Rangers fans' celebrations and Sarah Everard's vigil saw different police tactics used for good reasons – Tom Wood

As a rule reports on policing do not make for a riveting read. But two reviews published in the last month are the exception.
Rangers fans gather in Glasgow's George Square to celebrate the club winning the Scottish Premiership for the first time in 10 years (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)Rangers fans gather in Glasgow's George Square to celebrate the club winning the Scottish Premiership for the first time in 10 years (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Rangers fans gather in Glasgow's George Square to celebrate the club winning the Scottish Premiership for the first time in 10 years (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Succinct, hard-hitting and delivered quickly, they raise issues for us all. Both examined the police response to public order incidents, one in Glasgow , one in London, very different, but with common threads.

Here in Scotland, the celebration of Rangers first premiership win for a decade brought exuberant fans onto the streets of Glasgow for an impromptu party. While the gathering was clearly in contravention of Covid lockdown rules, police took the pragmatic decision not to escalate matters by confrontation. It was a wise choice, an otherwise jolly crowd, fortified by a drink or two, could easily have turned ugly.

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Such are the realities of policing, but that did not prevent armchair critics, informed only by scraps from social media, from instantly condemning police actions.

In London, the review was of the policing of a vigil in memory of Sarah Everard on Clapham Common. There the police met a very different challenge. Mixed among a large and mostly genuine crowd were a sprinkling of trouble-makers, intent only on attacking police.

As darkness fell they took their opportunity. The confrontation that followed resulted in arrests captured instantly on social media. Pictures of a young woman being pinned to the ground by police flashed round the world. Without context, the image was shocking.

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As with the Rangers celebration, condemnation was instant. In a move laden with irony there were immediate calls for the resignation of Cressida Dick, one of the most progressive and the only female commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

In his response to the Rangers celebration, independent QC John Scott found the police tactics proportionate, pointing out that a heavy-handed approach would have increased the risk of Covid infection and handed a gift to malign elements in some foreign media.

In London, inspector of constabulary Matt Parr similarly found the police had acted proportionately and delivered a scathing rebuke to the armchair critics. Parr was blunt: condemnation of police actions within hours of the vigil and without detailed knowledge was completely unwarranted. Pointedly, he went on to say that he had come to his conclusions after reviewing a huge body of evidence, rather than a snapshot on social media.

There are lessons we can learn from these two excellent reports. First, that in this time of instant social media and the manipulation of images, we should take care not to rush to judgement. This is especially true for our leaders, who we hope should know better.

Secondly, we must recognise that there are malign forces out there. They come disguised as various protest groups but in reality they only wish to foster violence and discontent.

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As we approach the UN climate change conference, Cop26, in Glasgow this autumn, we must beware. Police Scotland will be well prepared and equipped to deal with all eventualities.

But we should also be prepared not to rush to judgement, and to take all images on social media, with a large pinch of salt.

Tom Wood is a writer and former Deputy Chief Constable

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