The Network for Police Monitoring, a coalition group formed from members of Climate Camp's legal team, FITwatch (who monitor oppressive surveillance by police 'forward intelligence' teams), Newham Monitoring Project (an east London community organisation that has supported black communities to challenge police misconduct since 1980) and others, are organising a free training event on police monitoring and legal observation in London this Sunday. Denny and I have both made use of Climate Camp's legal observer training, and have learned a huge amount about our rights, police engagement and how to support those engaged in civil disobedience. It's an amazing resource which all activists should make use of. Here are the details:

Where: Friends Meeting House, 173 Euston Road, NW1 2BJ

When: Sunday 18th April 10:30am - 4:30pm

• Are you worried about abuse of police powers at protests and in your community?
• Ever moaned about an ever increasing police state but haven't known what to do?
• Come to the Network for Police Monitoring training and start holding them to account for their actions.
• Everyone welcome, whether you have experience to share, want to brush up on skills or have no experience whatsoever.

Many abuses of police powers occur because we let them. Legal observation and police monitoring are effective tools in tackling such abuses and can make a real difference from collating the data necessary for effective legal challenges to providing and collecting witness statements for those arrested. These actions have both challenged the way protest and the streets are policed and kept innocent people out of prison.

Sessions will include police powers, stop and search and surveillance, as well as workshops on legal observation and police monitoring.

Network for Police Monitoring is a new organisation made up of individuals involved in Campaign Against Criminalising Communities, Climate Camp Legal Team, Fitwatch, Legal Defence and Monitoring Group and Newham Monitoring Project. This is the first time so many groups have come together to offer training and it should be an interesting day. However, it also the first time we have offered this training, and feedback will be very welcome.

Although participants do not have to commit to doing legal observation/monitoring, it is hoped you will want to use your skills and we will be inviting people to join us for the next major protest on May 1st in Central London.

Whilst there is no registration, please email info@networkforpolicemonitoring.org.uk to let us know if you are planning to come so we have an idea of numbers.