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# Is this assault?
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/is-this-assault/
- Published: 2010-03-31T13:03:10.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T23:05:08.000Z
- Author: Guy Aitchison
- Tags: Politics & activism, #Migrated, Democracy and government, #en, #Import 2026-04-09 15:38

Take a look at the video and see. According to Judge Daphne Wickham, it isn't assault. She has just returned a not guilty verdict on Sergeant Delroy Smellie, of the Territorial Support Group, seen here striking protester Nicola Fisher (h/t [@paul\_\_lewis](http://twitter.com/paul%5F%5Flewis?ref=opendemocracy.net)). Her reason given is that Smellie had a "mere seven seconds" to decide whether to use his baton. As we approach the anniversary of the G20 protests that leaves a grand total of zero officers convicted despite the well-documented use of excessive violence and hundreds of complaints to the IPCC. 

Smellie verdict? Stinks more like!