I see my question to Andy Bennett on his police blog has got a reply:
Q:
Perhaps you could explain what your thinking is on the Dispersal Order on College Green imposed by Avon & Somerset Police?
Particularly could you explain why something that has been condemned by our elected representatives is still in place because you lot, who are unelected, say so?
What’s the point in us voting if the police can just do what they like in this city regardless of our views and the people we choose to represent us’ views.
Not very democratic is it?
A:
We work with local Councillors as part of the Safer Bristol Partnership. We don’t just pluck dispersal orders out of thin air, they are put in place for a reason, normally responding to public requests for them. The dispersal order in College Green was actually put in place to prevent people urinating on Bristol Cathedral, drunken abusive behaviour and making the public feel generally unsafe when they walk across the green. We need time to break this offending pattern and target offenders. I have seen no evidence that our intention was/is to prevent all skate-boarding in that area. We encourage people to share open spaces but in a way that is considerate to everyone. The police may not be elected but we have legal and moral responsibilities to tackle crime and disorder. Finally, what is reported in the media is not always accurate!
I’ll return to this in a day or two when I’ve recovered from the weekend.
I had no idea that there was a dispersal order in place on Collage Green. If there is why is it NOT enforced, as one who was knocked down by a yob on a skate board, I would like to wring their collective necks as I walked (at the time) witha the aid of a crutch having just been discharged from Southmead Hospital having had an operation on my foot. To all the yobs who gathered around not one offered to help up ‘grandad’ but instead one or two kicked me and spat, it was only another gent who helped me up. Now as I do not have the hindrence of a caste on my foot or a crutch I would like one of these ‘brave yobs’ to try anything. Shit that they are, but let’s not forget they more than likly deprived, as they have not got the ‘tight’ trainers or phone’ a job is what they want and all their benefits withdrawn.