'Hoodies' Demo in Inverness - stop scapegoating the kids

[Rheghead]

"Im sorry madam but you cant come into our shopping centre because your child is wearing a hoodie!" "But he is in his pushchair" ?"I'm sorry madam the rules are the rules"

You are just being a bit silly for the sake of it. Shopkeepers are complaining about youths goin on shoplifting sprees, dressed in hoodies that use them to hide their identities from CCTV. No one is suggesting stopping mothers entering a shopping mall cos their infant has a hoodie.

Are you suggesting that shopkeepers are incapable of using the power of discetion?

[squidge]

No Rheghead im suggesting that they are ENTIRELY capable of using their powers of discretion to follow, ask to leave or permanently ban anyone they feel is behaving in a suspicious manner regardless of whet they wear. They dont need a BAN on a peice of clothing to do that. Its the BAN that is ridiculous, To ban anyone from a shopping cetnre wearing a hoodie is nonsensical, unmanageable and wont reduce anything crime, violence or intimidation. Its the behaviour that needs to be addressed not the clothing

[katarina]

I was going to keep out of this one because I thought it was a bit silly arguing over something so seemingly trivial. I guess I may have misjudged the issue...

I'm with you on that one Szin (surprise surprise) just had to stick my oar in - guess I'm a message board addict.......

[squidge]

Aw katarina you surely arent laughing at my high horse!!!!

Im rather fond of it you know

[katarina]

Actually squidge, i'm not at all sure we're not on the same side, just with our wires crossed. What I'm saying is I understand the lodgic behind banning hoodies - or anything else that hides the identity.
And it's a real pity the bad guys are using this fashion to their advantage. I know how silly your statement about babies wearing hoodies sounded - but maybe you're not so far off the mark. When we were in Canada, we went into a lincenced premises with friends and their children. We were told that children were only allowed in if they were eating. We said fine, we intend to eat. We ordered our meal, and the waitress looked at the 6mth old baby. Again she repeated, children were only allowed in if they were eating. I said, for goodness sake, the baby isn't going to eat burger and chips! And she said sorry that's the rules. We said fine, we'll sit outside at the tables in the garden. she said, sorry, you can't sit there, the same rules apply. Needless to say, we left!