Letter: Fury over blood-lusting mob at scene of Telford car park tragedy
I feel angry, very angry. Why? Because just when I thought people were starting to understand and display a little empathy to the mentally ill, we get the recent incident in Telford.
It defies belief that a man standing on top of a building, threatening to jump, could become the centre of what was once Victorian "freak" shows. He became, for a bunch of ignorant, blood-lusting and emotionally disconnected low-life, a piece of street theatre.
None of these people knew his plight, we rarely do in these situations. None of these people knew how difficult a job it is to talk someone down from this situation.
None of these people cared if they were getting in the way of the work of the police and none of these people had an ounce of respect or humanity within them. Instead, they got out their cameras.
And what were they going to do with their precious video footage? Show it to their mates down the pub that night, then switch it off and return to their pints as if it was an everyday occurrence?
I see and hear some awful things within the counselling scenario and I have no liking for any of it, but if I can help people put their lives back together, then my job is done.
The crowd standing on terra firma had no idea who that man was. He could have been a relation, or a friend, or a friend of a friend.
It sickened me that maybe just one person might feel this behaviour would be seen as acceptable, but a whole crowd? There are no words. I hope against hope that some of them will read just one article illustrating the outrage other people felt about their actions and realise the beast within them.
Just as some of us fight the stigma of mental health, I urge you to make your voice on this matter known.
John Sayer, counsellor and psychotherapist
