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| He Was One of Us, Say Dismayed Brixtonians |
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Posted by FoM on March 21, 2002 at 19:36:53 PT By Audrey Gillan Source: Guardian Unlimited 
The posters slapped on to the hoardings around Brixton tube station say it all. One reads: "Wanted: Fellow Brixtonian. For being accessible to Lambeth people. For understanding Lambeth people. For wanting to make a difference." More than 20 years after riots that pitted local people against the police, the community is now backing the reinstatement of Commander Brian Paddick, who was until Monday in charge of police in the London borough of Lambeth. A petition is circulating demanding his return. He was moved sideways after a former boyfriend was offered a lot of money and told a newspaper that the commander had smoked more than 100 spliffs in front of him. The elderly flower seller outside the tube station says she is disgusted that Mr Paddick has been shunted off to another area: "I think it's diabolical. I would strangle that boyfriend. I admire Paddick, good luck to him. He's done a good job round here." Tony Benest, owner of Brixton Wholefoods for 20 years, has gathered more than 50 signatures for the Paddick petition. He blames homophobia within the police force for Mr Paddick's removal. "This has overtones of the days when homosexuality was illegal," he says. "This is the first time I have heard of a case where people here have spoken out for a person who is in a position of authority." Local trader Rebecca Johnson says: "Brixton has got its own character and community and Paddick understood that and he was part of it. Anybody who is educated these days knows that smoking marijuana is no big deal and pandering to that middle England, Daily Mail mentality is just to get votes. "What he had done was just realistic policing. He looked at what are our problems and what are our priorities. He saw that valuable public money should not be wasted on trivial issues." Down at Brixton Market, fruitseller Charles Champion does not agree with the legalisation of cannabis - he says it's the thin end of the wedge - but he wants Mr Paddick back. "I don't care if he wears a yellow crash helmet and says he's a Moonie," he says. "He's put a lot of older, experienced officers on the beat here. I think he's been scapegoated because he's gay." Special Report: Drugs in Britain: http://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/0,2759,178206,00.html Source: Guardian Unlimited, The (UK) Related Articles: Brixton Calls for Return of Paddick Blunkett Defends 'Liberal' Drugs Policy Scotland Yard Investigates Marijuana Complaint Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #1 posted by Nuevo Mexican on March 21, 2002 at 20:51:13 PT |
| And no time is being wasted. The community expresses it's outrage and boom, Mr. Paddock will be reinstated. The people of the U.S.A. are so malnourished, that parasites have eaten their brains. (See Dr. Hulda Clark, www.drclark.net) Coupled with Flouridated water and its stuporific effects, the dumbing down of Americans is complete. Look at pretzel boys diet...there is a direct correlation between diet and political activism. The more you realize the government wants you to die from the food you eat, the diseases that are created, the profits to be made for them, and you start to see why Cannabis is so demonized....it's actually GOOD for you. Benign, harmless, and beneficial! Can't have that! [ Post Comment ] |
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