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Care for a stop and a quiz?

Tim Johnson | 27.05.2007 07:22 | Repression | Terror War

The Home Office is planning to give police new powers to "stop and quiz" anyone nationwide in a new set of anti-terror laws that are to be put before Parliament.

John Reids plans to make the worlds biggest quiz show, will be of great concern among citizens that are currently innocent until proven guilty, already under the constant watch of CCTV.

With millions of CCTV cameras on our streets, it was only a matter of time before the Home Office decided to add TV hosts to the equation, in the form of the police.

The powers are not new however, they have been used to tackle terrorism in Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson from the Home Office has said "We are considering a range of measures for the Bill and 'stop and question' is one of them."

Last Thursday three suspects who have been accused of wanting to kill UK troops went missing after being under control orders, John Reid criticised opponents and judges for stopping tougher measures against terror suspects and promised to introduce new anti-terror legislation very soon.

The Sunday Times said in an article police minister Tony McNulty had told Tony Blair "stop and question" legislation could be "very useful UK wide".

Tony Blair said in the Daily Telegraph the disappearance of the terror suspects was a cause of putting civil liberties before fighting terror. He described this as "misguided and wrong" and "a dangerous misjudgment".

Campaign group Liberty criticised the proposals citing that police should not be able to question people "willy-nilly".

Shami Chakrabarti director of Liberty said "This looks like a political machismo, a legacy moment. Stopping and questioning anyone you like will backfire because people will be being criminalised."

Jane Winter, director of British-Irish Rights Watch had told the Sunday Times government was trying to use "a sledgehammer to crack a nut".

Tim Johnson
e-mail: tim.johnson@waftycrank.co.uk

Comments

Hide the following 6 comments

The return of sus?

27.05.2007 09:01

Remember in the 70's and 80's when being young and black was reason to be stopped and searched under suspicion of intent to commit a criminal act?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sus_law

Dread

As predicted here:

27.05.2007 09:12

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/07/316545.html

Note how the comments suggest it's an over-reaction and nothing to worry about...

historian

Section 44

27.05.2007 20:03

Quoting from the BBC site (this most probably know already):

"At present, under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, officers already have the power to stop and search people or vehicles in an area seen as being at risk from terrorism, even if they are not suspected of any breach of the law."

But as I recall, this requires an authorisation

"where the specified area or place is the whole or part of the metropolitan police district, by a police officer for the district who is of at least the rank of commander of the metropolitan police"

How does one find out whether such an authorisation is currently in place?

mini mouse

Secttion 44?

28.05.2007 05:33

The police are more than ready to lie about their powers anyway. They stop and search who they want when they want and demand names and addresses on pain of arrest. We are all familiar with, "Do you want to do this here or at the station?

Itsme

"No Comment"

28.05.2007 09:24

Although what you are saying is in a lot of cases true we still have the right to remain silent and say "No Comment" until we stand before trial of which in most cases never gets that far.

From what I gather from this new legislation we could face prosecution for not cooperating and specifying what we are doing, where we are going and what our details are there and then on the spot, so it is rather different from stop and search which you can resist.

Tim Johnson
mail e-mail: tim.johnson@waftycrank.co.uk

Demanding Equal Rights with Politicians.

28.05.2007 13:11

Perhaps it is time for the public to demand equal treatment with the politicians. As they have nothing to hide but could, potentially, start a war - politicians should be electronically tagged. The danger of war justifies the inconvenience. The Technology exists. The regular meeting places if Politicians in Westminster should have CCTV installed everywhere. To ensure no improper behaviout. After all, they have nothing to hide. Equipped with the latest loudspeaker technology to make their conditions the same as our conditions. There should be a lottery - to avoid party political bias - for the random stopping, questioning and searching of MP's. To refuse to volunteer information being a criminal offence. After all they have nothig to hide. To avoid the danger that they might be laundering money or involved in questionable transactions, the assets of MP's could be siezed for the duration of their office. That would be a fair gesture and help show that they have nothing to hide. Perhaps MPs would also like to accept an ASBO on election. The terms of their licence being the promises of their manifesto. Really, it is fair. They have nothing to hide. Like most people who have nothing to hide, everybody will be sure that these measures will be accepted in the ongoing defence of democracy. And every single MP can be issued with a biometric, electronic ID card - to open office door and corridor door and front doors and car doors - just to ensure that they are who they say they are - perhaps the Police too could be issued with the magical ID in order that they can prove they are who they say they are - after all, they could just be dressed in a uniform and acting like a thug.

An Ordinary Citizen

UK Indymedia