Late post on Jean Charles de Menezes

Ok, I am a little late on commenting on this.

I think there is something important to recognise here....he was presumably told to stop by these police. Presumably they said 'stop, armed police.' Presumably they also put their caps on..which are checkered with police emblazoned across the front.

However, he ran....into a tube station, after which he vaulted the ticket swirly things, and headed towards a train. The police then shot him.

Does anyone have a problem with this incident as it is told?

If I was told to stop by armed police, I would be suffering from whiplash because of my haste in stopping. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Jose decided to run. He was wearing a bulky coat that could have been concealing explosives, and he was heading towards a train. If you had to make the decision what would you do?

Would you hold fire, and possibly have many dead and injured from an explosion?
Would you fire, and find out for certain whether he was safe or not?

I don't envy any armed officer who has to make that decision. We can look in hindsight and see that they shot an innocent man. They don't have time to waste pondering in that kind of situation.

Yes, it is unfortunate that an innocent man died, but he apparently didn't listen to police instructions. Sadly it resulted in his death.

People would be in an uproar if it had been a terrorist and he hadn't been intercepted when the chance was there.

I think it was the only decision that could have been made in the circumstances. To criticise in hindsight does no-one any favours, be it the Metropolitan Police, or the family, or indeed the Brazilian Government.