Dear Sir,

Having witnessed at first hand the protests that took place on December 2, the actions of the police have been portrayed in an extremely unfair and unfavourable light.

While the protest started off peacefully as members of the public exercised their legal right to congregate in a public space, when the protesters then blocked access to Parliament, their actions became illegal, as is set out in the Parliament Act 1957, Section 12.

It was at this point that the police officers present very politely, as is their duty, asked the protesters to stand aside and allow the MPs to enter to do their work.

This request was repeated time and time again in a very calm and collected manner. As the protesters continually ignored the request, the police then informed them that their actions were illegal and that they were duty-bound to act. It was then that the crowd became more agitated and more belligerent. As we all know, tensions rose and the scene became unpleasant for all, but what is most incredible is that the protesters began to assault the police officers.

I am not talking only about the physical assault that occurred, but also the continued verbal assaults, insults, threats against the various police officers themselves and on occasion threats against their families. I also saw officers getting spat on by protesters.

Bermuda is a small island and anyone who has grown up here knows many of the locals. Many of these officers are not strangers, but are brothers and sisters, friends and family. The way that the police were treated was disgusting, to say the least, and the restraint that they showed was admirable. I will not get into the debate around whether or not the deploying of the riot police was warranted, except to say that the protest was far from peaceful. Repeated attempts at a calm and rational solution were rejected by the protesters and, although the situation escalated, it was not as a result of the actions of the police, but rather the actions of those embracing a mob mentality that seems to pervade when a group of already emotional people are incited by those with an agenda.

In short, rather than vilifying the police officers, they should be commended for their calm and restrained demeanour in the face of an extremely hostile and aggressive crowd. It could not have been easy for them, either, recognising so many of the faces of people they must have believed to be friends behaving as they were.

I am quite sure that others saw the events unfold in a different light and everyone there will have a different story, but the police were not the bad guys they are being made out to be. They were just sons and daughters out doing their jobs in very trying circumstances, doing their best to keep us all safe.

IMPARTIAL OBSERVER