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Climate Camp police "wrong to use terrorism legislation"

mini mouse | 12.08.2007 15:25 | Climate Camp 2007 | Climate Chaos | London

We know they're not terrorists, you know they're not terrorists and the police know they're not terrorists.

That was the message being given out to journalists today as reports came in of people suspected of travelling to Climate Camp being intercepted and searched under terrorism legislation outside local railway stations.

Police endear themselves to locals

Choppers overhead

FIT film climate camper talking to BBC...

...whilst gate police have had enough already

Meanwhile toilets are built

recycling is sorted

and people are fed

Policing near the site on the other hand is light although Sipson Lane is blockaded at both ends, causing considerable annoyance to local residents. The FIT are of course making a nuisance of themselves, photographing everyone that arrives, then photographing them again if they leave. And when they come back, ad infinitum.

Maybe they should hire someone with a photographic memory instead...

Meanwhile work at the camp proceeded apace as marquees went up, toilets were built, rocket stoves fired up and several hundred people fed by the kitchen.

If you're going to Climate Camp, make sure you read the revised travelling instructions here:

http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/location.php

Staines - previously given as the location - is some way away!

mini mouse
e-mail: mini_mouse@riseup.net

Additions

Just got back.

12.08.2007 17:17

The location map is rather misleading. Ignore the red circle. The camp is about halfway along Sipson Lane on the South side.

When I left there was no searching though loads of police vans and cars at the Harlington end of Sipson Lane. Noisy police helicopter repeatedly flying over the site. A big generator lorry was prevented from going to the Camp by that police van parked across the road.

The Camp is really beginning to look something already, with masts, tripods and loads of tents. Should be really great by Tuesday.

Doug.

Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

Correct - Ye are not terrorists - Refuse to be searched.

13.08.2007 21:27

Hello friends at the Climate Change Camp.

Greetings from Ireland and Congratulations on a very heart-warming and successful occupation of the site. Great workshop timetable too. All very inspiring, sorry I'm not there with ye.

Your action is being reported regularly on our national tv and radio news bulletins where coverage appears unbiased ... for now!

With regard to questions, stops or searches or protesters, please remember the golden rule ... No matter what law they invoke to question, stop or search you, they must have, and be able to show, GOOD REASON TO SUSPECT that you are committing an offence of some sort. Ask them for their reasons and if they don't have any, or make them up, then you are perfectly entitled to refuse to be searched and go about your legitimate business of protesting. When standing up to them in this way, make sure to have witnesses, and video cameras if possible which should be trained on the cops constantly especially at points of confrontation.

With regard to cameras, what provisions in your law entitles them to film you in this way, where they have no good or lawful reason to deprive you of your fundamental personal rights and criminalise you in this way? And remember ... you have more rights to film them than they have to film you. You are gathering evidence of them breaching your fundamental rights to privacy, freedom of movement and political expression.

Keep up the great work.

Niall - Shell to Sea / Rossport Solidarity Camp

Comments here are preaching to the converted

14.08.2007 09:53

I was reading a few news aarticles about Climate Camp and ended up on the Daily Mail website, not a pleasent experience.

In particular I was reading their readers comments on the Climate Camp. All very one sided and anti-Climate Camp. I think we need a few counter comments!

So if you are thinking about spreading the message try following the following link and commenting there.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=475039&in_page_id=1770&in_page_id=1770&expand=true#StartComments

WE CAN WIN THIS!

Bernie

re: hate mail

14.08.2007 12:49

I knew the hate mail's readers have a slight reputation for being ignorant kneejerkers but bloody hell! They're all completely barking! I have though left some restrained yet truthful facts dispelling the stereotyping about climate change and the camp there myself crammed into the miserly 1000 characters they allow. Unfortunately though, I think the ice on Greenland has more chance of doubling in thickness over the next week than of my comment making it past the hate mail censors. There is no harm in others trying though. Maybe the hard working censors will click the publish button by mistake rather than the big delete button for one of us.

soon to arrive camper

UK Indymedia