More Olympics police state crap - this time they came for the graffiti writers

[fractionMan]

Graffiti raids across London - many targeting people who've not touched paint in years. Loads of people bailed till november and banned from using the train.

They don't even care how blatant their harassment has become.

Having been arrested, they were questioned about what they considered petty matters – accusations of criminal damage in the ’90s, questions about websites and magazines that they were involved in. After being briefly questioned about these seemingly irrelevant matters, they were told that they were to be bailed until November on the condition that they did not use any form of railway in London (overground, tube or tram), carry spray paint (or other graffiti tools, presumably) at any time, or travel within a mile of any Olympic area. That includes the Olympic Park, the ExCel center and other Earls Court locations, Greenwich park, Hampton Court Palace, Hyde Park, Lord’s Cricket Ground, North Greenwich Arena, The Mall, The Royal Artillery Barracks, Wembley Arena, Wembley Stadium, Wimbledon and a host of out-of-London locations.

​

http://www.thelondonvandal.com/2012...n-as-police-sanitise-city-ready-for-olympics/

 

[TitanSound]

Graffiti raids across London - many targeting people who've not touched paint in years. Loads of people bailed till november and banned from using the train.

They don't even care how blatant their harassment has become.

​

http://www.thelondonvandal.com/2012...n-as-police-sanitise-city-ready-for-olympics/

That's fucked up.

And it seems it will be deemed lawful. The "anti-royal" protesters arrested last year before the wedding have had their case thrown out as it was deemed lawful

 

[Treacle Toes]

The whole pre crime thing will be off the scale...activists/artists/protestors/concerned citizens beware...

 

[Brixton Hatter]

for fucks sake

 

[SpookyFrank]

It doesn't say what these guys have been charged with. You have to charge someone with something in order to give them bail conditions.

The plod's use of bail conditions in general has got way out of hand. Bail is no longer used simply to make sure a defendant shows up for court and doesn't commit further crimes, it is used as a punitive measure in itself. Seizure of computers, cameras and mobile phones is very common; all the plod have to do is mutter the word 'evidence' and they can take what they like, even if it is irrelevant to the alleged offence, even if the suspect needs those items to earn a living.

None of this is particularly new of course, what's new is that the police now feel entitled to do this where there is no suspicion of an offence having been committed, only the possibility of an offence happening in the future. It's important that victims of this pre-emptive arrest shit take the police to court for wrongful arrest and unlawful seizure of property. It's also worth knowing that if you're on bail then you can apply to the court to have your conditions changed, and if the conditions are disproportionate like banning you from certain places or limiting your movements then the court will most likely overrule them.

As for locking up artists from 10 years ago, that's probably the most recent intelligence they have on grafitti writers in London. It must've been about 10 years ago that we last saw ordinary coppers walking the streets, it's probably not a coincidence they've had no fucking clue what's been going on in the city since.

 

[Pickman's model]

It doesn't say what these guys have been charged with. You have to charge someone with something in order to give them bail conditions.

no you don't.

 

[Onket]

Pickman's is right. You do have to arrest someone 'on suspicion of' something, though.

 

[SpookyFrank]

no you don't.

Really? Fucking hell that's outrageous. How can they justify bailing people who are not required to show up for court?

e2a: Stupid question, these people don't have to justify themselves to anyone do they?

 

[equationgirl]

How are people supposed to get around, get to work, to the GP etc if they can't use trains or the tube? Buses don't go everywhere! Insane.

 

[Crispy]

 

[Onket]

Really? Fucking hell that's outrageous. How can they justify bailing people who are not required to show up for court?

e2a: Stupid question, these people don't have to justify themselves to anyone do they?

You are bailed from arrest until you are charged, as well as from when you are charged until you are in court, remember.

 

[purenarcotic]

You couldn't make this shit up if you tried your hardest. It is beyond parody.

 

[Pickman's model]

Really? Fucking hell that's outrageous. How can they justify bailing people who are not required to show up for court?

e2a: Stupid question, these people don't have to justify themselves to anyone do they?

back in 2001 i was bailed a couple of times before being told matters wouldn't be taken further - i was never charged.

 

[8ball]

The law is now whatever the rich want it to be.

Move along.

 

[xenon]

WTF

Banned from all London rail transport til November?

"These men have told us that they are not currently involved in painting illegal graffiti. These men are living law-abiding lives, but can no longer travel on public transport or enter large areas of London due to harsh bail conditions. In addition, laptops, mobile phones and other devices were taken into evidence by police. How these men are supposed to work and look after their families under these conditions, they are not sure."

 

[SpookyFrank]

How are people supposed to get around, get to work, to the GP etc if they can't use trains or the tube? Buses don't go everywhere! Insane.

That and a mile radius from any olympic venue kind of adds up to quite a lot of London you're not allowed in.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

How are people supposed to get around, get to work, to the GP etc if they can't use trains or the tube? Buses don't go everywhere! Insane.

That's what I thought. Many won't be able to work at all. Surely this is a huge and obvious misuse of the law??? Is there nobody governing this?

 

[TitanSound]

How will they enforce the tube ban? Oh that's right, facial recognition software on CCTV!

 

[SpookyFrank]

The best thing to do with bail conditions like this (which are completely unenforceable) is to ignore them. The main purpose of this stuff is intimidation, not actual legal process. The police don't want to be up in court defending these bail conditions, because they're obviously indefensible.

That and it's unlikely they have the resources, the time or the werewithal to follow people around and make sure they're behaving themselves.

 

[equationgirl]

That and a mile radius from any olympic venue kind of adds up to quite a lot of London you're not allowed in.

I guess they want all the locals to leave London and leave it for the tourists.

 

[SpookyFrank]

That's what I thought. Many won't be able to work at all. Surely this is a huge and obvious misuse of the law??? Is there nobody governing this?

It's quite possible that someone higher up has suggested this policy to the police and has promised to cover everyone's back.

But yes, it's an obvious misuse of the law.

 

[TitanSound]

I guess they want all the locals to leave London and leave it for the tourists.

Of course they do. The more people that fuck off, the less chance the transport system will crumble.

 

[equationgirl]

It's quite possible that someone higher up has suggested this policy to the police and has promised to cover everyone's back.

But yes, it's an obvious misuse of the law.

It's just madness. I hope it massively backfires in them. Massively.

 

[scifisam]

Wow, that's police state insanity.

I guess they want all the locals to leave London and leave it for the tourists.

That's certainly the impression I've been getting.

 

[mr steev]

Pickman's is right. You do have to arrest someone 'on suspicion of' something, though.

A few years ago I was arrested. I asked the copper what for and he told me "suspicion of causing an offence"

 

[equationgirl]

A few years ago I was arrested. I asked the copper what for and he told me "suspicion of causing an offence"

So, how did that end? Do you have a conviction for 'causing an offence'?

 

[mr steev]

So, how did that end? Do you have a conviction for 'causing an offence'?

Charged with riot back at the station (with fuck all evidence), remanded, bailed for 3 months then had the fucking charges dropped.

 

[equationgirl]

Charged with riot back at the station (with fuck all evidence), remanded, bailed for 3 months then had the fucking charges dropped.

I'm glad you had the charges dropped.

 

[marty21]

If you walk along the River Lea towards the Olympics there is loads of Graffitti on the bank opposite trouble is you can't walk along the Lea near the Olympics for 2 fucking months as they have closed it down

 

[mr steev]

I'm glad you had the charges dropped.

So was I!
Sitting in prison, knowing you'd done nowt, hearing police lie in court, being treated like scum by the cops (not to mention the ridiculous OTT was I was arrested) has done nothing for mine (or my family - the police treated my dad like shit when he tried to post bail for me) trust in the police or the justice system