The reason that Mark Field attacked the lady who had just passed by him was that she wore a sash clearly identifying her as a climate change protestor. She had entered with the other guests, already wearing her sash, and making no effort at concealment. Field knew exactly that she was a climate change protestor when he attacked her: it is why he attacked her. Had she just passed by him without that sash, he would not have attacked her.
There is zero history in the UK of personal violence or terrorist attack by climate change protestors and nobody could claim they had a reasonable fear that a climate change protestor was carrying a weapon – something which has simply never happened. I could equally rationally grab Mark Field by the throat any time I saw him, and claim he might have been carrying a concealed weapon because he is a Tory MP. His excuse is a complete and utter nonsense, a post hoc effort at justification.
He only had a genuine fear of her carrying a weapon if he is suffering from a serious psychological derangement, and one dangerous to the public.
Unlike Mark Field, I happen to have led a life involving real danger, and had guns pointed at my head in both Uzbekistan and Liberia, whilst in the service of the UK. But in my sixty years I have never once raised my hand in anger to a woman. Field’s unprovoked attack was cowardly and ungentlemanly in the extreme (and I really do not care if you find my attitude outdated or not).
It is worth observing that there was not a gentleman at this gathering of Britain’s bankers and upper classes. Nobody stood up to try to assist the peaceful woman who had been grabbed by the neck. Sickeningly, they applauded Field on his return. I find the extraordinary tirade of Tory defence on twitter this morning says a great deal about the kind of party it has become.
One point that appears to have been missed in media comment, is that it seems to me extremely likely that the woman had an invitation or ticket for the event. She was dressed in evening wear as the other guests, but was not attempting to infiltrate or gatecrash or she would not have worn the sash. The most probable reason for someone to follow the dress code but identify themselves with a protest sash is that they were a legitimate guest wishing to make a point.
It is essential to our society that Mark Field is immediately arrested and charged with assault. If Tories are allowed simply to assault people lest they make a speech that Tories disagree with, society has turned a corner to somewhere very dark indeed.
I totally agree with all you say. Field was not accosted by this woman she was simply passing by him, yet he took it on himself to physically assault the lady inflicting bodily harm and frog marching her out of the room. Field should be immediately arrested and face charges and imprisonment for his violent crimes
Was Field by any chance “tired & emotional” – i.e. drunk?
He wasn’t “drunk and incapable” though. Strangely enough, not matter how drunk I’ve been (and I have “tied one on” once or twice), it’s never occurred to me to jump up and assault a woman. Strange that people blame their behaviour on drink, when in my experience it only makes you less inhibited to act on existing inclinations.
FWIW, I was wondering if alcoholic beverages were served at the event. It’s in no way a justification or mitigating circumstance, but people who become restive and belligerent while drinking are primed to make just that sort of impulsive attack. It’s similar to “road rage” aggression, where the perpetrator imagines that they have been “provoked” into escalatory retaliation.
He’s yet another psycho-gammon.
It’s what they do.
That was amazing though it does tend to confirm my opinions about Conservatives whether in the UK or my own country of Canada. The really disgusting thing is the applause. Do they applaud spousal abuse too?
He only had a genuine fear of her carrying a weapon if he is suffering from a serious psychological derangement, and one dangerous to the public.
It very well could be true but he could just have been very drunk bully with a background of abusing women. I hope the police are interviewing him as I type. He also was very lucky. The woman could have been a martial arts expert fresh out of the army.
Another salutory lesson in the wisdom of taking Tory ministers at their word.
Mark Field MP
@MarkFieldUK
The UK remains committed to helping women all over the world to feel safe and protected in the work they do, so they can speak freely and be part of the change we all want. My remarks at the Westminster Hall Debate on Women Human Rights Defenders. hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-0…
11:23 – 09 May 19 Twitter Web Client
https://mobile.twitter.com/Trickyjabs/status/1141958595078184960/photo/1
Well as they enjoy their end of days jamboree – i think it unlikely they will be having many more, if hard brexit fails to be delivered – more desperate actions will be seen – blood sacrifices of virgins and animals by the score, a final plea to their god Mamon, why have you forsaken us? – why are we being chases from our promised city of the world? Oh woe is us…. etc
Us : slow hand clapping as they get on the last boat to some forsaken hell hole – like Dubai or Australia (its far away, no one can stop them doing what they like there).
And take your ugly mansion houses with you!
Disgusting that men including men in parliament to still think it’s ok to manhandle a woman in such an aggressive way ! the lady in red didn’t apear to be aggressive or be any threat at all and I couldn’t help thinking she’s wearing red and stands out like a sore thumb clearly security wasn’t concerned ,so mark field had no right at all !
Quite right. These are just the sort of people who regard themselves with a divine right to rule us all. This man is no less the political thug in black tie dress than those mafia types depicted in films such as The Godfather. Is he a member of the Friends of Israel group of MPs as that may be where he learned his craft. With the undeniable filmed evidence available the police service should be consulting the Crown Prosecution Service with a view to making an arrest and subjecting him to the full force of the law.
With Mr Johnson seemingly headed for premiership this may be taste of things to come. After all he himself has similar form from his association with Darius Guppy. It’s unbelievable that the nation votes these people into the seats of power.
These double dipping shits are not “upper class”. They are scum masquerading as “upper class”.
To paraphrase the quote of Baby Cheezus “You can’t serve the people while you are in over your head in Mammon’s filthy snatch.”
There is no democracy. It’s all an effing ruse.
I did not have the impression that the bankers applauded Field on his return. To me it sounded more like a slow handclap to indicate disapproval.
Yeah, disapproval of the protester?
As appears evident from the video, the handclapping was initiated by the MC, who for some inexplicable reason felt it appropriate to toady to this show of excessive force. Other attendees followed his lead like shameless sheep.
well, the brits are so used to toadying to displays of excessive force by the u.s. that it probably just carried over.
Very true, pretzelattack..
Absolutely disgusting behaviour – and – I do not mean on the part of the climate change protester.
We just had some Tory on Radio 4 defending him… apparently the only way to restrain a woman is by the collar but if they’re not obliging enough to wear one you have to use the neck. Was hard to believe what I was hearing…
Here’s the link… you seem to have to sign in to play which I’ll pass on… but I think it was around the middle. About the most barking interviewee I’ve ever heard…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0006158
10 minutes in, and he – Colonel Bob Stewart – is the Conservative MP for Beckenham. Shocking.
I heard that as well. Disgusted. In fact, the MP used a common rapist grip to attack the woman. Hardly, worrying about accidentally touching her chest or her thigh.
I am really shocked to learn that this has only resulted in a temporary suspension. This is evidently a public menace, who should be behind bars.
People on the wrong side of the class divide are imprisoned for far less than this in the UK.
Were these tuxedoed apes actually applausing the assault though, or was that for the speaker or something else?
If they were applauding the assault, shouldn’t that make them accessories?
I suppose it is a moot point, though, since Tories are inevitably accessories to all sorts of acts of vandalism, pillaging, exploitation, etc.. There is not enough paper to list their crimes against humanity, life and the environment.
Here is the video of the woman, after the incident, she seems completely fine and dandy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-48721509/mark-field-over-the-top-greenpeace-activist-janet-barker
She does, doesn’t she. We are programmed to put on a brave front. Meltdowns are so disturbing, especially when you’re being interviewed on camera regarding your cause. But how do you know she won’t be having nightmares tonight? Or feel the rage of being publicly humiliated? But it’s okay. She looks fine.
He voted for the invasion of Iraq – I’d put them all behind bars. But they carry on regardless as if nothing happened – because the media and the public and their peers let them. This is small beer compaired to that.
The fact that Mark Field was not taken to task by the other men in the room for his violent conduct towards a woman speaks ill of their manliness. And it shows us we have a long way to go still as a society in regards to respect to women. Well, maybe not all of us, but gatherings of the cream of the Tory party have a long way to go.
Reported he was applauded by the others present when he sat down.
Probably pent up frustration about their predicament in terms of delivering Brexit and the general mess they’ve got themselves in.
No excuse for that rough handling though. And his defence of his actions: arguing she could have been a ‘threat’ is ridiculous considering after he realised she clearly wasn’t, he proceeded to grab her by her neck and frogmarched her out with a snarl on his face.
I think it was the manic, aggressive look on his face that I found most disturbing, particularly as at that point she was not a perceived threat to anyone.
On the Victoria Derbyshire show that Tory twit Peter Bottomley spluttered that he would do the same thing as Field. Well, if he ever tries to do the same thing, I hope the woman whacks him right in the goolies. Bottomley always was a stupid runt.
Her shoe would probably connect only with bone!
I don’t think this was premeditated, but is it a case of welcome to the Boris Johnson era? “Grab ’em by the neck?” If there are any serious leftwing journalists they should be bearding Johnson, supposed shoe-in for next Tory leader, like hell for a quote. Never mind that now that the video has been published, Mark Field can’t use Johnson’s preferred method of forcing the victim to sign a non-disclosure agreement, or their fellow Tory Jeffrey Archer’s known method of passing them a couple of hundred quid on the understanding they get on a train to the continent.
That’s “shoo-in”, not “shoe-in”. Like you’d “shoo” some creature into a pen. “Shoe” makes no sense whatsoever.
In a scrum, it makes sense 😉
” Bottomley always was a stupid runt.”
.
Exactly.
I see that Mark Field is a junior foreign office minister whose department the FCO included this in its recently published report on Human Rights and Democracy (June 2019).
“One in three women worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. This makes violence against women and girls (VAWG) one of the most widespread human rights violations of our time. The UK continued to lead global efforts to eradicate VAWG in all its forms…” (p9)
He is setting a good example is n’t he? Or not.
As is his boss, the aspiring Prime Minister of whom in the same report, and thinking now of Julian Assange, it is stated: “To mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on 2 November, the Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, gave an interview —- Reflecting concern about the deteriorating situation for journalists across the world, the Foreign Secretary went on to announce in November that Media Freedom would be his priority campaign for 2019”. (pp4 – 5)
The country does have some wonderful role models to show the rest of the world how to behave Or not.
Totally agree
Another foul grunting toff. Maybe the Iranians could attach that spare limpet mine to his head.
Janet Barker should make a statement saying that
* she will cooperate fully with a police investigation into the criminal assault against her by Mark Field
* she will NOT cooperate with any investigation by the Conservative Party, whose officials can join the queue for the public gallery at the trial if they wish
* she will NOT cooperate with any investigation by the Cabinet Office prior to the verdict.
In other words she should say that she is at present ONLY willing to cooperate with an investigation into the CRIME she alleges was committed against her (and which obviously was), NOT with an investigation of which the purpose is to make a judgement on whether the perpetrator’s action was “inappropriate for a minister” or “damaging to the reputation of the Conservative Party”.
By the way, perhaps Twitter users reading this should try to goad Donald Trump into saying something about this case, because the only type of thing that nutter might say is that Field is a great man and that the video proves he was an unprovoked victim, that Barker wouldn’t be worth assaulting, or something similarly disgusting.
Last and most importantly, ANY PERSON can report a crime to the police, including if the victim doesn’t want to, including if they have only seen evidence of it on the internet, and including if it was committed at a “private” gathering of bankers and Tory politicians. Here is how to do it.
And of course it is also possible to make a citizen’s arrest, preferably in this case on film. E.g. handcuff him to something (we know he is violent!), call the police, wait for the police and when they arrive explain that you have apprehended a criminal and give them the evidence.
Absolutely, have you notice how the police, medics and other ‘professions’ have started using disciplinary hearings as a means of heading off or diminishing the prospect of subsequent criminal proceedings. The common law should always come first.
Remember when Prescott punched a protester, nothing happened to Prescott.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UhME8dcOqc
A burly ape threw an egg against his head from a yard away. He responded as most men would. Few men would do what Mark Field did.
That’s right. Prescott was mercilessly attacked by the media ast the time. Whatever faults Prescott may have, I think his was a natural reaction.
… of a type laid in Russia.
Throwing rotten eggs and vegetables at unpopular politicians is a custom of very long standing. It’s only in the last decade or so that the police and press have started to treat it as assault.
She could have been armed with a military-grade milkshake.
Of a type made in Russia.
“kind of party it has become ” ???! Always has been ; now we have video available everywhere to prove it !
This is the party whose guys stood on the steps of the Carlton Club and pelted the Jarrow marchers with bread rolls, whose leader the Duke of Wellington called his own soldiers the “scum of the earth”, etc. etc.
Add to that he did nothing to prevent her using a concealed weapon should his claimed fear have been accurate
There have also been no incidents in recent times of the ruling elite being attacked by terrorists. They target Joe public not the mansion house brigade.
“He only had a genuine fear of her carrying a weapon if he is suffering from a serious psychological derangement”
Here’s what’s going through his mind:
(consciously)
“that damned woman, those damned lefties, the damned pinko media, damned troublemakers and bolshies, they’re persecuting me for what I did on private premises, the scumsucking politically correct guttersnipes who should get back to Russia or North Korea if they don’t like it in the Queen’s country”.
(unconsciously)
“I’ve known all my life that I deserve a prolonged and damned good thrashing for how I treat people from the lower castes, who use public transport and do other dirty stuff like that”.
She wasn’t alone… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbjGwjRszhs
Aye, that’s very important context right there.
Notice how these chaps are dealing with them by body-blocking, and you can see them turning their hands outwards to avoid assault.
That’s fairly standard procedure in much of the world, other than where violence has already taken place.
So, where’d Field get the idea that you could just grab them by the scruff of the neck and frog-march them out of the room?
It’s kinda worrying on so many, many levels.
I think the austerity supporting parasites at these banquets should all hang their heads in shame.
In 1789 France, this bunch would have their heads separated from their fat bodies – maybe that’s why Mark Field and his gang are reacting so irrationally and aggresively: These bullies are real scaredy cats underneath.
Very shocking and ugly. That a member of parliament can do such a violent and angry assault, is a damning indictment of where Brexit has led this once great nation.
Tenuous at best.
Actually, we’ve been in the EU for more than forty years, so this assault should obviously be blamed on the pernicious influence of our membership of the EU. Or something.
Yeah. That pernicious influence that kicks in after 40 years. Stonking logic there, Stonky.
The MSM sure have their hymn sheets in order, and oh what a choir they are. It was a ‘confused’ situation, and it is perfectly normal that in such a ‘confused’ situation, for one to be assaulted by a shady ‘businessman’ off his tits on coke.
Unlike Mark Field, I happen to have led a life involving real danger, and had guns pointed at my head in both Uzbekistan and Liberia, whilst in the service of the UK. But in my sixty years I have never once raised my hand in anger to a woman.
That’s a bit of a non-sequitur?
Not that I disagree with the general sentiment. But then, neither do Piers Morgan and Count Dankula.
I think the intended construction is that in the face of real danger, Field’s actions may have be justifiable. On the basis of what actually happened, he’s just another Tory cokehead.
If he’s an old-style Tory, it’ll just be alcoholism. Coke is for the liberal wing of the party.
(Not so) weirdly Dankula’s main beef was that as a once-trained security guard, this was an entirely unprofessional approach to a potential problem.
PS For the record, I sometimes follow/read/etc people whose opinions I don’t necessarily condone or agree with. I like to hear and see what people say for themselves. Guilt by association is a Stalinist tactic.
The worst thing about this sorry affair was listening to the female BBC Breakfast host grilling a Greenpeace activist. This is truly embarrassing.
1hr30min (7:30am) here if you’re prepared to listen to the Tory lackey defending the assault on grounds of “fear”: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00063bq/breakfast-21062019
This is what happens if you intend to protest peacefully. Assaulted by MPs who get defended by state media.