Weds 1st April: G20 protests - discussion, reaction and chat

[winjer]

What substantive law was broken?

Section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 is as substantive a law as any other.

Maybe those concerned would think better of whatever they'd discussed, any hotheads being marginalised by more cautious voices, maybe their discussions were a cover for something else entirely, maybe all sorts of things.

That's hardly the same as not having "done anything at all", rather it's speculating "as to whether their actions could constitute prima facie evidence of a conspiracy".

 

[newbie]

Section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 is as substantive a law as any other.

well yes, but the fact remains that nothing had actually happened. Discussion or preparation may or may not have crossed the line to become a criminal conspiracy. Tthat's for the authorities to prove but they'll have to do so in the absence of evidence of damage or disruption.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

yeh, but you looked like trouble makers to be fair....

 

[newbie]

Temporary Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison's report says that in the run-up to the G20 meeting, the media had "exaggerated" the potential for violent disorder.

Beeb

good grief. As the start of the BBC timeline puts it, "Police warn that activists are planning protests in an "unprecedented" way in the lead up to the summit,...Senior officers say the force is "up for it and we're up to it." ". It was them that talked up the potential violence, not the meeja. Are we supposed to havwe forgotten that?

 

[shaman75]

An officer has resigned over comments made on a website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8026661.stm

 

[winjer]

Interesting:

The BBC has learned that the officer who resigned is not the officer who allegedly wrote on a website that he was keen to "bash some long haired hippies" at the protests.

 

[shaman75]

isnit.

dowse them with petrol man perhaps?

 

[Corax]

Nope, it's ""I see my lot have murdered someone again." man. A new one to me.

My first reaction is to slap him on the back for breaking ranks.

 

[_float_]

isnit.

dowse them with petrol man perhaps?

That comment was made by a retired officer (going by their profile) not a serving one.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

A fourth complaint against police officers in London's G20 protests is being investigated, the Independent Police Complaints Commission has said. - beeb

and still they come.....

 

[ymu]

Nope, it's ""I see my lot have murdered someone again." man. A new one to me.

My first reaction is to slap him on the back for breaking ranks.

Indeed. The guy seems to have been forced to resign for the implied criticism of the police, unlike PC Rob ward who wrote about cracking skulls. I wonder why the Beeb didn't make that clear.

 

[ddraig]

A fourth complaint against police officers in London's G20 protests is being investigated, the Independent Police Complaints Commission has said. - beeb

and still they come.....

nice one


riiiiiiiiiiiiiight

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has said reports that officers involved in policing the G20 protests had concealed their identification numbers were "totally unacceptable" if true.

He added that any found to have done so will face the sack.

must be hundreds of the fuckers! get ya pics in

 

[ymu]

Shit. I've got miles of footage from Day X (2003) on a hard drive somewhere. I spent the whole fucking night interviewing officers who had no shoulder numbers and offering the footage to the people they assaulted.

Fucking hope it's still readable somewhere ...

 

[winjer]

Nope, it's ""I see my lot have murdered someone again." man. A new one to me.

He's already getting support:

Dear Brian,
I would like to commend John Hayter, a 49-year-old member of the Royal Protection Unit, who stepped down after he wrote on Facebook: "I see my lot have murdered someone again. Oh well, shit happens."

At least he had the courage to resign when he was found out. The copper who attacked Ian Tomlinson didn’t even have the balls to admit what he'd done...

from here: London Assembly member, Brian Coleman has today launched an online site where the public can register their support for the police.
'Commend a copper' on Facebook

 

[two sheds]

G20 police 'used undercover men to incite crowds'

An MP who was involved in last month's G20 protests in London is to call for an investigation into whether the police used agents provocateurs to incite the crowds.

"When I was in the middle of the crowd, two people came over to me and said, 'There are people over there who we believe are policemen and who have been encouraging the crowd to throw things at the police,'" Brake said. But when the crowd became suspicious of the men and accused them of being police officers, the pair approached the police line and passed through after showing some form of identification.

Liberal Democrat Tom Brake says he saw what he believed to be two plain-clothes police officers go through a police cordon after presenting their ID cards.

...

"The MP said that given only a few people were allowed out of the corralled crowd for the five hours he was held inside it, there should be no problem in investigating the allegation by examining video footage."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/may/10/g20-policing-agent-provacateurs

What's the punishment for throwing missiles at the police and incitement to riot? And I wonder what the chances are of the video footage going missing.

Guardian leads the way again, it seems.

 

[_float_]

What's the punishment for throwing missiles at the police and incitement to riot?

Public Order Act 1986
section 1 (riot) - up to 10 years
section 2 (violent disorder) - up to 5 years
There is no fixed maximum sentence for "incitement"

 

[DRINK?]

prob seen before though the irony

 

[DotCommunist]

prob seen before though the irony

seen from clearer angles and 'shopped feom here to wednesday.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

you are joking dotty? the medics were nutter from what i saw.....

 

[DotCommunist]

you are joking dotty? the medics were nutter from what i saw.....

by 'shopped I am referring to that lulsome 'he'll beat you well with his wellness stick' motive posters among other lol posters thrown up on b3ta

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

ah! the mental process is somewhat clouded this merry month of may evening it seems

 

[two sheds]

We've already had 'take one of these three times a day' and 'i'm just going to test your reactions', i thought 'coming to a hospital closure protest near you' would work, too.

 

[winjer]

There is no fixed maximum sentence for "incitement"

Same maximum as the incited offence.

(Serious Crime Act 2007 s58)

 

[shaman75]

It was announced at the meeting that our forthcoming demonstration on Saturday 23 May will march from Trafalgar Square to New Scotland Yard, via Downing Street. We aim to "kettle" New Scotland Yard

http://againstpoliceviolence.blogspot.com/2009/05/great-start-now-on-to-demo.html

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Maybe those who can't attend in person on Saturday 23 May might want to be there in spirit by going postal?


Kettle the Met
http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=284940

 

[shaman75]

Solicitors representing G20 protesters are warning the Metropolitan Police they may seek a judicial review of the tactics used at the summit.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8054422.stm

 

[durruti02]

more film from CC of police violence


http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/vi...0_G20_protests:_new_footage_of_police_tactics

 

[ricbake]

Do protestors get a fair deal from the law - Radio 4 - just now!


Clive Anderson's Unreliable Evidence

 

[editor]

New MPs report slaps the feds down for the kettling:

'Too few trained police' for G20

The committee also called for kettling to be used sparingly.

"The police must have reasonable grounds to believe that the protesters being contained are liable to cause disturbances elsewhere and innocent bystanders and non-violent protesters must be allowed to filter out," it said.

"It is not acceptable for a blanket ban on movement to be imposed.

"The police must be aware that their behaviour will be monitored, recorded and instantly made public via the internet. They must modify their behaviour and briefings accordingly."

Chairman of the committee Keith Vaz said the public "clearly don't understand" the reasons for using kettling and other public order strategies.

"What's acceptable, what's within the police rule book - the use of distraction tactics, for example, slapping or hitting people - shocked the public," he told the BBC.

"Therefore, they need to look again at these tactics and consult the public to decide whether or not such tactics can be used again."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8121608.stm

 

[oneflewover]

This part, sort of, shocked. Slapping and hitting is a distraction tactic within the rule book?

The police must be aware that their behaviour will be monitored, recorded and instantly made public via the internet. They must modify their behaviour and briefings accordingly."

Chairman of the committee Keith Vaz said the public "clearly don't understand" the reasons for using kettling and other public order strategies.

"What's acceptable, what's within the police rule book - the use of distraction tactics, for example, slapping or hitting people - shocked the public," he told the BBC.