Clare and I went into Birmingham to do some shopping today. Whilst heading through the Bull Ring we came across a protest outside Topshop. A handful of demonstrators who are unhappy with the tax avoidance of the company and want to draw attention to the fact. As we got closer we saw security staff try to physically remove them. They told the protesters that they were on private property and that they would use reasonable force to eject them.
I saw one protester grabbed around the throat by a security operative whilst another started pushing him in the chest. An elderly gentleman who was just passing, but tried to intervene when two security staff started dragging a woman across the floor, was also pushed in the chest by security before being dragged out (it took two of them to attack an old man).
A lot of shoppers watched or filmed it but most were outraged at the level of violence Bull Ring security staff used. I also saw a family of shoppers (mom, dad and daughter) escorted from the centre after they tried to complain about the violence the staff were using on what was basically a small group of women.
When we left the centre the police had arrived but, as expected, took the side of the security staff.
I've just been onto the Bull Ring website so I could contact them regarding the incident but it seems they do not want people to get in touch as the page does not exist. All I can say is that the Bull Ring and their staff are a disgrace and are quite happy to use violence against women who, regardless of what you believe, are doing nothing more than causing a bit of a nuisance.
