Don't Touch The Queen's Guard

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/...ns-guard_n_7672800.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news

Don't let the bushy hat fool you -- the Queen's Guard aren't here to mess around.

A video uploaded to YouTube Monday shows a young man, apparently on a visit to Windsor Castle in the U.K., having a little fun with one of the famously stoic guards, mimicking his strut. But he crosses the line when he leans in and puts a hand on the guard's shoulder. That's a no-no.

"Step back from the Queen's Guard!" the soldier commands as he draws a large rifle on the man, who immediately complies.

The Queen's Guard are members of the British military who are tasked with protecting the royal residences. A guardsman who participated in a Reddit question-and-answer session last year pointed out that while the soldiers carry guns during their ceremonial patrols, the weapons only contain live ammunition if the guards are aware of an active threat.

However, he said, guardsmen are fully empowered to yell at members of the public who cross them.

"You are allowed to get them away by shouting warnings at them. If they fail to move away or start to act aggressively we present our bayonets... to remind them that we can do more harm than them. But usually the police are quick and remove trouble makers," he wrote. "People should not go and try to provoke the guards. It's just not respectful."

But when it comes to tourists, it seems like guards can take respect more easily than they can dish it out. In a video that went viral earlier this month, you can see a tourist with a camera getting "steamrolled" by a group of guards on the march.

That's not to say guardsmen won't goof off once in a while, but apparently it's got to be on their own terms.

Thoughts?

 

[Smiley]

Here you go:

 

[beowulf]

never mess with a Guardsman....seriously

some of the Guards Regiments date back to the 1600's and have fought in all of the major conflicts since then.

 

[Jazzy]

When my friend and I went to London, we went to see the changing of the guards at Windsor Castle. It was an amazing sight to see. As we left and turned the corner, there was a guard standing in a narrow booth. He did not move a muscle and had no expression whatsoever on his face. We both thought it was a statute and not a real person. My friend told me to stand next to the "statute" so she could take a picture. As I stood beside the "statute" he stomped his foot. Needless to say, it scared the crap out of me. Never did get the picture as I ran half way up the block. Guess they don't like to have their picture taken.

 

[Elvira]

Here you go:

The beauty of Mr. Bean is not needing captioning to watch! lol

 

[ddoesmc]

Wow. He isn't messing around!

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Lol that guy was about to get shot in the face.

I don't think I could get the nerve to mess around with an armed guard myself.

 

[Smiley]

I kinda wonder; if it actually came to an armed conflict with a hostile force, how much would those guys actually be able to do? With those uniforms they wear, they might as well paint a bullseye on themselves. :unsure2:

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

I kinda wonder; if it actually came to an armed conflict with a hostile force, how much would those guys actually be able to do? With those uniforms they wear, they might as well paint a bullseye on themselves. :unsure2:

Like, if a sniper started picking them off one by one?

 

[Smiley]

Yeah, that's one scenario. Regardless of the method of attack, wouldn't they benefit from some kind of camouflage uniforms that would help them blend in with the environment at least a little bit? As it is now, they're just for show, and the Queen of England wouldn't last long if she relied solely on them for protection.