I think is fair to assume that anyone who thinks that the forces of law and order can / should face an aggressive crowd armed only with a winning smile and the force of their personalities, has never faced an aggressive crowd
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Hence"gens d’armes", “men of arms” presumably.
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Helen , what is offensive. I have faced angry aggressive crowds and we were thankfull for tear gas and water cannons. Tear gas and water cannons dont normally kill or maim the aggressors. But when weapons like pistols or molotov cocktails are being used against the police or the army then what is offensive. when they react as they did.
Respect to the French police and military, which is more that can be said for the UK police who would be running in the opposite direction because they dont have water cannons and they dont have teargas. The armed response units arent much better.
BoJo bought water cannons they were never used and have been sold on. Sorry but I don’t agree about UK Police running in the opposite direction. Individual officers will have gas sprays. Many have tasers. Support units are highly trained and have more specialised equipment. There is also the use of dogs and horses. As for armed response their every action is subject to intense scrutiny.
Yup bojo did buy them and the other critter sold them off. Why were they never used because there far to many snowflakes wingeing about the conduct of a few police officers. pepper spray has a range of about 10 feet, when the mob is that close its too late. Tasers are only ranged for 15 feet. . I spent 45 years in the army and police force and i have witnessed such mobs, The armed coppers amongst us are generally monitored but no way intense scrutiny. I was one of them.
I may be wrong but I’m guessing that you’ve not ever been in the position of a peaceful and innocent and unarmed civilian protesting and protecting your family…be that your immediate family…or your brothers and sisters nationally or globally…???
Who is “the other critter”…???
As a lifelong totally peaceful and non aggressive conscientious objector my only dealings with the police to date have been on the receiving end of thuggish police brutality…
Totally over the top…
EUROGENFOR. A European Gendarmerie (militarised police). They are mostly Poles. I’ve already seen mainstream news articles suggesting that they would be called in should the CRS or other FO go on strike or refuse to work against manifestants.
Not really, for the reasons outlined below.
nb the second paragraph (the two line one)
La Force de gendarmerie européenne ( EuroGendFor* ou FGE ) a été créée le 17 septembre 2004 à Noordwijk, aux Pays-Bas. Initiée par la France, elle regroupe les forces de police à statut militaire des sept pays de l’Union européenne qui en disposent : la Garde civileespagnole, la Gendarmerie française, les Carabiniers italiens, la Maréchaussée royalenéerlandaise, la Garde nationale républicaine portugaise, la Gendarmerie roumaine et la Gendarmerie militaire polonaise[1].
La FGE est souvent perçue comme une institution de l’Union européenne, alors qu’elle ne relève en réalité que des États membres qui y participent[2],[3].
On attribue également à la FGE un pouvoir d’intervention sur le territoire de l’Union européenne, notamment dans des fonctions anti-émeutes, alors qu’un tel pouvoir relève exclusivement des États membres de l’UE et des forces de police nationales (à statut civil ou militaire)[2],[3]. Une série de questions-réponses au Parlement européen rappelle que la FGE se situe hors du cadre de l’Union européenne, et qu’elle vise exclusivement à améliorer les capacités de gestion de crise hors du territoire de l’Union européenne(dans le cadre de missions internationales sous l’égide de l’ONU, de l’OTAN, de l’UE ou de coalitions internationales)[2],[4],[5],[6],[7],[8],[9],[10].
I didn’t really need the wiki link, I know what they are. They can be used in both civil and military matters, meaning that they can be hired as mercenaries. Does France or indeed Europe need militarised mercs on steroids?? that’s another debate. the question was “what European army?” I just answered the question. I honestly couldn’t be bothered yet another endless SFN debate.
I just wanted people to know that there IS a European militarised police force, as obviously a lot of people seem oblivious.
Not European, not used within Europe. Did you actually read the wiki link? Presumably UN troops are mercenaries, according to you?
And FYI for anyone who is interested, the French military is one of the very few western powers who do not subcontract to mercenaries. The British army does. 
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That is , according to your own post, you supported the miners at Orgreave.
The miners were striking illegally and if you support action like that, there is, obviously, going to be some sanction.
Ok…not sure where I said that and I admit I had to look up the battle at Orgreave…
I’m left thinking that it was a case of police brutality against unarmed miners…???
It appears that you are just left thinking.
UN troops cannot be hired for civil matters.
Wikipedia is not at all a reliable rescource. I know first hand what the force is. I’m not here to debate it. just to inform that it exists.
I’m interested in why it should be such a bad thing - outside towns here the gendarmerie does what you might consider police work. When I was little and growing up it was a well known fact that the gendarmes were much nicer than the police.
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Who said it was a bad thing? you are debating with someone that has no side to take.
@Zoe I don’t think you said it was a bad thing, I think that was Helen (? apologies if I have taken your name in vain).
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I have been told this, but my experience of the Cluny gendarmerie is nothing short of horrifying.
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