Topic: photographer? or terrorist?

[tonybloke]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/dec/11/photographs-police-anti-terrorism-law
nearly a 'police state'

the police really know how to pee off the public, don't they?

[.]

 
 
  http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/21/photographer-films-anti-terror-arrest 

 kind of thing ?

[dtw]

We are in a police state.
There's an organisation setup to protest against extremist muslims.
The leaders were arrested at a demo in Edinburgh for no apparent reason.
Whilst they were in custody there house and their parents house were raided by police with machine guns. Terrifying small children.

There's no report in the press of that, there is so much going on in this country that doesn't get reported.
Any protest against the government is dealt with force, be it from the police or the government sponsored protest group.

[PurpleHeather]

dtw is right about there being  a conspiracy of silence about what we are not allowed to know.

Has it ever been any different?

[greenfists]

You are not in a Police State, believe me.
Also, thank your lucky stars that you are able to think that you are.

[Pesky Wabbit]

ISn't that the whole point of the video - were not free.

[grawrc]

We are in a police state.

No we are not. THe fact that some police officers (videos) overstep the mark and get it wrong doesn't mean the whole police force is corrupt. And that's true of any large social group. If you were living in a police state you'd surely know the difference.

There's an organisation setup to protest against extremist muslims.
The leaders were arrested at a demo in Edinburgh for no apparent reason.
Whilst they were in custody there house and their parents house were raided by police with machine guns. Terrifying small children.

There's no report in the press of that, there is so much going on in this country that doesn't get reported.

I was wondering what your source of information was?

Any protest against the government is dealt with force, be it from the police or the government sponsored protest group.

That is demonstrably untrue.

[tonybloke]

That is demonstrably untrue.

didn't you see the video of the chap being attacked by the police at the anti-globalisation sketch in london last year?? you know, the one who was knocked down to the ground (from behind) and who died subsequently??
several videos were posted showing police thugs beating women during the same protests.

also, what about the chap with 11 (eleven) bullets in his head in the tube station??

Neither time was anyone prosecuted?
The IPPC is a joke, they just seem to cover-up, rather than investigate.

[Pesky Wabbit]

No we are not. The fact that some police officers (videos) overstep the mark and get it wrong doesn't mean the whole police force is corrupt.
.

As the article states "Patefield was held for eight hours and released without charge."

So not only did the arresting officers over step the mark, but also the station, where he was held.

The man was released "WITHOUT CHARGE", ie the police didn't actually have any valid grounds  to arrest him in the first place.

Lancashire police said they had "no choice" but to arrest him because he was refusing to co-operate.   NO. Hes was doing nothing wrong (NO charge, remember), and he was just exercising his rights - for which he was detained for 8 hours.

Clearly this kind of behaviour is endemic with in the Lancashire police and is supported all the way to the top.

The video clearly shows that no member of the public is allowed to exercise their rights, but instead HAS TO OBEY every command of a police officer, otherwise they will be locked up.

Now if that's not a police state I dont know what is.  >:( >:( >:( >:(

[dtw]

I was wondering what your source of information was?

http://www.englishdefenceleague.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=113:edl-members-arrested-for-thought-crimes&catid=42:feature-stories&Itemid=117

Meanwhile, far-left so-called 'anti-fascism' protesters were allowed to wander the streets without any Police opposition. These same protesters made numerous attempts to attack EDL and SDL supporters, while nearby Police officers turned a blind eye. It is clear that today's Police actions were politically motivated and that the Police Force as a whole can no longer be considered to be politically neutral.

[Unwashed]

The guy was arrested for taking photos "in an antisocial manner".  OK, so he wasn't beaten up in custody, but the police abused their powers, and the abuse was supported right to the top.  So yes, that's definitely on the way to a police state.

[grawrc]

The guy was arrested for taking photos "in an antisocial manner".  OK, so he wasn't beaten up in custody, but the police abused their powers, and the abuse was supported right to the top.  So yes, that's definitely on the way to a police state.

I am not happy with the way these people were treated and I have grave concerns about the level of surveillance in this country, however we are a long way from Soviet Russia or Nazi Germany or North Korea or indeed Iran where the folk on this thread would already have been picked up for questioning because they were critical of the state. if you've seen "Das Leben der anderen" (the lives of others) you'll know what I mean. To be honest I am more concerned about the huge power of multinationals including banks to shape law-making in the UK and USA and probably just about everywhere except for police or communist states (not that that is intended as a recommendation for police states! :o :o ;))

I do not discount the information on the EDL website however I am a little bit sceptical about it. I don't know anything about the folk who were purportedly arrested at the railway station and whose homes were "invaded" by armed policemen and I don't know for sure that that really happened. EDL has an axe to grind. This could well be part of their polemic. I'm not saying it is but it could be.

What I do know because I was in Edinburgh when this took place is what I observed. The police were protecting the SDL people in an Edinburgh pub from some of the other group (Scotland United). Their aim was to prevent violence and aggression and to protect punters like me. The huge police presence was down to the violence that had erupted at a similar demo in Glasgow a few months earlier. I was only able to go about my business because the police were there. When I went into town I had not realised that it was all happening. The policemen and women I spoke to were polite and helpful and took the time to explain things to me. it wasn't just a case of "move on".

I was in Paris in 1968 and joined in the student riots where we shouted " CRS (the riot police) =SS". They were nothing like the SS. They didn't sexually abuse women and children, they didn't torture people, experiment on them  or starve them, they didn't murder countless numbers of people that were out of favour ( maybe for Jews read Muslims?). But in the heat of the demos they did fire tear gas and they did beat up people some of whom subsequently died. France wasn't a police state then or now. Neither are we.

[Ishard]

And did you see that programme about the police where an officer stopped 2 adults with some beer coming back from the supermarket and arrested them saying "They might get drunk and disorderly." !!!!!!! They also confiscated the beer

They were later released as they hadnt committed a crime but their beer was never retuirned.

So remember that when you get some booze from the supermarket, somewhere there is a police party!

I am sick and tired of this Nanny state that gets backed up by punitive stupid laws that makes the average person a criminal.

Labour is now trying to make it against the law to smoke in your own home. Id love to know how they are going to police that!!!

Yeh I know, dawn raids by fully armed police officers.

[dtw]

Id love to know how they are going to police that!!!

Smoke detectors connected to the internet and fines direct from your bank account.

[asbean]

And did you see that programme about the police where an officer stopped 2 adults with some beer coming back from the supermarket and arrested them saying "They might get drunk and disorderly." !!!!!!! They also confiscated the beer

They were later released as they hadnt committed a crime but their beer was never retuirned.

So remember that when you get some booze from the supermarket, somewhere there is a police party!

I am sick and tired of this Nanny state that gets backed up by punitive stupid laws that makes the average person a criminal.

Labour is now trying to make it against the law to smoke in your own home. Id love to know how they are going to police that!!!

Yeh I know, dawn raids by fully armed police officers.

Good opportrunity for them to get their DNA - guilty until proved innocent

[Jeannine]

Driving a vehicle with an opened bottle of alchohol is an offence here and they do charge  you, in fact walking down the street is the same.. so no sharing your booze with your friend down the road.

There was a case here years ago when some Italian  folks going to a wedding where stopped and searched, they had a part bottle of some rare Italian drink which was very special in the boot.

They fought in court saying that it was the tradition to drink this at a wedding and the bottle was very treasured as it could only be got in Italy and even there it was very rare , they offered proof of their statement and  were let off with a caution.

You cannot take a beer or bottle of wine on a picnic either.

XX Jeannine

[Mr Smith]

Coming from that part of the world  East Lancashire and knowing first hand what actually goes on up there, more than likely some person  complained about being filmed and the Police being all PC and luvvy arrested the poor chap, but well done to him for standing his ground,