Yesterday Dad and I waded through London puddles almost like the thousands of tourists around us.  Dad has an amazing memory for the way London was when he was a boy and it was fascinating to hear what has changed.

 St. Paul's Cathedral and Millennium Bridge

 Dad and me with 'Hodge' (Samuel Johnson's cat with Samuel Johnson's house behind)

City of London

 City of London

'Ghandi', Tavistock Square

 Tavistock Square

The Jean Charles de Menezes killing case in London

It seems like ages since I blogged. I've been SO busy and stressed by work but although I still have a lot of pending tasks, I can breath easier at the moment. For just a moment, anyway. I've got a lot of saved-up things to write about but tonight I'm most tempted by news that the Metropolitan Police (in London) have been found guilty in the Jean Charles de Menezes killing case.

Background: On 22 July 2005 armed police shot Mr de Menezes dead at Stockwell Tube station. It was a case of absolute mistaken identity and probable racial profiling. (A friend of mine was traumatized by the shots.) As I write this the BBC are rapidly updating coverage of their story, which includes this disturbing (but technically impressive) forensic presentation. [It's fascinating to watch the story updates - I've refreshed several times while writing this and read new quotes and facts each time.]

The Met is protesting the verdict. While I am confused by the specific charge ("failing to protect the public from the risks posed by a suspected suicide bomber on the loose" - I think the case is about failing to protect an innocent man) I am glad they have been found guilty.

Whereas I would not hold a police force criminally guilty for failing to 'get their man' (this is a cliché associated with the RCMP) I do find the organization (perhaps if not the shooting officers) highly guilty of this killing.

I don't blame the shooters. I think that if the officers were positive that Jean Charles de Menezes was about to explode a bomb there can be justification for shooting - probably even for shooting to kill. (Those who know me will not be surprised that I support no other justification for anyone or any institution - any at all - ever killing an unwilling person.) I do not doubt that the shooters felt this way and assuming they grieve for the mistake they have my sympathy. I think the responsibility lies with the Met for the set of circumstances and mistakes that allowed Jean Charles de Menezes to become the victim of a prolonged and lethal case of mistaken identity.

True, the killing was the day after a potentially devastating suicide attack failed, and another non-white person had been traced to Jean Charles de Menezes fault. But I believe that this is no excuse for error - I believe that at any crisis one of the main and most urgent concerns of police should be to prevent a mistake.

I understand the stress facing the police and I am never one to forget that the police have a difficult, dangerous and normally thankless job. But I am riled by a remark by Sir Ian Blair, Met Police Commissioner, before the trial began "that a guilty verdict would have profound effects on policing. He said officers would be left in a difficult position of not being able to use their judgement in emergency situations, out of fear of breaking the law." I can not accept this. I believe that police officers should always fear breaking the law - not least in moments of stress.

I am only glad the case has received so much scrutiny. I think that the 'war on terror' has authorized far too much careless and casual vigilance. Shooting the wrong people (when some police knew de Menezes was not a suspect) is not going to stop the real perpetrators from terrorizing. It will only jeopardize the credibility of the institutions we hold above the terrorists. The police are literally responsible for being careless.

To Brussels, Amsterdam and London

Dee

I am now in London. I've had a few adventures getting here... After meeting friends my goals for this holiday were to 1) buy a particular new camera 2) to take a course called 'Finance for the non-specialist' and 3) to get a lot of rest. Guess which of these has actually happened as planned?

First I went to Brussels to see my friend Alan. I was still a bit overwhelmed by malaria and I hope he didn't mind. We walked around a lot of the town and had a splendid meal and a few extra beers there and there. Brussels has some very nice architecture.

Then I went to see my friend Marga in The Hague. We had a lovely but brief time - it was good to catch up on our lives. Then I went on to Amsterdam to see my friend Gwen. I had a fanstastic three days including a great birthday evening with her and her friends on Friday. I always enjoy Amsterdam but it's particularly good to have a knowlegable tour guide like Gwen. I also managed to see my friend Bonno who I'd known in Buchanan.

While in Brussels I'd learned that the shop in London where I was planning to buy my camera was out of stock so I changed my plans and bought it (at a higher price) in Amsterdam. It's a lovely Canon EOS 5D with a EF 24-70mm F/2.8l USM lens. The first test shots (of Gwen's dog) came out very well but when it came time to take out the battery I couldn't - it was stuck in. By then it was too late to return to the store while in the Netherlands or even on this trip so I began to panic.

Luckily here in London the camera store (Camera World) I'd wanted to patronize were very helpful. Actually they pointed me to a camera repair service that was able to pull out the battery - to reveal that it was a) sticky and b) NOT A GENUINE CANON BATTERY. (The 5D is supposed to come with a genuine battery.) I am furious with the Amsterdam shop. (They had also neglected to give me the camera dust cap and lens back cap. Furthermore I heard them spending 20 minutes trying to persuade an unfortunate customer that the scratch on his lens is 'irrelevant'. Even though front surface marks ARE out of focus they cause blur and block light and it was very unprofessional to claim otherwise. Oh - and they also grumbled about having to process my VISA card transaction manually because VISA were blocking the unusual purchase...) Please do not patronize "Foto Professional" in Amsterdam - I think they are crooked. But all ended well here in London - and then I had a DELIGHTFUL evening with my friends Susi and Jon.

This morning I headed to the finance course in Hampstead - only to find that it had been canceled on the 8th. I hadn't checked my work e-mail because I'm trying to be on holiday from work... I'm dissapointed and it means this holiday will use three more days of precious leave than planned but then those days weren't going to be holiday and now they can. So perhaps it's alright - at least I'll take the opportunity to see more of London. My notions for tomorrow are the British Airways London Eye, The National Portrait Gallery and perhaps a tourist bus tour. And I have some fun dates set up...