Mass harrassment, terror tactics, theft, lies and propaganda, excessive force: the relentless campaign of intimidation by police at this years Climate Camp that started with raiding the camp and confiscating essential equipment, has also now included the premeditated political use of blanket stop and search, night-time terrorising of the climate camp site, confiscating pushbikes, blockading food supplies, and harrassment of media and legal observers.
Late Tuesday night/very early Wednesday morning police attempted to terrorise the camp with a low-flying helicopter and by storming the gates with sirens blaring and riot cops shouting. The same night police cut locks and took away bikes after telling people to leave their bikes in the car park. From the beginning the police used excessive force against climate campers (photos) including women, children and legal observers. See newswire post on police bullying.
Links: Climate Camp website | Full Climate Camp 2008 Coverage | the very latest: Climate Camp timeline
On-site media also suffered intimidation from the noisy low-flying police helicopter, while reporters and photographers were held outside, some for hours.
On Thursday vans delivering food were stopped and forced to unload a mile from the site.
Climate campers soon came together to defend the site against the police incursions and resist the blanket stop and search(pics & audio), with many commenting that the repeated heavy attempts to enter the camp 'are radicalising a new generation of activists'. Photos of Wednesdays mass 'breakout' here.
Police were given extended stop and search powers on Thursday, they can now stop and search anyone without needing to have reasonable grounds to do so. The pre-meditated political use of blanket stop and search is well known to be unlawful under the Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) Act, Section A. Such searches cannot be based on 'generalisations or stereotypical images'. The Camp For Climate Action Legal Support team wrote to the police about the legality of their exercise of powers of seizure.
As if the harrassment and intimidatory tactics weren't enough, police resorted to disinformation via the mainstream media, claiming an outbreak of dysentry in the camp and the unearthing of a 'secret weapons stash'.
Legal info for climate campers
Fitwatch pics
Comments
Hide the following 9 comments
Old fashioned sexism?
10.08.2008 09:22
It's necessary to point out when the police attacks children, when they don't respect the position of legal advisers, but why does it make a difference to you as feature writer whether the police attacks a male or female activist?
clara
Welcome to the past
10.08.2008 12:01
Star
Star
yep, this is sexist reporting on indymedia...
10.08.2008 14:30
However, half a dozen large male coppers throwing a small female in a floaty dress about, shoving her to the ground and sitting on her is shocking...
good on you, campers... well done.
Now get home for a bath and several days of sleep.
xx
davina
Entire Generation. . .
10.08.2008 22:39
I`m embarrassed for Indymedia reading this. An Entire Generation Radicalized! It appears that the author is somewhat divorced from reality. All power to Star and our Sister`s for their most valid observations.
NON VIOLENCE PROTECTS THE STATE---------------EARTH FIRST!
Ivor Point
PACE codes of practice
14.08.2008 13:31
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From PACE Section 67:
(10) A failure on the part—
(a)of a police officer to comply with any provision of such a code;
(b)of any person other than a police officer who is charged with the duty of investigating offences or charging offenders to have regard to any relevant provision of such a code in the discharge of that duty, or
(c)of a person designated under section 38 or 39 or accredited under section 41 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30) to have regard to any relevant provision of such a code in the exercise or performance of the powers and duties conferred or imposed on him by that designation or accreditation,
shall not of itself render him liable to any criminal or civil proceedings.
(11) In all criminal and civil proceedings any such code shall be admissible in evidence; and if any provision of such a code appears to the court or tribunal conducting the proceedings to be relevant to any question arising in the proceedings it shall be taken into account in determining that question.
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streetlawyer
radicalised - as if that wasn't the aim
14.08.2008 17:52
The term/concept of radicalisation is used here by IMCista as if it was an unintended or stupid action by the police - but that's the very point: to radicalise - to radicalise to the point of people reacting so strongly that the violent unlawful means used in the first place are justified retrospectively: "Look, we told you that these climate campers were dangerous people..."
It is repression lesson 1.
Google strategy of tension for entry into more relevant stuff....
radikalised
to radikalised
16.08.2008 18:17
How ever much the police might have deserved reprisals against them ("a black eye for a black eye"?), the wise, brave Campers realised that it was better to stay on the high moral ground.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't be forceful in defending ourselves (and that is radical), but it needs to be low key in appearance to be perceived as legitimate (actually, I guess you agree with that last part).
squatticus
War On Terror Boardgame - as seen on channel 4
03.09.2008 01:19
Oh, and I agree with the above posters. "women and children." This is Indymedia, not the Sun. Think about what you're writing.
Fabbri
"How The Police Radicalized An Entire Generation"???+?
05.09.2008 08:51
U no hoo