AP lobbies anti-terror minister in Home Office talks

[CSBC]

AP News

[Graham_RM13]

I hope everyone will send messages of thanks to Austin Mitchell MP for supporting us in this way.

Chris and Damien, I guess you already know how much we appreciate all that you are doing on this issue

Thank you

[125thAtf8]

"Minister David Hanson today urged Amateur Photographer magazine to forward to his department any future cases where photographers feel they have been unfairly treated by officers..."

It's clear from following these stories that they appear piecemeal; some in AP, some in the BJP, some in the national press, a few on blogs. Some don't get any wider attention till much later, if at all, perhaps because those involved were embarassed by police attention or were unaware they were part of a much larger problem.

In the 80's and 90's, some ethnic minority communities set up a number of very effective projects to monitor racist activity and in particular Police harassment or brutality. By meticulously documenting incidents they were able to demonstrate the scale of the problem amd the severity of some of the cases, bringing them to public attention and challenging police inactivity.

Our current problems are getting out of hand, and an already disinterested government has other things on its mind. What would be useful would be a way of recording the details of ALL incidents with Police, PCSOs and private security where there is a perception of harassment, abuse of rights, illegal actions or misuse of statutes, or just simple vindictiveness/ someone throwing their weight around. In addition to making the powers that be aware of the scale of abuses, it would provide a most effective way of holding Police to account and a potentially useful source of information for journalists, hopefully ensuring that the issue is firmly implanted in the minds of a public already becoming disquieted by the wider erosion of civil liberties.

It's also election time, and many of these stories ought to make uncomfortable reading for those who stand to lose parliamentary seats or comfy ministerial limos.

[brummie]

well that sets it clear then, if any of them as these videos show, happens, then arrest the officer under common law assault.

as I in theory I rekon the below would indicate the officers are acting unlawfully and so therefore a criminal act has taken place.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/fe...-terror-arrest

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/5024297...in__Kidlington/

it really is getting to that stage in by view if they wont hear common sense.

cheers

brummie

[CSBC]

There was a slight comedy moment following the meeting when a Home Office official kindly offered to take a group portrait of the attendees. But, sadly, both pics are pretty much unusable as they suffer from a severe bout of camera shake...

[Smudger79]

There was a slight comedy moment following the meeting when a Home Office official kindly offered to take a group portrait of the attendees. But, sadly, both pics are pretty much unusable as they suffer from a severe bout of camera shake...

Maybe if tripods were allowed..... !

[tonycollinet]

How about getting the home office, or acpo, to create a leaflet from *them* to police officers/PCSO's that photographers or other members of the public could carry, and give to an officer if they are harassed. This leaflet should instruct the officer on how and how not they are allowed to use the law, perhaps with a phone number they can contact to confirm. This would allow the message to get through (even if a bit late) to those officers who are still misusing the law.

[ermintrude]

This leaflet should instruct the officer on how and how not they are allowed to use the law

I thoguht their police training was supposed to tell them that.