Pushing/Forcing people to the Ground

Pushing/forcing people to the ground is not only a violent tactic in itself, but often accompanied by further forms of violence, since forcing people to the ground makes it easier for police to enact physical violence against people. Police and border forces then often take advantage of this to kick, beat, or harm people further. For example:

“According to the respondent, his friend tried to run, but the police officer kicked him on the back of his leg so that his friend would fall to the ground. At this point, according to the respondent, one of the police officers kicked his friend in the face with his boot.”

-Respondent in Bihać”

There escalation and prolonged violence is a breach of various international laws and conventions. The fact that people are already on the ground when more violence is enacted shows the brutality of the border regime, where violence is excessive and punitive. It cannot be defended as a means of ‘maintaining order’, as law enforcement often claims, and is an unambiguous violation of human rights and of international policing law.