Posted by johnqpublican on Tue 28 Apr 2009 at 20:02
Matt Wardman has compiled a useful resource for anyone arguing with the kind of person who believes the police don't abuse the law. It lists and documents instances where the new Counter-Terrorism Act, with its s58 provision for the police on their own recognizance to destroy pictures of police officers, has been abused to harass photographers, destroy personal property and confiscate perfectly innocent photographs of pigeon droppings on park benches. Sometimes, you have to wonder what they wanted them for...
If we can get enough eyes gathering data, I believe PSUK could compile and publicise a series of such lists: Abuses of s58, Abuses of s44 and s43, Abuses of Terror Law by Local Government, Abuses of s50/s60 Search Powers, Instances of Police Hiding ID, etc. It would make it considerably easier for the man on the Clapham omniblog to silence the reactionary trolls.
This article can be found online at the Police State UK website at the following bookmarkable URL:
This article is copyright 2009 johnqpublican - please ask for permission to republish or translate.