Monday, June 30, 2008

Just because it's football doesn't make it OK

I arrived home yesterday evening from Salisbury to find Bristol in an uproar -- riots in the streets. There were dozens of people screaming, shouting, chanting, cars incessantly honking horns. I had no idea what was going on.

I arrived at my flat and phoned the police. The 999 operator said "is your life in immediate danger?"
"No" I said.
She hung up.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons for phoning the police when one's life is not in immediate danger!

So I looked up the non-emergency number on the web and spoke with a constible. I explained that I was afraid to leave my flat again, and that from my window I could hear the shouting and chanting and horns and the noise was a significant disturbance of the peace, and asked them to intervene.

"It's just the football," he said. "They're just celebrating. We don't want to spoil their fun."

???

If I threw a party for some -- any -- reason and caused that kind of disturbance the police would surely have broken it up. How come it's acceptible if it's football?



*grumble grumble*

another fucking sleepless night.

I am SO sick of this bleeding city.

7 comments:

Gordie said...

What the... ? Do you live in the latin quarter of Bristol?

llewtrah said...

It gets a bit frisky round Shepherd's Bush after the footie. Then there are the fancy-dressed Aussies. It's like mardi gras every couple of weeks.

Timorous Beastie said...

It's amazing what one can get away with in the name of football.

Dave said...

I don't understand why they were playing football in the cricket season anyway.

Anonymous said...

not that anyone really cares but who the hell won the stupid kick about anyway?

ZB said...

Spain. And while we're all citizens of the world, I'm glad that they beat Germany.

The police are rubbish. They can't do anything. Even taking a miscreant around the corner and knocking seven bells out of them isn't allowed any more in case they put their backs out. Health and Safety has no place in law enforcement.

Frobisher said...

Come on the Rovers!

*vomits on parked car, throws bottle at shop window*