bristol abc on g20 protests/plymouth

bristol | protests | opinion/analysis Friday April 10, 2009 10:00 by paster www,westsideclimateaction.wordpress.com

A significant number of Bristolians travelled to London last week on 1 and 2 April for the anti-bank/anti-capitalist and climate camp protests

.So far we are aware of 2 from Bristol who were arrested and are currently out on bail. A third person was present at the squatted convergence centre when it was raided by riot cops on 2 April just after midday. This person filmed the raid from inside the building. However when he refused to hand his camera over to the cops, he was isolated into a room with a number of cops, and forced to endure an hour or so of threats, being put in stress positions, and physical intimidation.

On the 2 April many Bristolians attending the memorial picket for Ian Tomlinson were stopped, searched and photographed as the police made dubious use of their powers under section 60, section 14 and section 50, along with so-called common law.

The reasons for the protests, and the media hysteria and police brutality that accompanied them, have been largely overshadowed by the tragic death of passer-by Ian Tomlinson. Those who were there know that the filmed assaults on him were in fact pretty normal behaviour for the cops over the 2 days, as was the continual false imprisonment of people by cops throughout the 2 days.

The initial lies of the cops, and the media, around the circumstances of Tomlinson’s death, are quickly being corrected. However we have no faith at all in any IPCC enquiry into his death, especially as it is currently being conducted by City of London cops – who were present when he was assaulted, and indeed active in the general police misbehaviour over the 2 days. Asking the state, or one of its agencies, to investigate an agency of the state (the cops), is as futile as asking the present government and financial sector to regulate the…financial sector. Just another whitewash in a long list of whitewashes and cover ups.

We stand side by side with all those standing up to the state, its judiciary and its cops, by whatever means people see fit. Solidarity with all those harassed, arrested and brutalised by the state.

westy writes:

Terror probe police release group Police officer with evidence Investigating officers removed items from a city centre address All five members of a group arrested in connection with an alleged terror plot have been released without charge”

Really? This, as many of us had predicted was the inevitable result of arrests made purely to justify the repressive Police operation in London during the G20.

Police say the final member of the five, a 25-year-old man, was freed on Tuesday night. The man was arrested in Plymouth on 27 March, along with two 20-year-old women, a 19-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy after police found explosives. Police said investigations were continuing, but those freed were no danger to the public…

…Unike the Metropolitan Police

‘Firework-like devices’ A search of a Plymouth flat after the arrest of the eldest man led to police finding “political literature”. After the flat was searched, a number of “firework-like devices” were made safe by Royal Navy bomb disposal experts. Literature found in the flat was described by officers as political but “not extremist”. The 25-year-old man, the 20-year-old women and the 16-year-old boy are on police bail in connection with other offences. The 19-year-old man faces no further action.

So they found some Climate Camp leaflets and a couple of Brock’s Bangers…and this is enough to keep 5 people in Custody without Charge for up to a week?

Det Supt John Clements, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “The Constabulary is continuing to carry out a thorough and detailed police investigation and, while a large number of items have already been seized and arrests made, the investigation is ongoing. “We would like to reassure the public that at no stage has anyone been released from police custody who poses any threat to the public.”

No shit.