**new police anti-lock on kit**
trainspotter | 03.03.2005 18:08 | Bio-technology | Ecology | Repression | Liverpool
Merseyside police have used a van fully equipped for protestors who are locked-on. We saw them use stuff against D-locks, but clearly visible was the kit they had for dealing with tripods. They had been well trained, and had a 'textbook' process of questions and procedures. This is a new development, and as far as we know, new in the UK. Please share any experiences of other regions. Maybe it's in response to G8, maybe in response to national Sainsbury's blockades, who knows. Whatever, it's damn annoying!
trainspotter
Comments
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so they put all their kit in one van?
03.03.2005 18:32
Cutters for D-locks have been around for a while too.
Cops were bound to work out sooner or later that they usually need all the kit at the same time so they might as well put it in one van.
So .. if your mate dreams up a new gadget, tactic or accessory that plod don't have an answer for (yet), why not buy them a drink! (and circulate the idea appropriatly)
bobby
Thames Valley Police too
03.03.2005 21:43
We definately need to evolve new blockading techniques.
darren locke
can you elaborate on "stuff "and "kit"
03.03.2005 21:48
er, what stuff please?
"but clearly visible was the kit they had for dealing with tripods"
Again, what kit? Be more specific please cos you sure as hell won't get one over them by endless theorising.
strategist
re sainsbury tactics
03.03.2005 22:46
Agree that people thinking about blockading should put more thought into it - but not on indymedia eh :-)
so last year darling
Van
04.03.2005 10:08
-The police seemed to be following procedure to the letter, clearing people away from the lock-ons swiftly, searching locked-on people for dangerous items, etc. They acted very confidently and efficiently, without much aggression.
-They filmed it all thoroughly, and at the end they asked the legal observer if it had all been carried out correctly.
That's a pretty funky van if it has a roof mounted crane!...
Did it come from merseyside, or was it lent from another force??
?
Nothing New
04.03.2005 14:59
n_london
all in one van
05.03.2005 12:25
:)
mr pink
No right to the name 'pink'
05.03.2005 15:06
yeuch, that was horrible
repulsed
A change of tactics?
06.03.2005 20:56
If we repeat the same action over and over the we can't expect Sainsbury's and the police to just sit there and take it. Sooner or later they will get wise and it seems they have.
Maybe its time to vary the tactics used? Target supermarkets or GM animal feed distribution centres. Make it more high profile and broaden it or more underground and hardcore? There are loads of options.
If we can't evolve we will get caught, so start thinking!
jerry
Bailiffs not so gentle
06.03.2005 22:07
d
clarification
10.03.2005 16:36
@Tp
corrections
13.03.2005 21:59
I believe the person who spotted the above had their view obstructed and was unable to move! What was on top of their van was the kit for removing people off tripods, which included ladders and platforms. It had runners etc, but not a crane. If this is any different once I've spoken to someone who went and had a good look, I'll post it here.
For photos see http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/03/306098.html
For comment on police tactics see http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/03/306128.html
For different comments see http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/03/306097.html
Sorry for not replying to people earlier - posted this but it didn't work. Thanks to ? for quoting specifics from above links on kit.
Bobby - the moving tripods on wheels was as far as I know only done at the Birmingham G8 Global Street Party in 1998. Cutters have been around for a while, but generally only ones that cut shit D-locks. These were the hydraulic variety however, that the fire brigade have for cutting people out of car crashes. Some police forces have had them, but their use has been patchy up to now, and usually they've had to call the fire brigade out, who sometimes refuse to remove people. Sure it doesn't take much to put them all in a van, but it's taken the plod over a decade to figure it out! And we don't want to end up in some kind of protestor-cop 'arms-race' if we can avoid it.
darren locke - yes, TVP & one other force (can't remember which) have had tripod vans for a while; last year during anti-war stuff in Manchester, we had one too. Seems like it might be more generalised and all together than before - G8 preparation anyone!?
so last year darling - no didn't happen last year.
jerry (AND EVERYONE) - don't just think, act!
(told you I was a) trainspotter