The London shooting

A man was shot and killed by London police in the London subway. He was clad in a thick coat in warm weather and fled after being told to stop. The witness statement are conflicting.

Given the events of the past two weeks, I'd say the police were justifiably concerned that he might be a bomber. I don't know whether they were justified in shooting the man, but I hope the police involved are not made scapegoats. The British Muslim establishment is enraged, when they should be asking what there is about Muslims in thick coats who flee from the police that makes them suspicious. This wasn't after all just an random harassing of a dark skinned person. This guy looked and was dressed like the perpetrators of earlier bombings, and when told to stop by police, took off running.

I wonder if this wasn't exactly what the terrorists had in mind in order to arouse Muslims and intimidate the police. Some leader in the Muslim community should point out that Muslims aren't the only ones who have been hurt by these bombing and they're not the only ones who have been made jumpy. They need to point out that this is an occasion for Muslims to cleanse their own stables by helping penetrate the groups responsible for these bombing and to beware of clothing and actions that could fit the profile. When there are people around who look like you bombing mass transit, it behooves you to make it clear that you aren't one of them. You don't wear thick padded clothing in fair weather and you stop and answer question if you're told to by the police. Then if they shoot you, they have no excuse. In other words, protect yourself by demonstrating your respect for law and order. Don't expect non-Muslims to act any differently from how a lot of Muslims would if the roles were reversed.

I can only hope that the police don't have their hands tied or stop carrying firearms. If someone had challenged the men carrying concealed bombs two weeks earlier, a number of lives might have been saved. At a time when criminal gangs are killing people indiscriminately, it offends me that people complain about their liberties when the police try to do their job. Life is a more important liberty than the right not to be stopped and questioned.