a peaceful single male held a placard with two quotes outside downing street yesterday afternoon. police told him he would be arrested, and although he agreed to go peacefully they violently handcuffed him in front of a crowd of astonished tourists.
film of arrest
- video/mp4 8.6M
the offending banner
the incorrigible barbara tucker and her peaceful partner in crime 'steve' decided to go and stand outside downing street this afternoon. just before they set off from parliament square, diplomatic police laughed with them and said that they hoped they weren't going up whitehall. well they did. the diplomatic police attended briefly but didn't seem that bothered. even the armed police at the gate were enjoying a joke about the singing that accompanied the small gathering as barbara modelled her pink 'peace, justice, love for all' banner, and steve held the banner pictured above.
after a while though, two officers attended from charing cross. they declared that an illegal demonstration was taking place and that they were going to report barbara and steve for possible summons. this made barbara's 30th 'report', although she has only been summoned once. the police then tried to report 'steve' (his first) but as he did not believe he was committing any offence he only was willing to give his first name. police threatened to arrest him, and he co-operated fully stating again that he did not believe he had comitted an offence but would go to court.
despite his completely peaceful demeanour, the police insisted on handcuffing him. steve refused to make this easy for them, and resisted passively, pointing out that he was not resisting arrest, but was resisting the unnecessary use of handcuffs. by now, three policemen were using various painful holds on him attempting to cuff him, and officer cx149 was witnessed kneeing steve hard in the thigh.
after struggling for some minutes, and attracting a large crowd of mainly tourist passers-by, the police finally managed to cuff the powerful but unruffled man. steve kept his composure and his placid stance throughout. when they were trying to push him into the car, he calmy told them to let go of him and he would sit down himself. they finally got the idea, let their hold off him, and he quietly got into the back seat by himself with dignity intact.
by now, nearly fifty passers-by had gathered (mostly tourists), and steve's supporters were busy explaining to them about the repressive socpa law and its violent use they'd just witnessed.
later, a small group held a solidarity vigil outside charing cross station. they were told that he had been seen by a doctor and a nurse, and that he had assaulted a police officer - that old chestnut!
some food and drink was passed into the station, and latest news at time of posting is that steve is still refusing to give any details on the grounds that what he did was not a crime. so he has been held in custody for nine hours now, and has still not been officially charged. police are considering whether to take him to court in the morning, where it's possible but hopefully unlikely that he may face imprisonment until he co-operates by giving details.
given the fact that so many socpa 'reports' have not led to summonses, that the assault charge is laughably fictitious, that the violent arrest was witnessed by so many and videoed, and that imprisoning someone effectively for holding one banner up outside downing street might not go down too well with the mainstream press, it is clear the stakes are high.
more news in the morning........
after a while though, two officers attended from charing cross. they declared that an illegal demonstration was taking place and that they were going to report barbara and steve for possible summons. this made barbara's 30th 'report', although she has only been summoned once. the police then tried to report 'steve' (his first) but as he did not believe he was committing any offence he only was willing to give his first name. police threatened to arrest him, and he co-operated fully stating again that he did not believe he had comitted an offence but would go to court.
despite his completely peaceful demeanour, the police insisted on handcuffing him. steve refused to make this easy for them, and resisted passively, pointing out that he was not resisting arrest, but was resisting the unnecessary use of handcuffs. by now, three policemen were using various painful holds on him attempting to cuff him, and officer cx149 was witnessed kneeing steve hard in the thigh.
after struggling for some minutes, and attracting a large crowd of mainly tourist passers-by, the police finally managed to cuff the powerful but unruffled man. steve kept his composure and his placid stance throughout. when they were trying to push him into the car, he calmy told them to let go of him and he would sit down himself. they finally got the idea, let their hold off him, and he quietly got into the back seat by himself with dignity intact.
by now, nearly fifty passers-by had gathered (mostly tourists), and steve's supporters were busy explaining to them about the repressive socpa law and its violent use they'd just witnessed.
later, a small group held a solidarity vigil outside charing cross station. they were told that he had been seen by a doctor and a nurse, and that he had assaulted a police officer - that old chestnut!
some food and drink was passed into the station, and latest news at time of posting is that steve is still refusing to give any details on the grounds that what he did was not a crime. so he has been held in custody for nine hours now, and has still not been officially charged. police are considering whether to take him to court in the morning, where it's possible but hopefully unlikely that he may face imprisonment until he co-operates by giving details.
given the fact that so many socpa 'reports' have not led to summonses, that the assault charge is laughably fictitious, that the violent arrest was witnessed by so many and videoed, and that imprisoning someone effectively for holding one banner up outside downing street might not go down too well with the mainstream press, it is clear the stakes are high.
more news in the morning........
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Comments
Hide the following 15 comments
Compulsive viewing
19.06.2006 05:02
It certainly needs wider broadcasting than just being shown here.
Excellent video. Well done indeed.
(Oh.. but if you do upload it to a mass-viewer site it should in a more universal video format. Not everyone will have VLC!)
Viewer
Stupid cops
19.06.2006 09:15
bonzo
for you microsoft junkies.....
19.06.2006 11:36
Microsoft Junkie
outrageous
19.06.2006 12:27
And there were so many people around nobody tried to stop the arrest. The apathy of the people in this country is unbelievable. I’m sorry but I just don’t get it.
dim
Spread the word!
19.06.2006 13:11
Simon Johnson
e-mail:
virtual3@mac.com
Homepage:
http://blog.virtual3.co.uk/
TV Journalist
19.06.2006 13:28
Channel 4 News press office: 020 7430 4220 and explain what you have got or e.mail
ITV News -
however most have watched it already in total silence so should be aware!
if not
You can send this video to a citizen journalism site and you confidentiality will be protected, the video has been viewed and it will make most news channels in the uk if you can get it around
I suggest contacting scoopt
other citizen journalism sites are available
you can use www.yousendit.com and enter the recepient as
send a text file as well giving some outlines.
This is very very hot stuff indeed and like I say every load bearing state has it's break point
contact us please
re: simon johnson blog
19.06.2006 15:16
rikki
Nice one Rikki!
19.06.2006 16:56
Anyway, where would we be without your reporting Rikki? Its all there for the world to see, State oppression of peaceful protesters in a so-called democratic country, which has the barefaced cheek to try to impose its values on other countries by force.
Doug.
Not impressed
19.06.2006 17:13
James
reply to james
19.06.2006 17:41
so as long as we all follow blair and do what he says we won't get beaten up - is that what you're saying?
silly them!
rikki
Great Video; Rubbish Law
19.06.2006 21:52
Matthew
Matthew
Police State Britian
20.06.2006 00:39
when did steve assult the officer???
typical pigs trying to set innocent people up again i guess
Anti-Police State
doh - yes i meant he pleaded NOT GUILTY
20.06.2006 01:16
the assault is supposed to have taken when the police were trying to cuff him.
perhaps they haven't seen the video - haha.
rikki
Please don't use a duty solicitor!
20.06.2006 05:02
Checkout the publication 'No Comment'.
There are sympathetic solicitors out there who will do their best for you when you are arrested, instead of landing you in the shit. Check with friends, or with campaign groups, for a suitable solicitor's phone number and write it on your wrist before venturing out to a demo.
Doug.
Homepage:
http://Big mistake!
To Rikki - sorry from Simon
20.06.2006 08:14
We briefly met a few weeks ago on Parliament Square. MAya Evans introduced us while on our little picnic blanket. I thanked you for you video owrk.
I am sorry abou the 'simon johnson' thing. It is automatically inserted by my blog software and I can't remove it. I didn't even thinnk about it when publishing your atricle.
I have put a reference to you now - take a look
Simon Johnson
e-mail:
virtual3@mac.com