UK Police not wearing ID so they can abuse the law and not be identified

Police in uniform by law have to have an ID number and the public have the right to be able to identify any uniformed police officer and so badges should be worn at all times.
Two female protesters who challenged police officers for not displaying their badge numbers were bundled to the ground, arrested and held in prison for four days, according to an official complaint lodged today.
The incident was caught on camera, and footage shows officers standing on the women's feet and applying pressure to their necks immediately after the women attempted to photograph a fellow officer who had refused to give his badge number.
The images are likely to fuel concern over the policing of protests, which is already subject to a review by the national police inspectorate and two parliamentary inquiries after the G20 demonstrations and the death of Ian Tomlinson.
Val Swain, 43, and Emily Apple, 33, both mothers with young children, believe they were deliberately targeted for arrest at last year's climate camp demonstration in Kent because they campaign for Fit Watch, a protest group that opposes police surveillance at demonstrations.
The pair were remanded to a women's prison for four days and released only after the demonstration against the Kingsnorth power station had finished. They believe their treatment is symptomatic of the increasingly aggressive approach taken by police at political demonstrations.
Their arrests were captured on police surveillance footage obtained by the Guardian and submitted today to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Fit Watch activists are opposed to police forward intelligence teams (Fits), the mobile surveillance units that monitor campaigners at demonstrations and meetings. Campaigners affiliated to the group film surveillance officers in action and upload their details to a website.
They also use banners and placards to block the view of police surveillance cameras, which they claim are used to harass and intimidate protesters and gather information for police databases.
The women were quickly identified as members of the group when they appeared at the camp on 8 August last year.
The footage shows them standing near officers from West Yorkshire police, at least four of whom were not showing their badge numbers. A police surveillance unit began filming their interactions with the officers and captured the moment that Apple engaged an officer who was refusing to divulge his badge number.

After the officer's repeated refusals, Apple asked Swain to photograph him. "I'd like a picture of this officer so I can make a complaint," she said. "It's West Yorkshire police -- no number."

Moments later, Swain and Apple were wrestled to the ground and placed in stress positions. They were told had been arrested on assault and obstruction charges.

During her arrest, Swain was wrapped with restraint belts before being carried into a police van. An officer placed his hand around Apple's neck, apparently lifting her head for the police surveillance cameras.

A third Fit Watch campaigner, Geoff Cornock, 52, was also arrested and bailed the following day. Charges were later dropped against all three, whose joint complaint to the IPCC alleges that they were unlawfully arrested and detained.

In a statement, Kent police said it recognised people had made complaints but could not comment on individual cases as there was a judicial review under way.

Video from the best newspaper in the UK-
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jun/21/kingsnorth-protester-arrest...

Category:

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[raskinman]

No wonder why the riots happened

[darrynlittle1990]

For anyone in the UK. Is this a normal occurrence when it comes to confrontations with the police and protests? I think its pathetic how police cant have anyone watching them but they have all the power to watch any person they want. We need more people fighting for this movement because its against basic human rights. I'm living in NZ and I will not stand for the police over here getting to that point. Unblock the police officers faces.

[alexthelyons]

those women were being so fucking annoying and such do gooders.

good on the police, theres too many of these eco-do-gooders that protest their innocense and try to get the police done for it.

if she hadnt got all arsey to the police, she wouldnt have been arrested, simple.

[juki0h]

the corporate elite give all power to the cops to push arond the public all they want with no consequences

[clunkymonk]

Why the fuck are their faces blurred?! They are public servants; they don't have the right to have their faces hidden.

[clunkymonk]

God, the first thought in my mind would be to defend those women from the murderous psychos. They're in danger of being killed and buried in the country.

[slponmic]

why isnt this on road wars?

[CrackTheFox]

FUCK THE PO-LICE!!

[JaiJai71104]

@ryko26 The're ,they are ,i missed an apostrophe.

[ryko26]

@JaiJai71104 "there"?????