More media spin today from the Metropolitan Police over the G20 demonstrations in London. This time it comes from “Temporary Assistant Commissioner” Chris Allison, whose job title is further evidence of fluidity in the Met’s management structures.

Allison reports that, in the run-up to the G20 summit, the media “exaggerated” the potential for violence.

Really? From what I can see, elements of the Fourth Estate colluded with the police and their political masters in hyping up the planned protests. Recall that prior to the event there were many stories doing the rounds of the press and broadcast media, a fair number of which had their origins in Metropolitan Police and Home Office briefings.

For the police to now pin the blame on journalists, and portray their officers as under instruction to “remain calm” should anarchists kick off on the day, is galling. And not at all surprising. While it’s true that the mass media feeds on frenzy, in this case it was the police who supplied the bait.

“We’re up for it and we’re up to it,”

…said Met commander come action man Simon O’Brian, responding to a reporter’s questions about likely trouble. And then there’s PC Bob Ward, who has just been defenestrated after writing on a web forum that he was keen to:

“…bash some long haired hippies…”

Do these sound to you like voices of calmness and restraint?