Urgent! Were You stopped & Searched during the 2003 DESI protests.

Please circulate widely:
Were you searched in London by police during the
DSEI arms fair last September? Liberty needs
your search receipts ASAP for the second stage of
a High Court legal battle against the Metropolitan
Police. 0207 378 3653 www.liberty-humanrights.
org.uk

=====
www.ldmg.org.uk
Postal address: LDMG, C/o BM Haven, London WC1N 3XX

Devlish

Comments

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hmm 'commentator'

07.06.2004 17:55

Which is why they denied using the Terrorism act at all on channel four news, only to be confronted with video proof, then argued it was appropriate, thought they couldn't explain why they didn't just use section 60 of the public order act (which of course is less stigmatic and isolationg than being labelled a de facto suspected terrorist). Then Home Secretary Jack Straw promised in Parliament that the Terrorism Act 2000 contained no thing that would be used against demonstrators; Section 44 stop-and-search powers have been overwhelmingly, if not exclusively, used against peaceful demonstrators - At DSEI, Fairford and I believe during the Bush visit. Wonder why we don't trust politicians?

In fact, I seem to remember it was reported that the police were told not to investigate the trading of illegal arms at DSEI by David Blunkett, who also personally authorised/ordered the use of the Terrorism Act. "In fascism there is no law, only power" - Its a slippy slope, cheers liberty for fighting the corner.

not very comical

Obvious wind up

07.06.2004 19:34

Well I commentator's comment is an obvious wind up but just for the record...

I was searched as were many other protesters. Now first off it's debatable that the arms fair would even be a target at all for terrorists (except as a shopping trip). But even if you think that is the case it's pretty obvious the place to plant bombs would be on the inside not some 100 yards away or by the supportive cafe.

The cops who searched my friend and I claimed they were looking for scaffold clips but their excuse for doing so was ridiculous. Basically it was just harrassment for harrassment's sake - a form of oppression of the British public. We were on bicycles which is not the most likely form of transport for Al Qaeda members is it? And I don't think scaffold clips are the most likely weapon they use either. (The cops claimed these items would be used to through at them - year right!)

We were searched under PACE (The Police and Criminal Evidence Act) which meant they had to give us a reason for the search. When the cop searching me started to look through my wallet I stopped him explaining it was pretty obvious they wouldn't find any scaffold clips in there. In essence the cops were trying anything to try bust people. (thanks to LDMG for the briefing a few days before which was excellent).

Unfortunately I lost my search form but good luck to the LDMG in pursuing this.

Despite very opppressive and heavy policing many of the DSEi actions still had considerable impact. Good effort to everyone who took part.

searched person

"commentator"

08.06.2004 09:37

...is just another pseudonym for "unbiased", "voice of reason", "get real", "rockwell", etc., all names for the sad old git who posts wind-up messages all over this newswire every day.

Lately he's been urging us all to love the BNP, but today he's switched back to urging us all to love US foreign policy and the arms trade. :)

The troll-o-grams usually stay up for up to an hour, then get flushed. I won't hide this one though, because the responses were so good, and they don't make sense without the original troll.

:)

cheers

an IMC volunteer