do so. Because scopes work so well, and there’s no reason whatsoever to assume a rifle would be used to shoot somebody.

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