Belfast, Localism and Internationalism

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis

Monday September 03, 2007 11:11

by Davy Carlin

Issue - Policing

A few thoughts on Policing

Policing

I remember back in the late 90’my Partner and I dandering through Turf Lodge estate on the way up to our home. With us on our dander through ‘Turf was Duwayne Brooks, witness to the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Duwayne was over to speak at a meeting that comrades and I where organising, which was also to see Diane Hamill the sister of Robert Hamill speaking on the platform as well. And as we dandered and chatted with Duwayne such chat continued to increase my understanding on the issue of Policing ‘as a whole. Indeed I remember the mural going up in Belfast picturing both Stephen and Robert and that of the London Metropolitan Police and the RUC under the banner of ‘Same story, ‘ Same bigotry. This was not long after I had met and spoke to a once key activist in the Black Panthers Movement and heard again first hand of his experience with Policing.

Combined with my travels to Genoa and Geneva for the mass Anti Capitalist protests each experience though in those earliest days of my ‘activism was in many ways so similar. Indeed it is through that Internationalism combined with local activism that over the years and as I move on through life I continually come to a greater understanding of the world in which we live.

I remember that meeting in Belfast that was standing room only. And as I took to the platform I remembered the front -page headlines advertising the meeting a while prior under the title of, ‘United’, against Injustice. As for the meeting itself it was under themes that included that of the Police and Injustice

And so it is on that related matter of Policing that I pen this article. For me I have long stated that the Police are but the tool of the state and an essential part of Capitalism. It goes hand in hand with many other functionaries of the state whose key roles are to ensure stability and protection of the status quo. Yet this should be of no surprise as many other such systems have used various methods to ‘police their citizens. And within each, some will be more repressive than others at differing times. More especially if they feel that their state is under threat, wherein all functionaries at the states disposal will be used to attempt to secure the continuum of the status quo.

Therefore the Police, like other Nation state functionaries the world over are little different as their function is essentially the same, that is, the stability and protection of the status quo. Indeed to seek solely the Police of Green instead of the Police of Orange is to see Policing as a whole through the eyes of Nationalism rather than as an essential functionary of Capitalism. Indeed whatever the colour of the uniform they can be as brutal and repressive as each other, if that stability of the status quo and Nation state is challenged, as has been historically the case.

In effect the whole ethos of Policing is fundamental to the Nation states interest under Capitalism, and for Capitalism as a whole. Going hand in hand with this is that of Imperialism and the more regular and overt brutality. It though is of no surprise that in the North today that many believe Paddy the Policeman will be better than Peter the Peeler. Yet it will be better, it is believed, more especially in the sense of less overt repression and brutality as felt and witnessed by many. This though is not because we have Paddy instead of Peter but because there is less need presently for any such overt brutality and repression given the ongoing stability.

The waving of a Nation state flag has long been used to cloak issues ranging from Poverty to Policing. While you cannot eat a flag neither can it be used to protect you from your Nation states batons if indeed you threaten that status quo, whether you are ‘its citizen or not.

For most citizens policing is not ideological but more so practical and for them, if it is seen to end the blight of criminality and anti social behaviour on their streets, then the reality is that, for many, they will support that, to an extent. Where it can and does become ideological is when they witness such repression and when they become active against it, more especially if Imperialism is thrown into the mix. Therefore Policing at different times and in different situations will differ, yet it will always remain constant in its fundamental ethos under the system of Capitalism no matter what flag that flutters in the wind for that sole ‘Nation.

With that in mind one needs also to understand where many of the ills of our society comes from and the material conditions that give them rise under the present system, more especially in working class estates. Indeed in regard to drink, drugs and their related anti social activities, that guy I had spoke to from the Black Panthers had quite an interesting understanding of the ‘necessity of such. Indeed it had always been within the interest of the state to attempt to get a ‘Rebellious community to wrap their hands around each others neck rather than the states, yet times change and with it so will some ‘practical elements of Policing -although as stated never seeing it stray far from its
fundamental reason for its existence. While this being the case we still need to attempt to hold such to whatever accountability one can in the present, and to give whatever support to those attempting to seek to bring such to account. Indeed as with that headline of ‘United’ in regard to the Hamill and Lawrence meeting against Injustice, such unity is needed on many such issues in the time ahead for the many citizens seeking that Truth and Justice.