Back to the 80's

Courtenay Rogers | 18.09.2008 08:31

New changes to stop and search due to be announced by jaqui smith next week will see a step back in time to the 80's pre brixton riots for londoners.

Jaqui Smith backed by both the Labour party and Conservatives will announce a change in the stop and search powers and a return of the sus laws, removed after the Brixton riots in 1984, this change will mean that officers are no longer required to fill out a search form or give any reason other than suspicion to stop and search you on the street. Undoubtedly this will affect black and asian youths the most, once again widening the divide between races and cultures. With changes like this you can be assured of explosive results.

Courtenay Rogers

Comments

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Brixto Riots

18.09.2008 08:58

For those of you that are to young to remember the Brixton riots please click the links below, to see the results of the last widespread use of stop and search with the sus law in Brixton.

Battle for Brixton approx 30 mins.

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCjZEZt3QKc
part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW6kY6HfAqk
part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CH5RLEZhXs
part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-hLc1_lVvk
part 5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa9r25f1yWY
part 6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqDLg6GEfGg

Courtenay Rogers

Correction the Brixton riots happened in 1981

18.09.2008 09:10

The Brixton riots happened in 1981 not 1984! Though there was another riot in Brixton in 1982 then in 1985 and then in December 1995 and a small riot in 2001.

Historian

Apologies

18.09.2008 09:20

Apologies for the typo, you are correct of course the Brixton riots took place in 1981 not 1984 as stated in my post. thanks for pointing it out :)

Courtenay Rogers

according to the BBC

18.09.2008 09:34

"Officers will radio in the subject's ethnicity and hand over a card explaining how they should complain if they feel unfairly treated. The new measures will be rolled out nationally from next year."

The forms aren't that useful anyway - the card alonmg with shoulder numbers should be enough to pursue the matter afterwards.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7622207.stm

searchee

The trouble is

18.09.2008 11:08

they can easily deny searches have taken place and that now all they will need to perform a search is suspicion whereas currently they need a real reason other than simple suspicion
The result being we will see more abuses of this power as we all ready are with S.O.C.P.A. and council bye-laws.

Courtenay Rogers

deja vu

18.09.2008 12:17

not only the change in stop'n search but we already have the Tactical Support Group - nothing like the Special Support Group. Will the IPCC or anyone else be searching the TSG's lockers and vans for pick-axe handles, chains and the rest of the 'protective' gear the SPG used?

PRoS II

ACAB

18.09.2008 12:46

they're all scum, but TSG (territorial support group) are a cut above the rest when it comes to racist thugs. for sure the new laws will make it easier for them - but be under no illusion - if you are black or brown or - to a lesser extent - look like you belong to the wrong class, the laws in place now were more than sufficient for the police to harrass and intimidate. I've had personal experiences where when illegal reasons were given to stop and search me, the police just pulled the terrorism act out of the bag. there's a huge gang on the streets of london, its racist, its armed with sub machine guns and it is a law unto itself - the Met.

its going to get worse. and for sure we will see a return to the inner city turmoil this country saw in the early 80's.

choose your side.

fuck the police

What's the answer?

18.09.2008 15:08

I live in East London- yes there have been a lot of stop and searches- with metal detecters over the summer- but a lot of stabbings too!

2500 arrests with 500 knives taken off young men- 1 in 5 young men carrying knives in East London- that's NOT OK.

What's the wanswer?

Dista

I Don't Know

18.09.2008 16:11

Unfortunately i don't know but to reuse methods that have proven not to work in the past, and have in fact caused civil unrest is not the answer either, i to live in London and wish i knew the answer. But we pay our taxes so there are people to come up with new initiatives, not so they can reuse the same rusty blood soaked tools they used in the past. Recycling is for waste not politics and policing.

Courtenay Rogers

No change

18.09.2008 19:51

the fact that they will abolish the form filling for stop and search does not make a blind bit of difference. The police used to make up the grounds on a regular basis and fill in the forms in a perfunctory manner.

Rockrose