Two photographers and a lawyer, nattering about their common interests.
PhotoLegal is a podcast exploring legal issues that affect UK Photographers, from copyright and protection of images on the internet, to the thorny questions about photography in public places and current anti-terrorism laws.
Amazing!! Have just learned from the Nokia E71 blog, that I can make a blog posting here, direct from My Nokia 71, here in the street. Simply by send this as an email.
So, just checking
Testing, testing 123 ……
Cool eh!
___________________________________
note added afterwards:
Post to blog by Email
http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/post-by-email
What is wrong here?
Perhaps I should start a competition … but sadly, there is no prize 🙁
This is a Nottinghamshire Police vehicle, parked on double yellows, while his mate goes into Sainsbury’s. If you or I did this, and we’re spotted, then we can expect a ticket. If on an emergency call, then fair enough, but for their convenience while shopping ….. no.
You might consider it petty of me, but I have made and official complaint. Like most folks, in the past, I would have just let it go, that’s the police for you. But the links below, show an increased belligerence in dealing with photographers and I have hundreds of other examples. They show that I might have been arrested in the attempt to shift blame. I might have been assaulted, my camera kit seized as ‘evidence’ with months of arguement, to get it back. So if this is the atmosphere, then I think we should all note these kind of matters and do something about it, until ‘they’ stop being so bloody awkward to us. So there!!!
Police apologise to Bristol man arrested for taking photo – 19 August 2008
Police arrest man for photographing them – 19 August 2008
No snapping: Photographers get collars felt – The Register 23rd August 2008
The G20 Protests: Global Economic Meltdown – Video
http://current.com/items/90015124_the-g20-protests-global-economic-meltdown.htm
1 April 2009 – Financial Fools Day: As the 29 G20 leaders gathered in London, thousands came out on to the streets of the financial district to protest a wide range of issues from climate change to the failing capitalist system and tax payers bailout of the international banking system.
10,500 police were drafted in, at an estimated cost of £10 million, to police the protests and protect the banking institutions from what the police had deemd “the summer of rage”. The end product was two policers suspended, scores injured and hospitalised and one man dead after being attacked by an unidentified member of the TSG (Territorial Support Group) riot squad.
Please watch it!
Film By JasonNParkinson [NUJ & IFJ Freelance Investigative Video & Print Journalist]
&
Policing of the G20 Summit 2009 :: Metropolitan Police Authority Report
Operation Glencoe was the largest security operation mounted by the Metropolitan Police for many years and had to be planned in just a three month period ………
&
Court says police can be challenged on ‘stop and search’ powers : Guardian
NUJ pursue police over harassment – 29 April 2009
VIDEO: MP takes up case of trapped photographer
released video footage of a journalist detained within the police cordon at one of the G20 protests in London earlier this month.
Here at Nottinghamshire Indymedia Towers, we are also experimenting with Twitter. Again, most useful for RSS notifications.
User name: nottsindymedia
txt to +447624801423 <FOLLOW nottsindymedia> from other & international mobile phones.
To stop receiving texts, send <LEAVE nottsindymedia> or <OFF> to stop all notifications.
OR
Send <FOLLOW nottsindymedia> to shortcode 86444 from Vodafone mobile phone.
OR
If you don’t have a suitable mobile, able to take advantage of these services, simply go to http://twitter.com where you can still follow events on the internet.
Well, none of us are putting 140 characters [like an sms] into twitter “what are you doing?” Well not yet, anyway. But it is an interesting method of doing urgent and breaking news I think.
So, well, I have for a while now, but on the whole, I use it to notify updates on
Using the RSS feeds from these site, Twitter will notify you about the latest entry on them.
So …. my Twitter username is: tashuk
Although RSS feeds and feedreader can do this of course, Twitter is a little ‘richer’ in its application. Further, if you are a Vodafone user in the UK, it will send an SMS alert to your mobile, if you want it.
txt to +447624801423 <FOLLOW tashuk> from other & international mobile phones.
To stop receiving texts, send <LEAVE tashuk > or <OFF> to stop all notifications.
OR
Send <FOLLOW tashuk> to shortcode 86444 from Vodafone mobile phone.
OR
If you don’t have a suitable mobile, able to take advantage of these services, simply go to http://twitter.com where you can still follow events on the internet.
Cool eh?
On Saturday 18th April, the ex-pat Zimbabwe Community from around the UK, came together to discuss the ‘Death of Democracy’
The gathering was in Nottingham at the Hyson Green Youth Centre, Terrance Street
NG7 6ER. [between ASDA and the Noel Street flats].
Zimbabwean ‘Death of Democracy’ Event
The NZCN (Nottingham Zimbabwe Community Network) organized and hosted the national Death of Democracy event in Nottingham. Most attendees dressed in black to remember and honour the hundreds of Zimbabweans who have been murdered during the MDC’s struggle for democracy. Delicious food and great music celebrated the lives of those who have been and continue to be committed to democracy. Guest speakers included MDC activists still working and striving towards a new, free and safe Zimbabwe, having lost friends and fellow activists to Robert Mugabe’s murderous militia through their political struggle.
In spite of the power sharing deal Mugabe’s hired thugs continue to terrorise and brutalise MDC members, supporters and innocent people, including young children, in a continuing attempt to defeat the MDC through a murderous campaign. MDC members and supporters still risk their lives in opposition to Mugabe’s dictatorship. SADC and the wider international community have come forth with a reprimand of political rhetoric but little action and continue to stand idly by as Mugabe’s illegal government maims, rapes, tortures and kills.
The Death of Democracy event is a reminder to the international community to not forget Zimbabwe, to not forget Zimbabweans who have suffered and to be forth coming with support and action for Zimbabweans who still struggle and suffer. Zimbabwe is not a safe country for people to be deported to and the NZCN and MDC in the UK continue to struggle for political asylum for Zimbabweans in the UK. The UK government is quick to express condemnation for Mugabe’s regime but equally quick to force deportations to a country it knows is highly dangerous. The MDC is determined to build a safe Zimbabwe for its citizens to return home to. The Death of Democracy event is an appeal to the UK government to not contribute to the growing number of dead Zimbabweans by forcing deportations, but to grant asylum and the right to work. Next year we do not want to commemorate the growing number of dead but to celebrate justice for Zimbabwean refugees .. Angela
Speakers included:
Nicholas Shiri MC
Regis Manyana NZCN Chairman
H Masawi NZCN
e Sibanda Activist
Rachel Lupafya MDC
Godfrey Wenga Political Activist
T Samanyanga MDC
E Pfebve Parliamentary Candidate and Activist
Contacts:
Zimbabwe Association for information and asylum assistance
Zimbabwe Association Ltd
Development House
56-64 Leonard Street
London EC2A 4JX
020 7549 0355
zimbabweassociation@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.zimbabweassociation.co.uk
Event Photos: ‘Death of Democracy’ Gathering
On the newswire: Nottingham
‘Noisy’ Demo: Rights for migrants and asylum seekers | Anglican
Church Council in Nottingham :: Caterpillar, Zimbabwe,& Gays | Protest
against Deportations to Northern Iraq (Kurdistan) | Nottingham
Police Station :: Forced Deportations Continue | Occupation
at Labour Party Offices for East Midlands | Anti-Deportation
Protest at Nottingham Magistrates Court | No
Borders Nottingham ‘National Day of Action on Asylum Rights’ | Nottingham
demo against deportations to Congo | Situation
in the Congo is worsening as deportations continue | No
Borders Nottingham ‘National Day of Action on Asylum Rights’ | Nottingham
Congolese Community demonstrated against continued deportations | Nottingham
Market Sq Demo against deportation flights to Congo | Zimbabwean
Asylum Rights Demo @ Speakers Corner, Nottingham
Links: No
Borders Nottingham | Nottingham
Zimbabwean Community Network | Zimbabwe
Civic Action Support Group | Association
of Zimbabwean Journalists in the UK (AZJ-UK) | Zimbabwe
Association Ltd
Audio: Zimbabwe – [Speeches and Interviews] – mp3 16M [64kbps]
Video: StraightTalkTV
Regime Violence Report: Operation Mavhoterapapi (how did you vote) – Post-election violence [pdf 5.2M]
“There’s only one motive for a police officer disguising his identity and that’s because he thinks he’s going to be doing something reprehensible.” – Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said his party was given a guarantee by senior officers after clashes with climate change protesters at Kingsnorth power station in Kent – where there were also complaints of police disguising their identity – that there would be no repeat of such tactics at the G20 protests.
IPCC chief slams tactics of G20 police at demo
This is bound to continue. The solution is in our hands. It is called FITwatching. So how do you FITwatch? I will list a few of my own ideas and hope that others will add ideas of their own. We need a plan and this seems like as good a way as any to thrash one out.
Preparing to FITwatch
It’s a good idea to work in pairs. Lets call it a Buddy system. That way you will have support if you run into trouble. You should attempt to keep in each others sight if there is any risk of interacting with the police. You will need a digital camera or cameraphone. It needn’t be expensive. I have seen plenty of suitable new equipment on sale for under £30. Ideally it should have a removable memory card. It should be capable of capturing video and sound. You should consider carrying a spare memory card and batteries. If you use a cameraphone it may be worth uploading some of the photos as you take them. This prevents them being taken from you should someone fancy attempting to pervert the course of justice! You should think about how you will preserve your evidence as if the police plan to behave reprehensibly this may include an attempt to destroy your evidence. Finally, test your equipment. Do a dry run. Make sure you understand how to change batteries, switch from pictures to video, upload and copy photos etc. It is not a good idea to be in the middle of a confrontation wishing you had read the instructions!
It’s worth taking a note book with you along with 2 working pens. Use it to make a note of times, locations, events, identities, witnesses, contact details ect. Make sure that watches, internal camera clocks, are set to the correct time and make a note of when you do this in your notebook before you set off.
What to watch out for.
First of all you are looking for police who cannot easily be identified. This process should start as the police arrive. If you photograph who arrives with who this will aid identification later by the Press/IPCC, should it be necessary. These ‘group’ shots can be taken from 20 metres, or more, from the group. You should attempt to get a couple of ‘face’ shots on any individual police who do not display identification. It might be worth asking politely who they are. One of you could do this whilst your buddy discreetly films the question and answer.
If there is trouble then you should aim to capture video. It’s a good idea to keep the camera running and pointing at the police. If enough cameras are running any misbehaviour will be caught. You don’t need to be, and ideally you should not be, in the front line. Ideally try and find a vantage point and film from there. Always keep in sight of your Buddy.
What to do after the event.
As soon as possible after the event copy your memory card and put the copy somewhere safe. You could mail it to someone you trust. You could email it to yourself. It may be worth setting up a webmail account for this purpose. Ideally email a copy to Fitwatch: defycops@yahoo.co.uk
Have a look at their website http://www.fitwatch.blogspot.com
Include a note telling them what they are looking at and include times, locations and any other details you feel may help. You will find your written notes useful when doing this. It’s a good idea to get advice before putting pictures/video into the public domain. You could post any questions on indymedia if you can’t find the answer elsewhere. Bear in mind that Fitwatch are an autonomous group of unpaid volunteers who are insanely busy. Do not trouble them with questions that could be answered elsewhere.
I have a feeling that if we all do this we will experience a rapid improvement in police behaviour. After all, no one wants a criminal record!
FITwatcher http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/427894.html
FITWatch http://www.fitwatch.blogspot.com
also, please check out:
Under surveillance: police target environmental protesters and journalists – Guardian 6 March 2009
Deterrent effect of police surveillance – Guardian 10 March 2009
Main points from JCHR report on Policing and Protest – Indymedia 25 March 2009
In light of the G20 event Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has invited Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Denis O’Connor, to conduct a review of related public order policing tactics. Sir Paul said: “G20 was a complex policing operation managing the movement and protection of many heads of state across the capital while balancing the right to lawful protest and maintaining public order for many thousands of people. “It is also the case that a number of complaints have been raised in relation to the tactic of containment and as to whether this achieves that balance. I want to be reassured that the use of this tactic remains appropriate and proportionate. “Separately, I have already expressed my concern that the video footage of some police actions are clearly disturbing and should be thoroughly investigated. As well as the post-event investigation into those responsible for violence and disorder, I have also ensured that footage in police possession is reviewed to identify any other matters of individual police conduct that may warrant investigation. “One matter that I also want to make clear is that uniformed police officers should be identifiable at all times by their shoulder identification numbers. The public has a right to be able to identify any uniformed officer whilst performing their duty. We must ensure this is always the case.”
114 activists were arrested in a 2am police raid on a community centre and school on Sneinton Dale, Nottingham, early on Easter Monday, 13th April 2009.
It is believed that a demonstration was planned at the E.On powerstation at Ratcliffe-on-Soar as a spokesperson for the company claimed that it was the “planned target of an organised protest”. The Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power station is the 3rd largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the UK and has been previously targeted by activists. Similar to past police actions, some of the homes of those arrested have been raided while they were held in custody. It has been confirmed that 6 homes have been raided in Nottingham, including the Sumac Centre, and personal paperwork and computers have been seized. Activists are now being released on bail, to appear in court between the 14th – 21st July, with a variety of conditions. More raids are expected.
The initial action was at a school / community centre in Sneinton Dale, and eastern suburb of Nottingham. After all present were arrested and dragged in chains to many and various police stations, the police mounted a long and protracted search of the building, where the meeting had been held. Nothing was happening on the street for ages, much to the medias discontent. Thus, they started to interview each other, and passing locals, just to add a bit of colour, of course. At about midday, there was a flurry of activity, with the arrival of more police vans, and scientific support / scenes of crime and assorted mystery vehicles. Taken together, this amounted to a really significant police presence. you can only image what sort of evidence, and of what, they expected to find. Wardens patrolled the street to reassure the community of course.
Access was really hard, to see anything occuring of interest. However, getting away from the front of the building were all others were filming from, managed to find a friendly local who offered me the use of their garden for an overview. Thanks muchly! Police didn’t like it of course, and sent a man away to find a sheet of sommat, to hide behind.
The address of some of those held in custody, were then to be searched under warrant. While chasing about, I knew of 6 locations in Nottingham, and probably many others around the country. I was asked and invited to be at the Sumac Centre, ahead of the expected arrival of the police teams.
After visiting other locations, at about 6pm, three van loads of police dressed in full fatigues and large boots, arrived at the gates of the Sumac. The warrant was for particular room upstairs at the centre. The majority of the squad remained on the street. Police could clearly see, that this photographer found the imagery quite oppressive, and the inspector ordered all his troops, back into the vans. Was asked to look into the searches upstairs, to discover there was much interest in the persons paperwork, [including much study of that well known anarchist and subversive free sheet, SchNews]. They stayed for about 30 minutes, leaving with an assortment of papers, and a computer.
After some were released, folks headed back to the Sumac centre, to recuperate, and be fed and watered. A debrief. Crash spaces arranged and a deal of sympathy. On leaving, I found 2 police serials continued to cruise the area. I followed about for a bit [wondering what they’re up to]. One then parked outside a housing co-op, and stayed about a bit, generally being menacing. This was one of the location of the previous house searches. They then paid particular interest at the continued comings and going from the Sumac Centre. I guess they’re not finished yet.
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2009/04/427471.html
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2009/04/427496.html
Mass Arrest of 114 Climate Activists in Raid [Indymedia Feature]
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/427421.html
Paul Lewis on the evidence concerning the death of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 summit protest
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/audio/2009/apr/08/g20-tomlinson
Ian Tomlinson, the man who died at last week’s G20 protests in London, was attacked from behind and thrown to the ground by a baton-wielding police officer in riot gear, dramatic footage obtained by the Guardian shows.
Moments after the assault on Tomlinson was captured on video, he suffered a heart attack and died.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HECMVdl-9SQ&feature=channel_page]
A phalanx of officers, some with dogs and some in riot gear, are close behind him and try to urge him forward.
A Metropolitan police officer appears to strike him with a baton, hitting him from behind on his upper thigh.
Moments later, the same policeman rushes forward and, using both hands, pushes Tomlinson in the back and sends him flying to the ground, where he remonstrates with police who stand back, leaving bystanders to help him to his feet.
The man who shot the footage, a fund manager from New York who was in London on business, said he had attended the protests out of curiosity. He said: “The primary reason for me coming forward is that it was clear the family were not getting any answers.”
The witness accounts contradict the official version of events given by police.
In an official statement on the night of Tomlinson’s death, the Metropolitan police made no reference to any contact with officers and described attempts by police medics and an ambulance crew to save his life after he collapsed efforts which they said were marred by protesters throwing missiles as first aid was administered.
Other witnesses have come forward, contradicting this police account of missiles being thrown as well.
Full Guardian account of the story at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/07/ian-tomlinson-g20-death-video
Some of Sky News coverage:
http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/G20_Protests
*****
Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to independently investigate the case of Ian Tomlinson
http://www.ipcc.gov.uk/news/pr080409_iantomlinsoninvestigation.htm
No new revelations for regular schnews readers as we look at the latest campaign for civil liberties
It shows how bad things have got for freedom in this country if we’re pinning any hopes on the moderate left. They’re finally waking up to the wholesale destruction of civil liberties by the Zanu-Labour juggernaut. Freedom is suddenly back on the agenda, despite it being on SchNEWS’s for the last fourteen years.
This week saw the publication of the Constitution Committee of the House of Lords report ‘Surveillance: Citizens and the State’. The report noted that surveillance had become “an inescapable part of life in the UK,” and called it “one of the most significant changes in the life of the nation since the end of the Second World War”. The report goes on to document the massive extension of databases such as: ContactPoint – records on every child born in England and Wales. (SchNEWS 452); The computerization of NHS records (SchNEWS 481); ID Cards (SchNEWS 24, 454, 466, 580); RFID (SchNEWS 415, 616) etc, etc. – enough to make you wonder how many of their Lordships are loyal SchNEWS readers.
Even SchNEWS’ local MP David Lepper has hopped on the bandwagon after a police Forward Intelligence Team installed themselves opposite the Cowley Club during the Earth First! Winter Moot last weekend, taking photos of everyone entering and leaving. In a broadside attack the local rag the Argus lambasted their actions as “ham-fisted scare tactics”.
Girding their loins for the fight is the Convention for Modern Liberty – an odd coalition spanning Liberty and Amnesty International to the Countryside Alliance (wonder if our fox-hunting friends will be campaigning for the repeal of the Criminal Justice Act?). They’re hosting meetings across the country on 28th February – with a massive backslapping fiesta in London for yer Tony Benns, Shami Chakrabartis and Yasmin Alibhai Browns. But as ever the question remains – liberty for who? The devil is as ever in the details. Henry Porter, Guardian columnist and convention co-director says for example “no one is questioning the need for the state”. But the protest movements that bear the brunt of new repressive legislation: the climate camps, the animal liberationists, No Borders activists, the anti-militarist movement etc are in fact largely anti-state. The group most heavily affected – the muslim youth radicalised by the West’s assault on the Arab world have no say in the British state whatsoever.
And it’s these movements that are continually targeted. There were ‘revelations’ in last weeks Mail on Sunday of a new police unit (the Confidential Intelligence Unit) to tackle ‘domestic extremism’. This won’t come as any surprise to anyone involved in ‘domestic extremism’ (once known as ‘protest’).
The job advert for the head of the CIU that served as the Mail’s source for the story said the post involved the management of “the covert intelligence function for domestic extremism”. The fact that the CIU post is advertised by ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) a private company free from scrutiny is incidental. But Special Branch have openly admitted to a long history of infiltration of the union movement, the anti-apartheid campaigns and more recently the anti-roads and animal rights movements.
The trouble with liberal outrage is that it’s so predictable. It’s OK to defend the free speech and movement of people who represent no threat to the status quo. If anyone’s in a position to effect actual radical change however then it’s OK for the gloves to come off. Will the Convention for Modern Liberty or the House of Lords be troubling themselves with the vicious sentences handed down to animal rights activists? Or will they be too busy cosying up to their fox-hunting pals?
The recent seizure of an Indymedia Server (SchNEWS 663) and the subsequent arrest of the system administrator says more about the state of liberty than any convention. On Monday Kent Police arrested a man in Sheffield under the Serious Crime Act 2007 in relation to the recent Indymedia server seizure. His home was searched and computers despite having neither technical, administrative nor editorial access to the Indymedia UK website. All he did was host its server. Kent police claim that they are after the IP address (despite knowing Indymedia do not log IP addresses) of the poster of two anonymous comments to a report about a recent animal liberation court case, which included personal details of the Judge.
Meanwhile some are fighting back – One F.I.T watcher (see SchNEWS 639) has just been convicted by magistrates of obstructing police for getting in the way of cameras last June. This judgement runs completely contrary to an earlier judicial review saying police had no power to remove obstructions to their view. However during the trial police were forced to admit that they take photos for databases and cross reference photos of different political views, of course this has been known for years but it’s good to have it from the horse’s mouth.
Our movements are under attack. It’s useful to have allies but ultimately…they have their agendas and we have ours…
Independent Media Centre UK Press Release 26.01.2009
For immediate release
Indymedia Server Raided by UK Police
Issued by: IMC UK Press Group
ON 22 January 2009, KENT POLICE seized an INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTRE server hosted by MANCHESTER-based company, UK GRID, in relation to a comment published on the news web site.
The raid in which the server was seized is an attack on free speech and independent journalism in the UK, and especially on the grassroots open-publishing platform that is Indymedia.
In the morning of the 22nd, KENT POLICE emailed Indymedia UK requesting that personal information about Justice Neil Butterfield, the judge overseeing the STOP HUNTINGDON ANIMAL CRUELTY (SHAC) trial, be removed from a comment to a report published on the Indymedia website and that details of the poster be retained.
Indymedia UK volunteers had already removed the information from the report in line with the project’s own privacy policy. Indymedia UK was unable to comply with Kent Police’s request to retain data relating to poster. As an open publishing project, Indymedia UK does not keep logs of the server activity.
Nevertheless, Police seized the machine which was handed over by the management of UK Grid. No search warrant was shown.
The loss of a server represents serious damage to the Indymedia infrastructure in the UK.
Several websites including the global Indymedia documentation project, the new website of Indymedia London, la Soja Mata (an anti-GM soya campaign focusing on South American development), Transition Sheffield and a Canadian campaign against the 2010 olympics were affected.
Background:
The present case is not the first time that Indymedia servers were seized in the UK. Shortly before the opening of the European Social Forum in 2004 in London, a main Indymedia server was seized from the hosting company Rackspace in an operation which involved an Italian Judge, an American District Court and the FBI.
In 2005, the server of Indymedia Bristol was seized under a search warrant. One Indymedia Bristol volunteer was arrested on suspicion of incitement to criminal damage, but was never charged.
As in previous cases, Indymedia UK stayed online this time. This was possible due to a system of ‘mirrors’, which was set up to protect the technical infrastructure of the alternative media project. Despite the resource intensive interruptions caused by server seizures, the independent media activists continue to provide a platform for “news straight from the streets”.
Contact: Imc-uk-contact@lists.indymedia.org
Further information:
2009 Indymedia Server seizure, Indymedia UK
Info Page: Indymedia UK server seizure 2009
Summary of the Responses to the 2004 Indymedia Server Seizure by Electronic Frontier Foundation
Responses to the 2004 Indymedia Server Seizure, Indymedia UK
About the 2005 Bristol Indymedia Server Seizure, Indymedia UK
Since there have been a number of ‘CCTV events in Nottingham recently [reports on the Notts newswire and features], I thought I’d take this opportunity to show you some of my more recent work on the subject, describing some of the technological advances that are proceeding apace.
Back in March 2006, I showed you some of what it all looked like then. “Surveillance of Nottingham City Centre”
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2006/03/335022.html
Earlier, in December 2005, I went on a walk-about with Artist and designer Jez Noond of Nottingham Trent University. He has produced a complex map of Nottingham city centre CCTV charting the different networks in use and the extent of coverage. It shows their overlap of fields of view and how they triangulate almost any position in Nottingham city centre.
Short Sharp Shots: A Tour of CCTV in Nottingham City Centre. http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2005/12/329575.html
Nottingham city centre is one of the most heavily surveyed places on the face of the earth, outside of London. All in aid of ‘crime reduction policies’ they say.
All in aid of ‘crime reduction policies’ they say. Newham in East London is still streets ahead though [i think] with its system that involves the Mandrake Facial Recognition System. They have been testbeding it for a few years now. All very expensive of course, which means I think, a displacement of crime to other areas. Not as advertised, ‘crime reduction’ when measured ‘in total’.
Face Recognition – More than you think!
http://www.morethanyouthink.com/security/mandrake.html
In addition to the ‘civic’ and police cameras, there are of course, loads of cameras outside of shops, bars, transport termini, mobile on the buses, trains and trams. As compression and bandwith advances, the internet will allow the combining of ALL of the sources, to the various control rooms. All this before I even get round to telling you about the ID card Database. http://www.nottingham-defy-id.org.uk and the convergence of those technologies with CCTV in the street. Scary eh?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sousveillance
Inverse surveillance, sometimes known by the neologism “hierarchical sousveillance” (“seeing from below” hierarchically), refers to the recording or monitoring of real or apparent authority figures by others, particularly those who are generally the subject of surveillance. Steve Mann, who coined the term, describes it as “watchful vigilance from underneath”. (The term stems from the contrasting French words sur, meaning “above”, and sous, meaning “below”, i.e. “surveillance” denotes the “eye-in-the-sky” watching from above, whereas “sousveillance” denotes bring the camera or other means of observation down to human level.)
The more general concept of sousveillance goes beyond just inverse surveillance and the associated 20th Century political “us versus them” framework for citizens to photograph police, shoppers to photograph shopkeepers, or passengers to photograph taxicab drivers. Just in case THey do something wrong, you understand …..
You can view the output of some cameras. A camera is mounted [just to the left of centre], on the freeze above the Council House overlooking all of the Market Square.
The council makes a low-res image available on their itsnottingham.info webpage at:
Old Market Square Webcam http://www.itsnottingham.info/NOTTM_CAMERA_OMS.jpg
Also, Nottingham Travelwise ‘traffic cameras’ can be viewed at: http://www.itsnottingham.info/mapping/cctv.asp
…. unless of course, there is anything interesting going on, when they are likely to be turned off 🙂
Some of my earlier work on the subject:
Surveillance of Nottingham City Centre
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2006/03/335022.html
Nottinghamshire Police Surveillance Vehicles and Evidence Gathering
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2005/08/320469.html
Prime Minister visits Nottingham University :: Surveillance Operations
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331596.html
Nottingham Fossil Fools Blockade E.On Offices Surveillance and Specialist Equipment
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/04/395429.html
Surveillance at Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ in Nottingham
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/05/398414.html
CPO’s with HeadCam, at protests against deportation of Amdani Juma
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/06/400142.html
CCTV ‘Treasure Hunt’ around Nottingham
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/01/419329.html
Nottingham PCSO Watch – Office of Community Sousveillance
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/01/419347.html
Watching the watchers in Nottingham [Feature]
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2009/01/419530.html
In December 2005, I went on a walk-about with Artist and designer Jez Noond of Nottingham Trent University. He has produced a complex map of Nottingham city centre CCTV charting the different networks in use and the extent of coverage. It shows their overlap of fields of view and how they triangulate almost any position in Nottingham city centre.
Short Sharp Shots: A Tour of CCTV in Nottingham City Centre
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2005/12/329575.html
*****
Surveillance Camera Players
http://www.notbored.org/the-scp.html
Nottingham Defy-ID Active resistance against UK ID cards and the National Identity Register
http://www.nottingham-defy-id.org.uk
Privacy International ‘Big Brother Awards’
http://www.gn.apc.org/tash/big_brother.htm
I say be afraid, be very afraid ……
A power station engineer had written to me, after I had made these are the postings:
Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station Still Steams Ahead
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/12/414383.html
Nottingham’s part of 48 hours of nationwide action against E.ON
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/11/413951.html
thus prompted this exchange:
Subject: Ratcliffe Power Station.
Good Morning Alan,
Just reading the article on Ratcliffe and the protestors, saying the enviroment is getting too hot.
I have worked on Power Stations for over 25 years, I have seen dramatic changes to power stations over the last 7 or 8 years, with regards to enviroment status, many millions have been spent to bring them in line with the legal specifications, to maintain these regulated emissions they mix Biomass fuels with the coal to provide cleaner emissions.
With regards to the world getting hotter! I believe that this is a cycle of the natural earths elements, I assume that we could possibly accelerate this in some respect, so what do we do, do we go Nuclear? it is difficult to state exactly the harm all working generated machinery does and the power sources which drive our day to day living.
I would like to hear your veiws on power stations?
So, then I replied ……..
—–Original Message—–
From: Alan Lodge [mailto:tash@indymedia.org]
Sent: 01 December 2008 12:23
Subject: RE: Ratcliffe Power Station.
hello,
thank you for your note.
I am a photographer, who has covered these issues for a little while now. Of course, I’m not only reporting on these issue, but have formed my own opinions.
Many people are concerned at the lack of progress made by governments and companies in combating emissions, chemical pollutants, CO2 and heat. The timescale some think might be more urgent than authorities seem to currently acknowledge, which means that concerned citizens have to take a pace forward and engage in actions that ‘stand in the way of the machine’ or, raise everyone else’s awareness on the nature and urgency of the situations in front of us.
Of course it might be as you say that we are seeing some ‘natural cycles’ in the world. There have been many before. But then again, it might be otherwise, that human activities when taken together with these cycles, might be enough to finish us [or other parts of flora & fauna] off. Might! Who knows. But by the time one side or the other is ‘proved’ to be correct, irreparable damages might have already taken place, with no route back. The famous tipping point! Thus, I think many with concerns on this issue would favour the precautionary approach thinking that we cannot go on like we are. No, not nuclear of course. The heritage this guarantees for future generations is clearly going to be as grim [or grimmer] as any legacy of climate changes that we leave to them. Biomass / fuels are also problematic, since again authorities and companies appear to lack social responsibility in the balances they create between the need for land to grow fuels or food.
I wonder if you could comment with you wide experience of engineering in power stations, if you think your skills and the money to maintains these technologies, might be better placed with renewables? Sustainable technologies, systems that you can just hypothesise as working for a large period of time, without running out of scares resources. Of course, they are not up to the job yet. But that is surely down to the levels of experience, expertise and invention. But also, the very minor percentages of budgets to make progress with such developments, oh and a planning system to better accommodate them.
On the other side of the equation from generation is consumption and conservation. The pace of home insulation, better development in industrial process and transport changes required are lamentable. There is most probably going to have to be a change in society that we may also have accept that we are simply going to have to make do with less! Shocker, what like a lot of the rest of the populations of the world.
I thank you for writing to me, and now you have my 6 pence worth, but Iwould like you to add your thoughts as a comment to my Indymedia posting at:
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/11/413951.html
At the bottom of the text there, you will see a link “Submit an addition or make a quick comment on this article”. this opens another page, fill in the boxes and contribute. I personally think it would be nice if you would, and for you then to engage with those that might also comment there. Please do it.
Very best
A couple of days later, the Committee on Climate Change report was published earlier in the month.
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is an independent body established under the Climate Change Act to advise the Government on setting carbon budgets, and to report to Parliament on the progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The the CCC’s report: Building a low-carbon economy – the UK’s contribution to tackling climate change is published today, and can be downloaded from:
http://www.theccc.org.uk/reports
In the press release, they summarize by saying:
They recommend a minimum 34% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, with a 42% cut if a global deal is achieved.
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) today urged the Government to commit unilaterally to reducing emissions of all greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the UK by at least 34% in 2020 relative to 1990 levels (21% relative to 2005). This should be increased to 42% relative to 1990 (31% relative to 2005) once a global deal to reduce emissions is achieved. The CCC says meeting these targets is necessary to contain the threat of climate change. Building a low-carbon economy, the CCC’s first report sets out the analysis underpinning these recommendations and the proposed level of the first three carbon budgets covering the periods 2008-12, 2013-17 and 2018-22. The budgets are a worldwide first, designed under the Climate Change Act, which also establishes the CCC as an independent advisory body to Government. The report sets out how the budgets can be met by using existing technologies, and by putting in place a range of policies to move to a low-carbon economy:
* Moving away from using fossil fuels towards using cleaner forms of generating electricity and heat including greater use of renewables (wind power, biomass heat and heat pumps), nuclear and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS);
* By using energy more efficiently in our homes and office buildings and in industry, through better insulation, use of more energy efficient appliances and through reducing waste by turning lights off, shutting down computers and using air conditioning less;
* By reducing transport emissions, developing electric cars, improving the carbon efficiency of engines, developing use of sustainable bio-fuels, better journey planning and more use of public transport.
* Through purchasing offset credits (e.g. Clean Development Mechanism) to meet the 42% target, but not the 34% target.
These significant reductions can be achieved without harming the UK’s economy and at a cost less than 1% of GDP in 2020. In other words, an economy that might grow by 30% in the period to 2020, would instead grow by 29%. The CCC advises that this is a price worth paying, given the long-term costs of inaction on climate change.
Chair of the CCC Lord Turner said: “Climate change poses a grave threat to human welfare, the environment and the economy. We need to act now, in the UK and as part of a global agreement, to significantly reduce our emissions. It is not too late to tackle climate change, but it will be unless the world takes action soon, and the developed countries need to lead the way with strong commitments and strong delivery against the budgets. The budgets we have proposed are achievable given available and developing technologies, and provided the policies in place are implemented and where necessary reinforced. The reductions required can be achieved at a very low cost to our economy: the cost of not achieving the reductions, at national and global level, will be far greater”.
http://hmccc.s3.amazonaws.com/pdfs/LaunchPressRelease01.12.08.pdf
Committee on Climate Change (CCC) http://www.theccc.org.uk
Now, many of us still think that the report still allows for larger temperature changes over the near future period, than is probable healthy. However, companies like E-on are not going to like it one bit, probably they will still lable the reports as too draconian.
E-on doesn’t appear to have digested the report yet, since just before posting this, I have checked to see if they had made a press release at: http://www.eon-uk.com
They haven’t yet, but think we should hang on their every word, when they do.
Onwards and upwards.
• Kent force admits no officers hurt by protests
• £5.9m police operation ‘colossal waste of money’
When climate camp protesters descended on the site of the Kingsnorth power station for a week-long summer demonstration, the scale of the police operation to cope with them was enormous.
Police were accused of using aggressive tactics, confiscating everything from toilet rolls and board games to generators and hammers. But ministers justified what they called the “proportionate” £5.9m cost of the operation, pointing out that 70 officers had been injured in the course of their duties.
But data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act puts a rather different slant on the nature of those injuries, disclosing that not one was sustained in clashes with demonstrators.
Papers acquired by the Liberal Democrats via Freedom of Information requests show that the 1,500 officers policing the Kingsnorth climate camp near the Medway estuary in Kent, suffered only 12 reportable injuries during the protest during August.
The Home Office has now admitted that the protesters had not been responsible for any injuries. In a three-line written answer to a parliamentary question, the Home Office minister Vernon Coaker wrote to the Lib Dem justice spokesman, David Howarth, saying: “Kent police have informed the Home Office that there were no recorded injuries sustained as a result of direct contact with the protesters.”
Only four of the 12 reportable injuries involved any contact with protesters at all and all were at the lowest level of seriousness with no further action taken.
The other injuries reported included “stung on finger by possible wasp”; “officer injured sitting in car”; and “officer succumbed to sun and heat”. One officer cut his arm on a fence when climbing over it, another cut his finger while mending a car, and one “used leg to open door and next day had pain in lower back”.
A separate breakdown of the 33 patients treated by the police tactical medicine unit at the climate camp shows that three officers had succumbed to heat exhaustion, three had toothache, six were bitten by insects, and others had diarrhoea, had cut their finger or had headaches.
Coaker claimed in a parliamentary debate in September that the police had acted “appropriately and proportionately”, despite hundreds of complaints over unnecessarily heavy policing and calls for an investigation of police conduct by MPs, MEPs, councillors and members of the public.
Norman Baker, the Lib Dem MP for Lewes, who had called previously for an investigation of police tactics, said: “I personally witnessed unnecessarily aggressive policing, unprovoked violence against peaceful protesters, an extraordinary number of police on site, and tactics such as confiscating toilet rolls, board games and clown costumes from what I saw to be peaceful demonstrators.”
The list of items deemed potentially dangerous by police and seized from protesters included glue, marker pens, board games, cushions, carpet, wood, paint, and scissors as well as bicycle locks which could have been used to lock protesters to fences. Police also seized anything that could have been used to set up camp, including spades and duct tape, generators and hammers and nails.
Howarth said: “That the minister could defend as ‘proportionate’ a £5.9m policing operation in which there was not a single injury to police officers caused by the protesters beggars belief. The threat posed by environmental direct action is being systematically overblown by both the government and the police.
“I hope the government and the police will now stop trying to portray peaceful protesters as somehow equivalent to terrorists or violent extremists. In light of this new evidence, one has to ask, were climate campers so heavily policed because they posed any genuine threat of violence, or because they posed a challenge to government policy?”
Nick Thorpe, a spokesman for the climate camp, said: “Policing of peaceful protest has become increasingly heavy-handed. We saw thousands of officers swarming around a legal camp in a colossal waste of public money. The police and the government claimed there was a ‘violent minority’ of protesters but this Home Office admission reveals this as a complete fiction.”
Coal controversy
Kingsnorth, a power station built 45 years ago on the Medway estuary in Kent can burn oil as well as coal. Two years ago its owner, the energy company E.ON UK, announced plans to build two “cleaner coal units” there. The new plants are the focus of protest for climate-change activists who believe the development will discharge carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases at too high a level. The Kingsnorth development will involve the first purpose-built, coal-fired power stations in the UK since completion of the Drax station in Yorkshire in 1986. E.ON claims the majority of the local population favours the project, and says a carbon capture and storage system “could eventually see 90% of its emissions captured and stored underground”. The company insists its port facilities on the Hoo peninsula and its own fleet of colliers will let it easily import low-sulphur coal. The new plants are meant to be operational in 2012. Of Kingsnorth, Greenpeace says: “[It will] emit the same amount of CO2 as the 30 least polluting countries in the world combined, and destroy any chance we have of persuading China and India to stop building coal plants.”
Owen Bowcott
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/15/kingsnorth-climate-change-environment-police
I don’t really do christmas. I think the idea is so bankrupt.
All hail the lord god of shopping and greed etc……..
A slightly older idea is that of paying some attention to the seasons and celestial events.
With this in mind, I wish all a Happy Solstice !!
winter solstice this year being at:
12.04 GMT on 21st december
For a better understanding of what goes on, please check out:
http://www.archaeoastronomy.com
As for christmas, well, i think some greeks have an idea:
>>>>
In Athens, rioters torched the capital’s massive Christmas tree in central Syntagma Square. As the hooded youths moved on, some protesters posed for photos in front of the blaze, and others sang the Greek version of “O Christmas Tree.”
>>>>
Demos continue [December] at Heckler & Koch weapons HQ in Nottingham
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/12/414750.html
In spite of the cold, raining and windy conditions, at 4pm on Monday 8th December, people had gathered at the gates to the UK headquarters of Heckler & Koch, based within the Easter Park Industrial Estate on Lenton Lane, Nottingham.
One would have thought that a city infamous for its gun crime would be a poor location for a warehouse full of guns. Not according to H&K, who do great business equipping war-mongers on any side.
Proud owners of H&K weaponry include the brutal militias of Darfur – the Janjaweed. Funnily enough, despite the outcry against the massacres in Darfur, they obviously weren’t quite bad enough to stop selling weapons to the perpetrators. Even a recent arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against a senior Sudanese politician accused of selling H&K weapons to the Janjaweed hasn’t seemed to stem the flow of H&K guns to a militia accused by everyone including the US of committing genocide. (H&K guns also fill the arsenals of the US Dept of Homeland Security, US Navy Seals & the FBI amongst others).
H&K have a ‘strategic partnership’ with the world’s largest mercenary company Blackwater. H&K supply the guns to the Iraqi and Afghan puppet governments, and Blackwater provide the training.
There was a plan for H&K to produce special edition ‘Blackwater’ weapons – complete with the Blackwater logo on them. However, after Blackwater made the headlines for killing 17 innocent Iraqis (not the first time that Blackwater have killed innocent Iraqis, but the first time that it made the news in a major way), the plan was shelved.
Interestingly, local media also came under pressure; Trent FM, who had shown some enthusiasm about reporting these demos, received a word in their ear from both H&K’s press office as well as the police, warning hacks that it would be ‘irresponsible’ to publish the fact that H&K has a warehouse full of weapons in Nottingham, as it may prompt criminals to try and steal them.
In response the campaigners pointed out to the radio station that H&K’s address was published at Company House, as well as in several business directories. About the radio station being leaned on, the campaigners said that “If the security policy of H&K and Notts police relies on no-one finding out the company’s location, then clearly it is they who are irresponsible, not our campaign and not the media. A large warehouse stocked with high-power assault rifles and submachine guns with inadequate security to prevent a robbery is clearly a significant danger to the public, and publicising such a danger is very much in the public interest.”
The H&K warehouse, located at Easter Park, Lenton Lane, Nottingham, is next to the ‘Trent Vineyard’, an evangelist church that held the funeral of Danielle Beccan, a 14 year old girl who was killed in a drive-by shooting. At her funeral service the then mayor of Nottingham said, “Guns have no place at all in our community – not in Nottingham, not in my city nor any other city in Britain.”
One campaigner said: “The arms trade relies on secrecy. Most people abhor the idea of factories and warehouse making and selling weapons around the world, and arms companies know this. By lifting the lid on the business, anti-arms protesters can make a put the pressure on the government/corporate killing machine to stop killing for profit.” [schNews]
As you can see from the front board, Unit 3 is simply ‘let’. One feels that they might just be a little embarrassed about their presence on the Easter Park Estate. Previous occupants had been the Royal Small Arms Factory. Even during wartime, they had a sign on the gate, saying who they were! Another example might be British Aerospace Works at Filton, Bristol. Again, they say who they are on the gate. This lot still remain shy of folks knowing of their activities. In my opinion, lights need to be shone into dark corners .
To highlight the link between the arms trade and refugees, Shut Down H&K and No Borders Nottingham held a demonstration on Saturday 29th November at 12:30 on Market Square in Nottingham called “FULL CIRCLE – from weapons to wars to refugees”.
Full Circle Demo: From weapons to wars to refugees. Market Sq. Nottingham
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/12/414055.html
SchNews Report:
http://www.schnews.org.uk/archive/news658.htm
There was a good turnout, in spite of the freezing weather. Leaflets handed out, drums banged, speeches made. and banners displayed. Further, to highlight their concerns, some folks held a “die-in” to help illustrate their worries for the violence attributed to the arms trade and its consequences.
……..
Shut Down Heckler & Koch Campaign
earlier events:
Demos continue at Heckler & Koch weapons HQ in Nottingham
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/11/412769.html
Further Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons HQ in Nottingham : Pix 1
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/10/410821.html
Further Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons HQ in Nottingham : Pix 2
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/10/410842.html
Another Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ in Nottingham
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/403399.html
Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ in Nottingham
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/05/398393.html
Surveillance at Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ in Nottingham
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/05/398414.html
Protest at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ in Nottingham : Pictures
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/07/376847.html
‘Die-In’ at Nottingham University to protest at un-ethical investments
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/05/340171.html
Nottingham University Student Die-In :: to protest at un-ethical investments
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/03/365708.html
******
RüstungsInformationsBüro
Informationen zu Waffenproduktion und Rüstungsexporten
Auch im Dezember: “Shut Down H&K” in Nottingham
Am vergangenen Montag, 8. Dezember 2008, haben britische AktivistInnen der Kampagne “Shut Down Heckler & Koch Nottingham” ihren allmonatlichen Protest vor der H&K-Niederlassung in der mittelenglischen Stadt Nottingham abgehalten. Dabei präsentierten sie als Zeichen der internationalen Solidarität auch ein Plakat mit dem Logo des Deutschen Aktionsnetzes Kleinwaffen Stoppen (DAKS).
“Shut Down Heckler & Koch” in Nottingham by Roman Deckert
Translation from the newsletter of the German Action Network to Stop Small Arms (DAKS), 11/2008
On October 14th, 2008, activists of „Nottingham against Militarism and the Arms Trade” in the Mid-Eastern English city protested against the British subsidiary of the German small arms producer Heckler & Koch (H&K). About forty protesters staged a colourful demonstration at the gate of the industrial Eastern Park to demand: „Shut Down H&K”.
The Campaign „Notts Anti-Militarism” has been organising such protests for more than a year and is doing so now on a monthly basis. The presence of H&K in Nottingham causes particular outrage since the city is notorious for its high rate of gun crimes. It is all the more grotesque that the peaceful demonstrators are frequently confronted by a massive number of police equipped with H&K weapons. The activists react to the photo-surveillance that the „security forces” exercise by publishing photographs of the police observers on the internet.
free festival that has been happening for last 6 years the Free-kuency-Fesival what happens in june for the summer solstice in portugal. Any djs, live acts shows ECT Please contact:
freekuencyfestival@hotmail.com or tol3sam@hotmail.com
Any one with ideas or any help is needed here for this festival live bands,shows,circus,any kind of schools,live acts ETC So please any one wish to perform or Participate please contact us on the email address above. Anyone willing to participate must understand that this is a FREE FESTIVAL so all input must be for FREE Thanks!!! PS: Sorry but This festival is NOT A TEKNIVAL its an FREE ALTERNATIVE CULTURE FESTIVAL but dont worry there will be always one or two big dance areas.
http://www.myspace.com/freekuencyfestival
http://www.myspace.com/tol3sam
Tash on YouTube
