An organisation referring to itself as ‘The Peace Officers’ has been sending volunteers – in ‘uniforms’ remarkably similar to those worn by police officers – to protests in London.
According to their Twitter page, the organisation aims to: ‘turn a uniform of fear, aggression and intimidation at protests into a fun, friendly and peaceful’.
The ‘peace officers’ are issued with a black baseball cap with the words ‘peace officers’ underneath a non-descript emblem.
They also have a high-vis jacket/vest with a ‘shoulder number’ on their epaulettes.
In a picture shared on their Twitter page, one volunteer can also be seen with a GoPro where an officer’s body-cam would typically be found, along with a radio and what appears to be a ‘thin line’ emblem underneath the radio.
Responding to the post, one Twitter used said: ‘That’s got to be perilously close to impersonating a police officer. I was looking for a while trying to workout why a PC & PCSO were posing for a photo before I realised’.
Whilst the trained eye will be able to discern the fact that, despite the similarities in their attire, the ‘peace officers’ are not police officers, there has been some commentary on social media regarding the fact that ‘peace officers’ posing with ‘anti lockdown’ protesters could confuse the public into thinking that actual police officers are having their pictures taken with protestors.
Refuting the allegations that their ‘peace officers’ look like police officers, a spokesperson for ‘The Peace Officers’ tweeted:
‘We are not dressed as police… We have no police insignias at all. We are Peace Officers UK, set up as an org to encourage peaceful protesting and policing. Every item worn by us is lawful and legal. We carry no weapons or handcuffs and do not claim to have ANY police powers.
Over the last several months, a large number of police officers have been assaulted, some seriously, as they try to enforce the government’s Covid restrictions at large gatherings and protests.
You can read more about these assaults by clicking HERE.
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A Police Officers uniform is only a “Uniform of Fear” if you are breaking the Law ! I have no fear of it whatsoever !