[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by garinda

"Where I'm from, you don't associate young gentlemen in bomber jackets with the police. But he was extremely upset I had questioned his bona fides," recalled Fernandez-Armesto.

I don't think I'd associate a young man in a bomber jacket with the police either and what's wrong with asking for ID? We ask people who come to read the meter to prove who they are don't we? OK that's because we let them into our homes, but aren't police officers supposed to show people their ID not get the 'ump about being asked for it?

But Leonpacher said he asked Fernandez-Armesto why he didn't follow the instructions of a uniformed officer, and the author shrugged him off and walked away.



"He was swinging, kicking wildly," Leonpacher said.

Didn't the kicking wildly take place after he'd been thrown to the floor and pounced on? A fairly natural reaction I would have thought. It's not exactly pleasant to have your legs kicked out from under you and find yourself face down on the ground with several people on top of you.

It's hardly thanking him, and walking away, before being arrested. Sounds to me he was being an arrogant ass.

The kicking of the legs from under him occurred after he was thanking and walking away and before he was flailing wildly didn't it?

I can't help wondering what would have happened if the prof had had a heart condition and suffered a heart attack whilst all this was happening. What if the officer did the same to someone in poor health and as a consequence the person died?

I'm still not convinced the actions were appropriate. Yes the guy crossed the road in the wrong place. Yes he should have been corrected for doing so - but was the punishment really equal to the crime? If he'd been a mugger who'd robbed a little old lady's handbag then I could have understood the cop flooring him to prevent his escape, but for crossing the road in the wrong place?

Yes it still puts me off visiting Georgia if this should be regarded as normal acceptable behaviour.