The Guardian article begins excerpts of the victims statement to a local paper at an “olympic friendly” point. Here’s the quote they ran with: 

“It could have been done better. I was arrested for not smiling. I have Parkinson’s,”. 

The Daily Mail doesn’t care who it offends, it’s a busload of drunk monkeys issued typewriters, but they print much more of what Worsfeld told the local paper: 

‘I was sitting minding my own business,’ he told a local newspaper. ‘Before I knew anything the police grabbed me off this seven-foot wall, threw me to the floor and cuffed me so all I saw of the cycle race was between the feet of people from the pavement.’ ‘It could have been done better. I was arrested for not smiling. I have Parkinson’s.’

Mind you, this man is police-friendly, a former soldier and a martial arts expert. He isn’t railing against TheMan police in his bell bottoms and sandals, he could have made things very hard for them even at the scene. He was compelled to provide fingerprints, DNA, a mugshot and was detained for 5 hours.

http://www.awtctkd.co.uk/userimages/Mark.jpg

All the people in that crowd have the ability to cause a major international incident.

O NOES! Somebody might do something bad that might upset somebody somewhere else! Let’s arrest people for not smiling.

Now here’s a guy, in proximity to the protesters, sitting by himself and not smiling or showing any emotion. At this point going up to talk to the guy is just good police work.

No. It’s a bizarre invasion of the right to exist in public, based on the spurious assumption that everyone in the nation must display appropriate patriotic excitement for the jingoistic, tribal dog and pony show that’s currently bankrupting London.

There is an Olympic bicycle race rapidly approaching, crazy protesters have caused problems before (men’s marathon in Athens) and a protester jumping the course in a bike race could cause serious injury.

Now here’s a guy, in proximity to the protesters, sitting by himself and not smiling or showing any emotion.

At this point going up to talk to the guy is just good police work. Now as to what actually happened. Did they talk, see the knives in the course of the conversation, then make the arrest, or did someone freak out and arrest him without asking his story first? And how close was the race when this happened, was it 5 minutes out, or was it just around the corner and the officer didn’t think he had time to investigate.

I’m not saying the officer didn’t show bad judgement, but we don’t know just how bad that judgement was.

So, is possession of a frown and a backpack sufficient grounds for arrest?

They just didn’t like the way he looked.

“Sir, is that your bag of knives?”

“Yes, but they’re only rubber. I’m a martial arts instructor and we use those for practice.”

“Very well. Enjoy the race, sir.”