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Report of being arrested near Stirling

A. | 12.07.2005 14:15 | G8 2005 | Repression

Illegal police action while arresting people near Stirling after blockade of the M9 ended on wed 06.07.05

On the morning of wed 6th of July I was on a cow-field near a section of the M9 (close to Stirling), where earlier a blockade had been dissolved when the police arrived.
About 10 am the police arrested me and about 16 others at the cow-field. We were made sit down and asked for our personal details and then searched. One by one we were brought to the police vans. We were photographed, searched again, and our personal belongings were put into plastic-bags. We were filmed during this.
Then I was informed that I was arrested for Breach of the peace. My hands got shackled on the back. I was put into a little police bus with a caged off section (about 2x3 m). There were 9 of us, all handcuffed on the back. One 17 year old boy, one 60 year old lady, and the rest of us in the 20ies. Our belongings were put into the bus and around 11 am the van left for Falkirk police station. When we arrived there the doors of the bus were opened for Air and we were left in the bus until 9 pm that evening.
We all had wet clothes and feet and it got cold. At 12 o’clock we were brought to the toilet one by one. The handcuffs were only opened for this short time at one hand.
An older policeman looked into the bus now and then. We asked for food and water and complained about the cold, so around 2 pm he closed one of the doors. And he told us that we will get water and our handcuffs would be checked. Last never happened.
Around 4 pm he brought us a little water, maybe a little cup each. That was the only thing they gave us from 10 am in the morning until 9 pm at night.
I asked to be brought to the toilet again, but we were told that there were no female officers available to bring us. After around 5 pm the male and female police officers we asked for help just turned away grinning.
One woman started to experience obvious agony to relief herself, but was ignored amongst touting and slagging by the cops. Around 6 pm that woman became increasingly desperate, and we decided to burn a tissue to get attention. The driver gave out to us about the fire and on the A/C. And left us there like before. The woman kept bagging to go to the toilet, but all police officers that heard her laughed and turned away again.
After asking and begging to go to the toilet for more than two hours the woman couldn’t hold on any longer and under tears relived herself inside the bus. We tried to console her, which was hard with our hand handcuffed on the back and told her, that it wasn’t her fault but the police’s.
At that stage my hands became pretty swollen. The police started making fun of the smell in the van, said we were like animals or remind them on dogs. They talked loud about us and laughed lot. Every time we asked for help, food, water, or to go to the toilet, they ignored us or smiled and turned out of our view. One female officer behaved in the same way when I asked her for help, cause my hands became seriously swollen. The officers went away and we stayed alone on the car park for a while. Around 9 pm the bus was moved to the backside of the police station and we were brought out for processing and put into cells.

A.


Comments

Hide the following 15 comments

Falkirk Police Station

12.07.2005 16:04

‘Then I was informed that I was arrested for Breach of the peace’

Well, come on now you even admitted you were trying to blockade the M9 motorway! Is that not breaching the peace?

‘Breach Of The Peace’
n. An act that causes a disturbance to an individual or the public. The term also applies to any criminal act that results in fear or intimidation,

I live in Falkirk and pass the police station every day. Sorry but the vans/cars carrying prisoners go round the side of the solicitors office on the corner (just before Morrisons supermarket) and into the back of the police station. Now you said that ‘Around 9 pm the bus was moved to the backside of the police station and we were brought out for processing and put into cells.’

So where was the police van parked with you in it from 10am to 9pm as you claim then?

Paul from Falkirk


Re: Falkirk Police Station

12.07.2005 17:14

Paul said:

>Well, come on now you even admitted you were trying to blockade the M9 motorway! Is that not breaching the peace?

He/she doesn't say that at all, of course you can read that into it, but does the law support the police reading that into it? And should it? How about innocent until proven guilty?

> So where was the police van parked with you in it from 10am to 9pm as you claim then?

This is a dumb nit-picking question to ask a non-local who was handcuffed in the back of a van at the time. Perhaps you have never left Falkirk and have trouble with this concept; I hate to break it to you, but there's a big wide world out there.

Frankly A., it's an unclear account. You don't say whether you are following up this mistreatment, a good first move would be to retain contact details for your fellow prisoners.

Eddie from Edinburgh

Eddie


Interesting article

12.07.2005 21:11

Interesting article. It's not hard to imagine the cops responsible being much worse in a different situation - what would they do if they were Abu Graib prison guard for example? They are motivated by a sick desire to humilate people and I think it says much more about their own lack of self respect than anyone they were holding.

I've had to hold off from peeing before. Not too good for the bladder. In future I think it's better to give them 5 minutes to let you out then piss on the floor.

Stories like this show a side of the so called forces of law and order that most people would prefer to pretend does not happen.

Probably worth reporting this to the Police complaints authority (who hate the cops as much as anyone).

s


Re: Falkirk Police Station / Eddie from Edinburgh

12.07.2005 22:15

Sorry Eddie, I'm not trying to be devious, sarcastic or the likes here.

Just trying to see the story from an "outsider" view. I happen to pass that police station on a daily basis and the only place to park there...is the back door of the station, the custody enterance and the parking area for the police.

(1) He/she doesn't say that at all, of course you can read that into it, but does the law support the police reading that into it? And should it? How about innocent until proven guilty?

No problem with the innocent till proven guilty theme. No problems whatsoever. However, blockading a motorway could be classed as "breaching the peace". Could it not?


(2) So where was the police van parked with you in it from 10am to 9pm as you claim then?

Accoring to the story it's claimed the van is parked somewhere at the station from 10am. Then at 9pm it's parked at the back enterance to the station.

Where was it parked beforehand? I'd like to know. It's just a personal question.

The reason I ask is that there's physically nowhere to park in front of the station and physically nowhere to park at either side of the station, you really only can part at the back of the station where the back door is and where the van arrived at 9pm.

Just trying to find out where in fact the van was parked for ohhhh....those 11 hours?

Paul From Falkirk


Professional Psychopaths sign up here!

12.07.2005 23:30

Where else can you get away with torturing other human beings for a living and pay your mortgage at the same time? You might even get promotion as a result.

Just remember to turn a blind eye towards any other officer's violent transgressions - it's all part of the course you know, be a team player!

And don't ask about the unprecedented numbers of deaths in police custody either - it's not your job to worry about these things. The police aren't institutionally racist anymore - there's been an inquiry afteral!

Where else can you arrest and detain people illegally and deny them their basic human needs and dignity?

No this isn't South America or some tin-pot police state we're talking about here but Scotlands Falkirk police station!

Move on please...nothing to see here!

Sue the bastards!


Re: Falkirk Police Station

13.07.2005 12:41

Well any answer(s) to my previous question?

Paul from Falkirk


Sue them?

13.07.2005 14:40

So what? If they loose you will be compensated out of public money, not their money, and no one will be sacked. Don't let the bastards grind you down with their policy of intimidation and abuse, they are not worth it.

A.Friend.


Sueing the police can be very effective

13.07.2005 22:46

true don't let them grind you down but you should take legal action against the officers responsible and the police station for complicity in the whole episode of denying you your basic human rights, needs and most importantly your dignity.

Sueing them can be very worth while not just in monetary terms - imagine what you could do with £10,000 worth of damages for further activism?!

It can also help set precedents ie. Falkirk police won't be in such a hurry next time to abuse and torture people like this again.

Wonder if there's been any deaths in police custody there? Perhaps a legal challenge around this might ensure they think twice before putting the boot into some other vulnerable person in their custody - think about it please :)

As for Paul from Falkirk - you're either one of them or you've got mental health issues - accept these peoples accounts for god's sake!

They were mistreated and deserve some justice not some whining attempt to delegitimate their account.

Bravo people keep resisting!!

don't let them gettaway with it


Falkirk Police Station Again

13.07.2005 23:12

"don't let them gettaway with it": why do you suppose I have mental health issues? It's a simple question to answer isn't it?

Where was the van parked for these supposed 11 hours?

Can the poster of the story perhaps shed some light into an answer or is the 11 hour story just pure adulterated science fiction?

Paul from Falkirk


Paul from Falkirk

14.07.2005 07:27

The vehicle was unlikely to have good enough visibility that complete strangers to Falkirk would know where it was the bus was parked.

If your intimate knowledge of the police station is accurate (you sound like a cop anyway) then my guess is that the vehicle was out the back, and was moved to the doors when the 'prisoners' were finally processed after a lengthy period of inhumane treatment.

If you really aren't a cop, then why don't you pop into the cop-shop and ask them where a vehicle containing prisoners was parked between 11am and 9pm on July 6th.

We kill Iraqis in the name of "freedom" and "democracy" you know. Behaviour attributed to those cops sounds exactly like the waty that Saddam's cops would have dealt with peaceful protestors.

Limited Vision


Don't let them get away with it.

14.07.2005 08:14

Sueing them is a separate issue about which they couldn't care less. As I said, it is not their money and none of them get sacked. By 'don't let the bastards grind you down' I meant don't let them deter you from future public protest, which is the primary intent behind their unlawful ill treatment of those arrested.

A.Friend.


G8 protestors to sue police over tortue

14.07.2005 12:30

Article in today's Herald.

 http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/43034.html

Can I suggest that anyone who has experienced problems, makes a formal complaint to the police and copies it to either the G8 legal support team or Carolyn Leckie MSP*  carolyn.leckie.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Aamer Anwar has offered to co-ordinate people who wish to pursue complaints and give them collective protection.

Initial meeting at 6pm 27/7/05 - Scottish Parliament Committee Room 1.

* Note that Carolyn Leckie is an SSP MSP, however this is non-party political and is based on complaints from her constituents and againt the police force which operates in the area which she represents.

they aren't getting away with it


Re: Limited Vision

15.07.2005 00:28

No “limited vision” I’m not a cop, with suggestions like that I can't help but feel you really thought your name out well.

My “knowledge of the station” is simple. I pass by it on a daily basis, sometimes half a dozen to a dozen times daily due to my work, after all it's situated right at the main street into the centre of Falkirk, you can hardly miss it!

So “limited vision” back to my original question. Where was the van parked for the …ehhhhh…11 hours?

Personally I feel the original poster is talking bollocks of 11 hours parked in some mysterious place.

I take it “limited vision” it is ok to come to that personal conclusion or shall I just pull the scarf up over the face and follow the leader?

When are we going to see you lot hit the PMs residence(s), when are we going to see you brick two jags jaguars with him in it?

Anarchy in the streets? Sorry mate but the Fathers for Justice posse have stomped over more Government property than you lot have ever achieved!

Paul from Falkirk


Not a cop

15.07.2005 01:26

"Personally I feel the original poster is talking bollocks of 11 hours parked in some mysterious place."

And personally, I feel that you're talking bollocks.

Falkirk today has a report on the day in question ( http://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=927&ArticleID=1078747) where we learn that:

"G8 ANARCHISTS struck yesterday (Wednesday), causing chaos for Falkirk commuters, and stretching the police force to its limits."

and

"At one point, 17 police vehicles left Falkirk Police Station with blue lights flashing and sirens blaring."

From which we can deduce that there is quite a lot of parking space at Falkirk Police Station.

If you're unable to accept that the van was parked somewhere in that parking space and then moved to the back door to process the 'prisoners' - on a day when the local police force is "stretched to its limits" then you're not a very bright individual.

"When are we going to see you lot hit the PMs residence(s), when are we going to see you brick two jags jaguars with him in it?"

"You lot" means whom exactly?

"Anarchy in the streets? Sorry mate but the Fathers for Justice posse have stomped over more Government property than you lot have ever achieved!"

Aah yes, I presume that Falkirk Today meant to say:

"FATHERS4JUSTICE struck yesterday (Wednesday), causing chaos for Falkirk commuters, and stretching the police force to its limits."

Right?

Limited Vision


A Real Lack of Vision Dude!

15.11.2005 03:13

You certainly do have "Limited Vision" don't you?

I never questioned the "size of the Falkirk Police Station car park" idiot...I asked where this van full of the detainees was parked as you can see the whole car park from the road and there wasn't any sign of a van sitting full of protestors for...ehhhh..............the ELEVEN hours...yes ELEVEN hours they claim to have been sitting there in one position for!

As for the Falkirk Herald...well it's been a well known fact round these parts that the Falkirk Herald can be that little bit "juicy" and "spicy" when it comes to actual fact in stories!

Paul from Falkirk


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