previous court cases have shown that there is NO power of seizure under SOCPA. the police acted illegally when they took his display in may 2006.

despite this, and a current judicial review going through courts, police turned up this afternoon to try and effect an arrest on brian for breach of conditions, and they fully intended to remove the tents that keep the protestors and supporters safe and warm at night.

it seems likely the operation had serious planning around it, as unexpected barriers appeared at the square this morning and the bbc/london transport camera has been switched off

after much legal argument it seems they have backed down for the moment in concern that they may be yet again breaching the law. it seemed the operation was planned while several supporters were having meetings with their lawyers, but judicial reviews have been served and the supporters arrived back in the nick of time to challenge the police who have now left to consider their position.

it is unclear whether this new assault has anything to do with the arrests and unlawful detentions last week after a complaint by alan duncan mp, or whether it is connected to the private prosecution that brian is launching after being assaulted on the 11th january. either way, there has been a new build-up of authoritarian pressure on the peace vigil recently, and where the law fails, brute force and injustice is tried instead.

they've arrested 'ant' for a public order offence - he allegedly called the police 'nazis'

they also did a 'stop and search' on a student journalist who was taking photographs