Posted by denny on Mon 22 Oct 2012 at 23:04
The Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol) have launched a campaign to limit the gathering of data by the police on political protest. The campaign, don't be on a database, encourages protesters to assert their legal rights to keep their personal details private. The campaign includes a series of posters and flyers with the words, 'Your name and address are none of their business'.
Netpol say "We have observed and reported countless incidents in which the police have tried to obtain names and addresses of protesters, often with some form of coercion. In a number of cases the police have used the threat of arrest to obtain details from protesters who had committed no criminal offence, and/or made unjustified allegations that people had engaged in anti-social behaviour.
"The police have powers to demand personal data only in very limited situations, such as when they believe a person has committed a criminal offence, or if they are driving a vehicle. In the vast majority of instances, the police have no power to demand this information - yet they routinely do."
This article can be found online at the Police State UK website at the following bookmarkable URL:
This article is copyright 2012 denny - please ask for permission to republish or translate.