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Advice for students fearing arrest

Fighting FIT | 13.11.2010 09:26

Over 50 people have been arrested so far, and the police have claimed they took the details of a further 250 people in the kettle using powers under the Police Reform Act. There may be more arrests to come.

Students who are worried should consider taking the following actions:


If you have been arrested, or had your details taken – contact the legal support campaign. As a group you can support each other, and mount a coherent campaign.

If you fear you may be arrested as a result of identification by CCTV, FIT or press photography;

DONT panic. Press photos are not necessarily conclusive evidence, and just because the police have a photo of you doesn’t mean they know who you are.
DONT hand yourself in. The police often use the psychological pressure of knowing they have your picture to persuade you to ‘come forward’. Unless you have a very pressing reason to do otherwise, let them come and find you - IF they know who you are.
DO get rid of your clothes. There is no chance of suggesting the bloke in the video is not you if the clothes he is wearing have been found in your wardrobe. Get rid of ALL clothes you were wearing at the demo, including YOUR SHOES, your bag, and any distinctive jewellery you were wearing at the time. Yes, this is difficult, especially if it is your only warm coat or decent pair of boots. But it will be harder still if finding these clothes in your flat gets you convicted of violent disorder.
DONT assume that because you can identify yourself in a video, a judge will be able to as well. ‘That isn’t me’ has got many a person off before now.
DO keep away from other demos for a while. The police will be on the look-out at demos, especially student ones, for people they have put on their ‘wanted’ list. Keep a low profile.
DO think about changing your appearance. Perhaps now is a good time for a make-over. Get a haircut and colour, grow a beard, wear glasses. It isn’t a guarantee, but may help throw them off the scent.
DO keep your house clean. Get rid of spray cans, demo related stuff, and dodgy texts / photos on your phone. Don’t make life easy for them by having drugs, weapons or anything illegal in the house.
DO get the name and number of a good lawyer you can call if things go badly. The support group has the names of recommended lawyers on their site. Take a bit of time to read up on your rights in custody, especially the benefits of not commenting in interview.
DO be careful who you speak about this to. Admit your involvement in criminal damage / disorder ONLY to people you really trust.
DO try and control the nerves and panic. Waiting for a knock on the door is stressful in the extreme, but you need to find a way to get on with business as normal. Otherwise you’ll be serving the sentence before you are even arrested.

Fighting FIT
- e-mail: info@fitwatch.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.fitwatch.org.uk

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Illegal

13.11.2010 10:27

If you have been caught smashing up stuff that you don't own illegally, then you should be punished.

A criminal record means you are going to find it that much harder to get a job, a loan or anything else. These things aren't handed out on a silver plate like university is. You have to earn them be conveying a sense of trust. Why would an employer hire someone who's convicted of smashing up stuff when they can get someone who hasn't?

These young adults are on the transition from being a child into an adult. Unfortunately, they seem to expect to be treated like adults, but act like child throwing their toys out of the pram and refuse to face the consequences like an adult does.

I think most of this is the universities fault in ingraining a believe in the students that they are better than they actually are. Most come out of university thinking they are the dogs bollox and know it all, until they've had a few interviews and realise they know fuck all about how the private sector works.

measured ipoint

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Illegal does not mean immoral

13.11.2010 10:47

How nice to have the official state/police views put across on IMC. Fuck off, troll.

rebel

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IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Illegal does mean illegal

13.11.2010 11:41

It is immoral that people (taxpayers) have money taken off them by coercian (ie. the threat of prison) so that it can be given to some jumped up 20 somethings who can't dress properly.

What about freedom of choice? If people want to buy an education, they do it with your own money not someone elses! No one should have to pay over money, and if they don't they are locked up in a tiny room for years.

The only reason students are protesting is that because of position of their cheese. 5 years from now when they got some kind of job, that cheese will have moved. Then they suddenly won't hold the same opinions when they see they tax money doing taken off them (under threat of a prison sentence) and given to someone else.

If one of them suddenly wins the lottery, I doubt they will continue to give a shit about the fees.

Its all about where your particular cheese is positioned and trying to get stuff for free. A me, me, me attitude.



poo

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poo- what a fitting name

13.11.2010 12:32

get a life you fucking moron, stop writing your frustrated comments here. It seems that it really pissed some people off that students can actually fight for once. And if its illegal? WHO FUCKING CARES?

what a fitting name

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IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Alternatively

13.11.2010 12:39

If you don't go around doing this kind of shit, then you properly wont be facing a prison sentence.

Two choices:
- fuck around and end up with a crim record. Die poor and in squallor
- forget all that and actually work hard without saying "But, why isn't it on a silver plate? I'm entitled to lots of money". Live in comfort

ex student

SMS logs

13.11.2010 18:50

Bear in mind just because a text is deleted from your phone, it don't mean it's gone...

If the piggies are sure they've got the right person, but don't have the evidence, they can and will pull either the logs, or content, of every text your number has sent. Alternatively they may think that you are part of either an organised or an on-the-spot group, one of whom they are gunning for.

But to get this they need your phone number. They'll get that if they arrest you and you're carrying your phone.


This is not a tactic they can be bothered to use for everyone, so no need to be paranoid.
This comment included just for completeness.

techbit

time to wise up

13.11.2010 20:16

Before the next big one, discuss with your friends what your planning, and make sure you don't have to discuss anything electronically, on the phone, net, etc.

jo blogs

talking to others

13.11.2010 20:44

If they have no need to know, then just dont. Have a convenient story to tell those who ask question (dont suddenly go all shy, or give "knowing shakes of the head"). The only people who need to know are those you are going to rely on - everyone else is not going to take your security as important as you will, and they are more likely to hint that they know things when trying to impress in the pub. Sorry, that's just the way it is. Great things were done, but stay free to fight another day.

Get arrested, then come out fighting, because the police will tarnish you if they can get away with it, and the more isolated you are the more pressure they can apply. People can only support you if we know who you are.

NEVER, EVER, EVER GIVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A NO-COMMENT INTERVIEW. Even if your lawyer advises otherwise - get a decent lawyer as duty lawyers can just as likely to be untrustworthy bastards and ex-cops (some are decent, but experience has show that not enough are).

Interviews are there to serve the police, both to convict you or to gather intelligence - what they are not about is getting you off or "giving your side of the story". Start with no comment even when the tapes are turned off, don't let them lure you in to a conversation at any time. Keep cool and you'll be out sooner. We've been arrested enough times to know that it the only way that works.

If they approach you to give evidence afterwards, saying they'll drop charges and all that shite, politely say no and tell your friends/group.

AS
- Homepage: http://activistsecurity.org

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

ouch

13.11.2010 23:23

ha ha you will go to prison and be someones bitch within the day you wanky middle class cunts

middle class scum

Journalists

14.11.2010 17:20

Get rid of them !
There's a reason why people have been pushing away journalists in protest all over europe. This also goes for demonstrators taking pictures of unmasked protestors. Mask up, push cameras away. That will only do good to the protests, if people start acting instead of taking a collection of images to put on their facebook. And after the article they published on this matter, journos from the telegraph should be a special target. No phones, no cameras, smashing CCTV before it's too late, and no paranoia afterwards. I know this is not the usual protest in England, but I don't think we should spread the paranoia. They can't possibly get everyone. They don't have evidence. Refuse to cooperate, watch your steps and keep fighting !

rerrrr

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