Trespass incident at Manchester Piccadilly (11/03)

[Trackman]

I bet it's a busy day at Stockport!

 

[PR1Berske]

Very peculiar choice of protest location for a very specific target! Why block the tracks on a Sunday?

 

[theironroad]

Some people on here live in fantasy land if they really believe what they write.

Network rail would be fined £millions by the courts is they knowingly left the juice on &/or trains running with this many people on the tracks.

People on Twitter saying what's turkey got to do with Manchester Piccadilly and the railway.

Don't they think that the fact they're commenting on it and it's made national news is the point the protesters wanted to make. getting publicity... Not much point having a protest in a sealed room.

 

[hawk1911]

Big crowds, waiting for buses, at both Stockport and Stalybridge.

Now, if there was only some way of getting between the two by train.

 

[js1000]

It's remarkably selfish from these "protesters" considering what happened at Piccadilly recently when a man jumped onto the OHLE from the overbridge and was electrocuted to death. The blackened smears from the incident are still on the overbridge. Feel sorry for the station staff and emergency services for having to deal with these idiots who clearly have no regard for their own or others' safety.

 

[xotGD]

Not sure Kurdish activists quite fit that description, but you may be better informed than I am.

Don't let facts get in the way of another poster's prejudices.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Well from what I could see in the video in the MEN website, one of the banners says 'Free Ocalan' (or thereabouts) which I guess is in reference to the continued detainment of Abdullah Ocalan', leader of the Kurdish separatist group in Turkey

If I was in Manchester right now I might nip down the station to claim a Free Ocalari, whatever one of those is.

 

[Crossover]

I’m not one to normally suggest such things, but a shotgun would undoubtedly eradicate the problem (not a serious suggestion)

Some folk do some utterly daft things, but this must be up there with the daftest!

 

[aylesbury]

Noted they even brought children in push chairs to this ridiculous protest where are the police when you need them hope leaders and as many of them are in court soon and face big fines.

 

[northernchris]

There's pictures on Twitter of children on the tracks too. Not only are they too young to understand what the protest is about this could lead to them thinking trespass is OK. Some people shouldn't be allowed to be parents

 

[Jonny]

What concerns me the most is the way the protesters (wrongly) seem to think that it is OK to ask countries to drag themselves into other countries' affairs.

Noted they even brought children in push chairs to this ridiculous protest where are the police when you need them hope leaders and as many of them are in court soon and face big fines.

... or even imprisonment. With consideration to forfeiture of asylum etc....

 

[Bald Rick]

In such situations the power goes off for two reasons:

1) for the safety of those climbing the gantries / waving the banners
2) to prevent the inevitable much longer shut down required if someone was killed in the middle of a busy station.

 

[Signal Head]

I’m not one to normally suggest such things, but a shotgun would undoubtedly eradicate the problem (not a serious suggestion)

Bit harsh. Tranquilliser guns perhaps, then you can just remove the recumbent loons, wait for them to come round, and arrest.

 

[Crossover]

Bit harsh. Tranquilliser guns perhaps, then you can just remove the recumbent loons, wait for them to come round, and arrest.

Yes, agreed

 

[Bayum]

Jesus Mary and Joseph.

It really worries me that people would even consider 'keeping the juice on', or 'letting trains come and go', you may say 'Not a serious post', but you still said it and had it at the forefront of your mind...

Do people not remember Tiananmen Square, 1989?

 

[philthetube]

Network rail should Try to get every penny back in the courts, it will cost them a fortune and even if they dont gain out or it it will put the frighteners on others thinking about similar action.

 

[gavin]

Picture on tiwtter apparantly showing some of them leaving not confirmed if those leaving were on the tracks or not

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DYBF4OMWAAEne4j?format=jpg&name=small

 

[Crossover]

Jesus Mary and Joseph.

It really worries me that people would even consider 'keeping the juice on', or 'letting trains come and go', you may say 'Not a serious post', but you still said it and had it at the forefront of your mind...

Do people not remember Tiananmen Square, 1989?

No idea. It’s not the sort of thing I say but on this occasion I have zero sympathy. Quite what they expect to achieve from it (apart from potential injury) I’m not quite sure

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Am on the scene currently. All the protestors have dispersed (left at c.1520) and BTP/TOC staff are currently checking around trains in the station and looking underneath in case anyone is still there. There were about 20 BTP/GMP officers here, shepherding the protestors off the station rather tan anything more severe. Possibly some services after 1615 but I am imagine the priority will be getting those trapped on trains on the approaches from Stockport and Stalybridge into MCP. Maybe the protestors already knew this but Victoria is shut today so the UK's 2nd city is temporarily cut off from the rail network (I'm not counting Metrolink in this)!! Clearly the operational recovery of much of the network of the NW will be a massive job, so it's probably best everyone sits back and let the rail operational staff get on with it and save the post-incident review to tomorrow!

 

[Bayum]

No idea. It’s not the sort of thing I say but on this occasion I have zero sympathy. Quite what they expect to achieve from it (apart from potential injury) I’m not quite sure

So even though they are exercising their right to free speech, albeit on the railway, your reckoning is still 'Zero sympathy, no f***s given, let them, toast'?

 

[185143]

(At the risk of taking the thread elsewhere...)

Did anyone detrain from a stranded train?

I've been massively affected by this, I'm currently travelling from Newton le Willows to Liverpool via Chester, nearly an hour later than intended-and with a journey time 3 times longer than normal.

Ok-I appreciate BTP/Greater Manchester Police may not have the resources to arrest them all-but I'd like to hope at least some have been arrested. Have they? Pictures I've seen just seem to show BTP stood on the tracks facilitating it... (though I suppose they'll be keeping them within the confines of the station by doing so)

I'm all for peaceful protests within the confines of the law, but one that involves trespassing and wilfull obstruction of the railway/motorway/anywhere where pedestrians shouldn't be? No chance. That's crossed a line. (Sorry)

 

[AlterEgo]

Clearly, entering an active railway is a very dangerous and stupid thing to do. It is also exceptionally disruptive.

Sadly, an awful lot of change happens only after someone makes a disruptive and/or dangerous protest.

People suggesting that the protestors target an embassy instead miss the point.

 

[221129]

(At the risk of taking the thread elsewhere...)

Did anyone detrain from a stranded train?

I've been massively affected by this, I'm currently travelling from Newton le Willows to Liverpool via Chester, nearly an hour later than intended-and with a journey time 3 times longer than normal.

Ok-I appreciate BTP/Greater Manchester Police may not have the resources to arrest them all-but I'd like to hope at least some have been arrested. Have they? Pictures I've seen just seem to show BTP stood on the tracks facilitating it... (though I suppose they'll be keeping them within the confines of the station by doing so)

I'm all for peaceful protests within the confines of the law, but one that involves trespassing and wilfull obstruction of the railway/motorway/anywhere where pedestrians shouldn't be? No chance. That's crossed a line. (Sorry)

I doubt it, BTP couldn't catch a cold.

 

[Iskra]

So even though they are exercising their right to free speech, albeit on the railway, your reckoning is still 'Zero sympathy, no f***s given, let them, toast'?

And what about the rights of all the people stuck on the trains, or those unable to travel, do they not matter?

 

[Bayum]

And what about the rights of all the people stuck on the trains, or those unable to travel, do they not matter?

So you think it's OK for someone to be killed if someone else suffers disruption due to protests?

 

[Jonny]

And what about the rights of all the people stuck on the trains, or those unable to travel, do they not matter?

That is why these so-called protesters deserve everything they get and more. The railways are not public thoroughfares in the same way that roads etc. are.

Also, it is comparable to a secondary strike - damaging innocent parties.

 

[Dentonian]

What concerns me the most is the way the protesters (wrongly) seem to think that it is OK to ask countries to drag themselves into other countries' affairs.



... or even imprisonment. With consideration to forfeiture of asylum etc....

Without commenting on the tactics, I respectfully suggest that you research the issue a little bit. Your comment of "other countries' affairs is ignorant and bearing in mind Piccadilly Station is less than a mile from Manchester Arena, you are also showing insensitivity.

 

[Iskra]

So you think it's OK for someone to be killed if someone else suffers disruption due to protests?

I've not said anything like that.

I think they should protest in a manner that is safe and doesn't adversely affect other citizens going about their daily business.

 

[Dentonian]

Big crowds, waiting for buses, at both Stockport and Stalybridge.

Now, if there was only some way of getting between the two by train.

Presumably, Rail replacements are being organised.

 

[tsr]

Train services are now resuming at Manchester Piccadilly.