Trained Protection Officer Says Mark Field Suffered "Victory Bravery"

22 June 2019, 17:46

A trained protection officer said Mark Field was "absolutely disproportionate" when dealing with a protester at a speech last week.

The Conservative MP has apologised and been suspended as a Minister after footage emerged of him physically removing a Greenpeace protester from a Mansion House dinner as Chancellor Philip Hammond was speaking.

Mr Field pushed the woman against a pillar before grabbing her neck and pushing her out of the room, but said he "deeply regrets" the incident.

But a trained protection officer and former soldier told Maajid Nawaz that Mr Field was "absolutely disproportionate" and seemed to "capitalise" on the situation.

Kevin told the LBC presenter that he could face losing his licence if he acted in a similar way, adding the 'protective response' of professionals "are to be proportionate".

"If I did that, as my mandate to protect an event or a client, I would probably lose my licence," he said.

"Some people say you shouldn't mention gender, and to a certain extent when you identify a threat then of course women are perfectly capable of being just as much of a threat as a man.

"However our response and our protective measures against women are to be proportionate and in that particular case, she immediately stopped, she didn't push back, the threat was eliminated when she stood up.

"If it was just that he stood up and pushed her against the pillar, then I would say that was his reaction and then he stopped, but then to carry on it was almost that he capitalised - he had an element of victory bravery.

Maajid replied: "He allowed his adrenaline to take over and take hold of him which is precisely what a non-trained person would do, which is why when you think you're going to be batman you need to behave like a trained person."

Kevin added: "If you can be a bit more eloquent, if you can be friendly but firm in your approach, you can undermine their ranting."

Watch above.