I didn't notice anyone "justifying" anything, merely pointing out that violent coppers requently get away with it. Harwood story about being assaulted with thrown bottles would have stood had a witness's footage been found.
And they shouldn't, there should be a clampdown on police brutality, (but also striking a balance between that and being completely ineffective out of fear of public perception - see the riots).
And neither should the jumped up popstars' children.
My original point was that the last three student protests have done more to derail the anti-spending cuts cause than anything anyone else has done as they made it so easy for the press and politicans alike to point and say "look these are the sort of people getting YOUR TAX MONEY!".
Then the rioters did the same (even though a great many of them weren't on benefits, but why bother with facts, when you could sell some newspapers?).
If the students turn up, have a peaceful protest and make some well-reasoned, eloquent arguments about why the education system shouldn't be turned into an old boys network then I am am 100% behind them and applaud them for doing so.
If they're going to turn up drunk and fall about making idiots of themselves then I think they should stay at home.
