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Human Rights

I do not want to give way again, because we are going around in circles. We may have to agree to disagree on this point. The hon. Gentleman's general characterisation of riot police might inform his position; it comes from the perspective of the protester. I can give an example of my own. One nice sunny day, my children and I were heading to a park in north-east London. It happened to be the day of the London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham. As we entered the tube station on our way back, large groups of drunken fans were chanting at each other. Police in riot gear were keeping them apart, and I must say that I was grateful for their presence. It depends on one's perspective. I do not see a problem with having police present to maintain peace. We do not want riot police on the streets all the time, but it is important that they are there. We need to balance consent and maintaining the safety of officers and the public. It is important to emphasise that normally, of course, officers do not wear riot gear. It is rare that we escalate to protective clothing and gear, although it is important that it is available.