Agreed, we don't know the actual details at this time.
Agreed, the police have to operate differently against this kind of threat.

But what we've *heard* so far is:
- The guy was followed from a place under surveillance;
- The guy was wearing a thick winter-like coat in 70 degree weather;
- The guy was "challenged" when he entered a tube station and he ran;
- Three (maybe more) authorities chased him in the station and into a subway car, the guy tripped and fell, 3 guys jumped on top of him, one of them then firing 5 shots into his head.

I think there's a difference between reacting "differently" and throwing out the rule book.
The rules exist to protect against exactly this kind of action - killing a person is assuming guilt.

This kind of "difference" is of little consequence when it is some stranger who is killed. Let's see how its viewed when the next person is the son or daughter of someone who "matters" in the society.


>I don't think that the police can operate in the traditional way against these people. We don't know the full details of this case yet but it seems he came from a house that was under surveillance and didn't respond when the police challenged him.
>
>
>
>>>Generally UK police are not armed but they have Armed Response Units who do have weapons all the time in their cars.
>>>The people who shot the man on the tube where part of a specialist unit.
>>>
>>>
>>>Apparently it now seems the man was innocent (a Brazilian working in London)
>>
>>Yes, making it a sad situation indeed.
>>
>>To this point it appears that "shoot for the head" (i.e. shoot to kill) has been interpreted as "guilty until proven innocent" too. An "apology" has little use in such cases.
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>>>I've heard that UK police do not carry weapons, and I do think it's accurate.
>>>>
>>>>But there are two things at play here, I think:
>>>>1) Extraordinary times;
>>>>2) It applies to uniformed police.
>>>>
>>>>Here, and in the U.S., I've never seen a cop without a gun. And in the U.S. especially, many look like fortresses on legs.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I thought there was less police violence in the U.K. because there the police did NOT carry weapons. Has that changed or were we misinformed in the states?
>>>>>
>>>>>>Paranoid? The police got their man?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>A man wearing a thick coat at a London subway station Friday was shot to death by police.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2005/07/22/184636.html
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Things to consider if you ride London public transportation:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>1. Do not wear thick coats in London.
>>>>>>2. Do not wear a backpack.
>>>>>>3. Do not have black hair.
>>>>>>4. Do not have dark skin.
>>>>>>5. You should be able to speak and understand English.
>>>>>>6. Be sure that you have no hearing impairment.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I mention that last item as in San Francisco the police shot to death a 12-year-old boy for walking down the street. An officer told him to stop and he did not. He had just exited a bus and was walking towards his home, which was a few steps away. He was deaf and had no way to know that he was going to be killed for walking.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Getting back to London... It is indeed sad that someone is shot to death for apparently wearing a thick coat. I can understand the paranoia felt by the community. This is what can happen when fear rules our lives. It can happen anywhere. I fear that this episode has only begun between terrorists and the public service sector against the general public. The difference is when the public service sector kills an innocent person it is done to protect the community.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>People will differ with his/her opinion about the incident this morning in the London subway. Rationalizations will include it was deserved. Anyone who wears a thick jacket in 70 degree weather deserves to be shot! Well, come to San Francisco and you will see thousands of people doing such a thing in the downtown area.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>How do we protect the public as well as the innocent? Anyone can be a victim of a terrorist act as well as an act of violence from the public service sector.