Alan Lodge's Blog

On Thursday 23rd October, I attended the Nottingham Crown Court to hear the appeal against conviction of Henry Twigger.

On the 6th April 2008, Henry had initially painted graffiti on the Army Careers Office at the Victoria Centre, in Milton Street, Nottingham. He did so while wearing a hi-vis vest and was unmasked.

His choice of slogans included “War 4 Oil” & “Terrorists join here” on the front of the building in red paint. Since the place was last painted and decorated, CCTV equipment had been prominently installed and is capable of viewing the entire frontage. Having finished the job, and a policeman already dispatched to look into it; our hero greets the constable with a pot of red paint and a brush and invites him to view the handywork. He is arrested for criminal damage and dragged off in chains to the Bridewell Police Station.

Now, from the outset here, it is obvious that he done it, and he wasn’t sorry. Henry, a former Territorial Army Soldier says his objective was to warn the passing public and new recruits in particular about the illegal nature of the current military adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On the 17th July Henry was before the beak at Nottingham Magistrates Court, were he was found guilty of Criminal Damage and sentenced to a 12 month conditional discharge. Additionally, Henry had been directed to pay £200 compensation for the damage done to the Recruitment Office. At the time, he said he wouldn’t be paying because: “I don’t give money to terrorist organisations” 🙂

Stop the War Activist in Nottingham Magistrates Court
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/404021.html

Thursday’s hearing was about appealing this conviction. Appearing before Recorder WJH Harbage QC in the Crown Courts. Henry’s main plan was to point to the ‘lawful excuse’ provided for in 5.2.B. of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. http://tinyurl.com/56m264

The idea, as it is contained within a number of pieces of law, is to claim necessity or committing a crime to prevent a greater one. [see Kingsnorth & Ratcliffe power station cases] . Further, a person / fireman smashing down a door in order save a person from burning building, should not be convicted of criminal damage to the door. He said, “in this case, preventing a much greater crime that of illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Further the misleading information given by recruiting offices to recruits”.

He was a bit handicapped from the start, being unrepresented. He had a witness that he proposed to call for expert views but the first part of the case was about the ineligibility of him to be an ‘expert witness’. Also, they had not submitted a report to the court 7 days before as required. He was not academic or professionally qualified. However, as Henry points out, there are few in this field that are. Mr Chris Coverdale from the Campaign to Make Wars History had turned out to assist Henry, but his evidence was disallowed.

Henry outlines his case to the court: In a civilised society the citizen has a duty to make a public stand and to bring to attention of the public, the crimes and war crimes of genocide and murder. These crimes are committed by the government, ministers and officers. By their actions, whether they know it or not, they are in support of these heinous crimes. His citizens duty was thus to inform recruits of these matters. He did so in full view and with no intention to hide his actions. Henry goes on to tell the court of magnitude of deaths and injuries sustained. A few times during his explanation, the judge holds his speech, informs him the witness box is not a soapbox, and calls him back to the criminal damages act!

Mr Timothy Achurch for the prosecution questions if this was in fact an action designed to inform the public, or, simply straight vandalism. He fails to see how the paint and graffiti are necessary in the protection of property.

In judgement, Recorder Harbage dismisses the appeal.

There is no lawful excuse in his actions. He agrees with Mr Achurch that he fails to see how the paint and graffiti are necessary in the protection of property. Further, he states that the wars are not wars of aggression.

He does not doubt his sincerity but Henry Twiggers actions were not within the defence provided for with section 5.2.B of the Criminal Damage Act 1971. There simply was not the immediate need, say described in the example of breaking down a door to rescue from fire. His actions were far more removed and there was no lawful excuse. It was in fact, he said, no more than a publicity stunt. Appeal dismissed.

Mr Achurch asks for £335 costs. Judge orders cost paid within 28 days and that the original magistrates courts sentence of 12 months conditional discharge stands. There was of course the original £200 compensation to clean off his handwork. Henry says he still can’t pay that because it ‘aids and abets’ the system he’s protesting about.

Treaty between the United States and other Powers providing for the renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/kbpact.htm

Kellogg-Briand Pact: an international treaty providing for the renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kellogg-Briand_Pact

The Campaign to Make Wars History
http://www.makewarshistory.org.uk

On visiting this afternoon, we asked staff about the rumours that we had heard about closure. It turns out it had been an intense week at the Chase Neighbourhood Centre in St.Anns.

Much of the good works being conducted there are drawing to a close. Over 30 redundancies, notified at very short notice. Some paid positions and many volunteers. It is uncertain how this came to be, but we hope to provide a little more in-depth reporting of the background to this situation shortly. In the meantime however, suffice to say that urgent help is asked for and needed. It is an iconic building, there in the centre of the community at Robin Hood Chase.

One of the first projects down was the Youth Inclusion Project. An inspiration to those challenged by education, lack of employment opportunities and lack of self-esteem.

Awat Aziz from St.Ann’s said: “I joined the YIP in 2003 and learned how to make cloths, which lead to a voluntary job at Urban Fashion http://www.urbanfashionhouse.co.uk. “I’m running my own business now making tee-shirts. Before I went to the YIP I didn’t know anything about fashion, but now I am able to make my own clothes. I also learned computing”.

Some went on from the advantages that such projects give them, to become a mentor to help and inspire other youngsters. It is obvious when this happens that the whole community can only benefit. It is apparent the projects like YIP are so important in engaging with young people when they have more limited educational opportunities and if they have been excluded.

In addition to youth projects, it is the whole community who are about to suffer with this loss. Mother and baby groups, social groups where people can gather and share their experience, isolation for many is about to get more extreme. There is / was a large computing suite, this being so useful to get folks more skilled and hence employable. It seems such community provision has been so much more effective than anything the job centre had been able to offer to the unemployed.

In an area of deprivation, it was great to see efforts of so many people to engage and assist each other in life in general. A sense of community, ownership and sharing of problems and assets obviously follows from such a space.

I am sure that the lack of funding and support being offered to such community enterprises is very shortsighted and will inevitably result alienation, increased health costs, social exclusions in many forms and in increased policing costs. Thus in due time, you can expect demand for increasing funding from those authorities to cope with the fallout.

This is just one project in just one estate in one city. With the financial stuff the news is currently full of, I think we may expect this story to be repeated widely. Hold on to your hat, things are falling apart.

A slide show I made showing some of the artwork there:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TXbrivtLeiA

*****

More info from:

The Case Neighbourhood Centre
Robin Hood Chase
Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
NG3 4EZ

Tel: 0115 950 6867

Building Info: http://www.segalselfbuild.co.uk/projects/chase.html

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After the Gen Sec of the NUJ, Jeremy dear wrote to the Home Sec …. and she replied saying policeman could restrict photography under some circumstances, I made freedom of information act enquiries of all uk police forces. I have collated them all since application in July and needless to say, I’m disappointed with the spread of responses.

Collected, they weigh in as 10.4Mb in a .PDF I guess anyone wanting this, or there local individual force reply, email me and will send you.

Further to this, the British Journal of Photography will be doing a splash about all this in the next issue [next Wednesday]. There is however, now an online ‘interim’ item at:

Exclusive: UK police forces unaware of agreed press guidelines

http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=821193

Have sent London headless house the collected .PDF replies. Also given to my local Nottingham branch, after raising all this again on Monday.

I’d done this lot, in the light of the Home Secretaries letter stating: “Smith confirmed that there are no legal restrictions on the work that photographers and journalists can do in public, but added that local chief constables were allowed to restrict or monitor photography in certain circumstances.”

With this in mind, I made a further set of Freedom of Information Act enquiries of all police forces. My object was firstly to test this and to enquire of those individual police forces, the restrictions the Home Sec describes. But secondly, I think the differences in the replies, the lack of consistency, is just as large as before the guidelines were more widely adopted. I think they illustrate the need for a more proactive response in their dissemination. I hope this research strengths our case for action. Jeremy will be meeting Vernon Coaker, the shiny new home office minister, after the latest reshuffle.

I think in a democratic society like ours (??) the more senior police managers can only agree with us, that it is not an offence to take photographs in a public place and to pursue stories of public interest. Hence, I guess, we will find little opposition in agreeing the guidance with them. You will know that the real problems begin with the lower ranks.

Since my own arrest for obstruction, my adventures continue with a situation at least once a week.

You may know that on the Nottinghamshire Police Guidelines cover, it says: “Guidelines for police and media at incidents”.

On several occasions, I have been told that, “ah mate, no, it’s not an incident, it’s a scene!!”. For this to have happened several times, clearly there have been some watchroom conversations about it all, and to think up devices. Then, at a couple of criminal justice events, I found myself in conversation with middle rank Inspectors and Chief Inspectors who knew nothing of the issue of these guidelines locally. They were to have been widely distributed within the force after agreement.

A more common reaction though, when police are trying to prevent pictures being taken or I’m being hassled about my presence, is simply to push them back at me, without reading them or acknowledgement. Thus to plead continued ignorance of their provisions. Basically they just don’t care. Down here on the street, nothing has changed, all is the same as ever.

There is now another level of policing, non-warranted officers, wardens etc …. I have to say that they are even less clued-up, than the average policemen and these can be even more officious, and lack understanding of their powers.

John Toner was interviewed for this piece, you might find interesting:

http://current.com/items/88856223_you_can_t_picture_this

Since they do lack such understanding, I have asked locally if the wardens have been issued with the guidelines. I have been told that it was not relevant to do so and was not appropriate. Well, in the light of experience, I think it is.

You may also know that when we negotiated the Nottinghamshire Guidelines locally, I had made freedom of information act enquiries of all police forces, asking about their treatment of photographers at situations. It was the differences of reply that leads us to suppose that national guidance is required.

I think experience has shown though, that even if all is taken nationally, there is no consequence for them being ignored by police, and so they are. They do not form part of police operational orders. I know only to well of what happens to us if we are accused of breaking these guidance’s, we get arrested and convicted. I understand Roy Mincoff , Legal Officer with the NUJ was taking steps to see if these guidelines provisions could be included in the police and criminal evidence act. As far as I can see, this is the only way that the police will respect them, that if by ignoring them, that they break the law themselves.

In a written answer to Conservative Shadow Attorney General Domininc Grieve, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith yesterday [14th October 2008] stated that new guidance would be issued to police in November regarding s.44 searches of photographers:-

Terrorism: Stop and Search
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department has given to the police on the exercise of their power under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 to stop and search those taking photographs in public places. [219421
]acqui Smith: Guidance on stop and search powers under section 44 Terrorism Act 2000 was issued by the Home Office in Home Office Circular 038/2004 on 1 July 2004 covering the authorisations for the use of the power.
Operational guidance on the use of section 44 stop and search powers was issued by the National Policing Improvement Agency and the Association of Chief Police Officers in 2006.
Following a commitment given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in October 2007, the operational guidance issued to the police on section 44 is currently being reviewed by the Home Office, the police, community groups and other stakeholders. The National Police Improvement Agency will issue revised guidance to all police forces in November. This will cover the taking of photographs in public places, although the general position is that there is no legal restriction on photography in such places.

Riseup Radio is a community based podcast from Nottingham, UK. Reports on stuff that didn’t make other local media, music from local artists and bands and chatting about stuff that matters. We’re currently working on a monthly show, downloadable from the first day of each month. Download, listen, distribute, comment and contribute!

New shows are published on the 1st day of every month.

Like with most of the media we’re involved with here …. it is produced by a bunch of people involved in their community, concerned about issues, and trying to get and improve skills to be effective as they go along…….

In addition to the monthly podcast, you may also know of the series of ‘Sumac Debates’ that they have been recorded. The second of which will be on Mon 20 Oct @ 7.00pm.

If you think this work is worthwhile and you would like to contribute, Riseup Radio folks will be holding a ‘Skillshare’ session at the Sumac Centre on Saturday 1st November. 11.00am – 5.00pm >  It is hoped to get more technically competent, to include a wider variety of folks and thus cover more issues effectivly.  Please come.

I offer these notes – you might find helpful as a general sketch.

I think the notes might also help in adding more audio to Indymedia Newswire Reports. We don’t have to save it all up for a monthly show. Sometimes it is helpful to be more immediate as with any newswire item.

************

Riseup Radio :: Some thoughts and considerations on use, progress and ambitions.

Competence in making a set of recordings and then, the editing and producing a ‘show’ from them.

* Intro

For some years now, there have been a few groups producing podcasts here in Nottingham.  NotinNottingham [1], Leftlion [2], etc have been making shows that are primarily entertainments, based on the local music scene, social matters, gigs and youth based issues, providing the main subject matter. Student orgs and bands etc have also found the format useful and entertaining. A common factor though is that they are mostly devoid of an issue based content.

I first suggested the notion of a podcast, presented and contributed to from people concerned with the ‘issues’ we regularly deal with. At the ‘ASBO’ community squat in Radford, I found many of the issues of concern, regularly being discussed in the course of normal conversation, but not formally in interview, as this would have scared many off. Further, there was a music room with a variety of instruments, both electronic and acoustic, and a number of computers with audio software already installed.

The notion appeared strange to many, that their private conversations would be interesting to anyone else, further, people then stressed about what format, questions and the intensity of material to be discussed. You see when you are surrounded by people already involved in ‘stuff’, it becomes harder to think of a casual listener actually being interested in what your saying. However, I have heard a number of formats now from around the UK and quite a few yanks as well, where a group of friends / activists simply converse with each other on a range of issues, perhaps someone might have entered the room with a few bullet-points on paper and thus to facilitate and bring the conversation back to the point, now and again:-)

A microphone placed in the centre of the room when in a ‘social situation’ is soon forgotten. Perhaps if a little flush that week, the occasional crate of beer brought in might help.  It is thus obvious that people who are generally intimidated by the idea of interview soon ‘open out / up’ and have as much to say as others. The object is to get material out in the community so that these conversations become infectious and that they are continued in other social settings.  It is from these further discussions that we might then expect ‘action’ to take place and yet more people involved.

I personally, and over time, think I have learned more from friends and social sets in such conversations than I have from formal discussion on a range of issues. I think it is a great method to educate and inform and if someone occasionally strums a guitar, plays a flute, piano, bongo or triangle every so often, then great.

* Mic

Technically this might be more difficult to accomplish than planting a mic in front of someone and dealing with a ‘single source’.  Care would need to be taken in ‘equalising’ levels from various parts of the room. Also, it probable that with these conversational methods, you would end up with yards of material. There is no doubt that it is harder work to edit down, than the more formal interview. But I do like the impression of spontaneity that can be achieved.  It is then to be decided if it would be appropriate to ‘stream’ it live, to add more sound inputs to create a mix, or, to spend time cutting and re-editing to produce a show of a specific length. This of course could also be live, or, more commonly produced as a podcast MP3.

* Style

At the moment Riseup Radio is presented as a monthly 1 Hour + show, prepared for the first of the month. Additional ‘special shows’ have been prepared on separate issues aside from the main routine.  Depending on the number of events and people involved, it might be that more regular 30 min shows or weekly 20 minute ones might be more appropriate.  Basically, assessments need to be made as to what is less work for most effect and what people want to do.

The format Riseup Radio is currently produced in is a number of issues are selected either from individual’s preferences or an assessment made of the current issues going past on the Indymedia Newswire.  A roving reporter then sets out to interview folks who have to do with the issue. You might also consider asking people, generally, on their reaction to issues, they not directly connected with.  In both these circumstances, it is quite important to ask ‘open questions’ Say: “what do you think of the price of tomatoes”? As opposed to the more closed: “Isn’t it awful how expensive tomatoes are? The later ‘closed’ question is likely to result in just a yes or no answer.  The object is thus to get the interviewee to tell you more about ‘it’ and to expand, rather than imposing the interviewers thoughts on it all. With a number of interviews ‘bagged’,  back at base it is defiantly easier to produce a coherent show than the ‘social setup’ I described above.

* Tech

In both cases, a bit of practice is required in getting a recording of reasonable volume. Most equipment records to auto-levels.  Thus the only adjustment possible is to position the mic so as to get the main speakers heard clearly. If there is background noise, say on a demo, traffic on the street, or, it’s windy outside, you have to place the mic closer to the subject, but too close and you can hear puffs of breath and this is as bad.  If it is windy, then some mics have a ‘foam cover’.  Failing this a woolly glove finger or sock does seem to take the wind noise out, while still admitting sound. These are the most elementary precaution to take since to the listener, it really is so distracting and they will loose the sense of what’s being said.

Having got these ‘raw’ recordings, usually on a digital device, they are copied onto a computer. It is however, sometimes forgotten that you can plug a mic directly in the sound card of a PC or laptop, and using the really basic software like “Sound Recorder” supplied with Windows operating system, you can make perfectly good recordings.

Sometimes files are either copied / converted as large .WAV files or the more compressed MP3.  A routine of cutting pasting and editing can then be done in programs such as Soundforge, Nero, Audacity and others.

Having got a selection of ‘elements’, you need nothing more than use the same software to lay them end-to-end, speech and music in the order you decided and save to a resultant file. This is then a ‘show’. Quite good enough for some.

A more polished refinement is by the use of software like Ableton Live, Cubase etc. These enable you take the same elements but to overlap and mix them together to give a better sense of continuity.  It is a really steep learning curve to use these programs but like most software, you might only need to know how to perform a few regular routines to get some serviceable results. The programs allow you to ‘export’ an MP3 at different bit rates. This is a representation of the amount of quality available on the recording as balanced against the file size required to achieve it. Bare in mind what is it for! Is it for streaming, a link from a website, or upload to an existing setup like Indymedia? Will your average listener have a fast or very slow connection to the interweb? Is there a maximum file size beyond which it won’t fit?  For Indymedia on individual postings it’s 20Mb for example.

For a guide on quality for your exported MP3, you might be guided thus:

320 – 256 KBPS is CD quality
128 KBPS is like FM Radio
64 – 55 KBPS is similar to AM Radio

KBPS = kilobits per second.

* Mobiles & telephones

Without realising it, most people carry a recording device around with them most of the time. The mobile cell phone.  These, and the network providers they are connected to, are many and varied in their capabilities and you need to practice and talk to your network to see what is possible.

With your basic mobile you can sometimes select that you want to make a ‘memo’. This will then record a short note, directly on your phone. Some providers allow you to make a memo to your voicemail answerphone. A main problem is that many phones only allow you to record in their very compress ‘proprietary’ format, most commonly .aac .aif & .amr [3] . While a bit scary at first, I found that by starting from the phone manufactures website, you can frequently find their own software to convert these to the more usual .mp3 or .wav.

Some sites do already accept these mobile files and it is particularly useful in transmitting live, from the street or demo. It is currently a deficiency in Indymedia that the system does not recognise these files, but we are on the case!

You might also discover that you can assign your own number on a speed-dial. Hence, when you ring yourself up by simply pressing one button, you’re engaged! However, in many setups, being engaged means you are put straight through to your voicemail.  This of course, could be very useful in making covert recordings.

If in the course of your day, a policeman, security guard, company goon, bus conductor …  whatever, exceeds their authority or is rude to you, it might make suitable material [and evidence] for your show. Officers on finding a phone on you, do not instantly think of them being recorders / recording. In the past, I have been at some risk of violence, when an officer has discovered recording equipment on me, and realised what he has just said to me. Nowadays though, If they realise that information has already been transmitted, then they are out of their depth.

For an inspiring example check out what a sixteen year-old in London, managed to do.  The recording he made cost the officer his job [4] .  I was impressed.

Also, don’t forget the ordinary telephone. You can buy a telephone recorder, which is just a mic on a suction cup, which you stick on the back of the receiver and a jack you just plug into a recorder.  Don’t do it, they’re crap!  Much better are the ones that you plug into the telephone wall socket directly, [the phone itself then being plugged into the back of this socket].  Again, these generally have a 3.5mm jack output, and again can be plugged into any recording device, or the mic socket of your computer.  Telephone interviews are under represented on many reports [outside of the mainstream media] and I would like to see more folks give it a go. Very green – saves on travelling costs 🙂

* Rules

I guess there are not many ‘rules’ of composition of what makes a show more listenable. [well, not any that I know about anyway]. The test is do you get the info across to your audience in a concise and entertaining way? The best way of checking this is to just do it! Then, listen to friends opinions that you’ve practiced on, and wider audience reaction and amend what you do next time. To be a perfectionist stops so many people even starting.  It is so much better to give something a go and learn on the job.

Next step is to get an audience. Eventually you’ll want to know about subscribing to RSS feeds and the like, but all that is for another paper. …….

____________

Notes

[4]  Racist abuse PC could be sacked within weeks – Independent 20 May 2005
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/racist-abuse-pc-could-be-sacked-within-weeks-491318.html
Met race row after arrest recording –Guardian 20 May 2005
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/may/20/race.ukcrime

*****

Riseup! Radio
e-mail: riseupradio@indymedia.org
Homepage: http://riseupradio.wordpress.com

Nottinghamshire Indymedia    http://notts.indymedia.org.uk

UK Indymedia             http://www.indymedia.org.uk

Skillshare sessions will be held at: Sumac Centre.
245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham, NG7 6HX
Ph: 0845 458 9595 / 0115 960 8254 http://www.sumac.org.uk

Sorry for the lack of postings lately, so much to do, so little time 🙂

But you’ll see have still been active on stuff

Please check out my ‘Collected’ Indymedia Postings at:

http://tinyurl.com/ynttvo

Photographer, Terence Eden gets stopped and searched under s44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 at Waterloo station, and makes a movie of this ‘security theatre’ whilst it’s happening.Terence Eden gets stopped and searched under s44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 at Waterloo station, and makes a movie of this ‘security theatre’ whilst it’s happening.

Eden was not taking photos prior to being searched, and police did not object to him videoing the search, so this incident does not qualify as an incursion into photo rights. However it’w worth viewing for an insight into the sheer pointless banality of these routine and arbitrary searches, backed up nonetheless by the threat of arrest for non-compliance.

http://www.qik.com/video/203590

I have just uploaded a large ‘best edit’ set of pictures of the Glastonbury Festival 2008

The set can be seen on my Flickr Pages at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tash/sets/72157606887128689

My son Sam, living out in Portugal, has posted a video on YouTube.  It shows something of the event they held, earlier in the summer.

Love the police idea of a warning 🙂 “please go home , you can be here no more”

Everyone one around, just ignored them and carried on.

He must learn to hold the camera still though.  It made me feel a bit giddy.

[youtube=http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=HmVYiI-6kCk]

An outsider’s view of the daily life of a group of hardcore environmental protesters.

Curious about direct political action, and eager to discover the personalities behind the banners, the filmmakers set up home among the trees. They follow a protest against Wales’ LNG pipeline – from unimpressive beginnings to its dramatic end.

Check out this video on Current TV at:

http://current.com/items/89120214_living_with_anarchists

When Murphy the garden gnome disappeared from Eve Stuart-Kelso’s garden in Gloucester, she feared she might never see him again.

But seven months later he was back, complete with a photo album detailing his extraordinary global odyssey. Steve Knibbs reports.

BBC Video clip http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7556244.stm

Photo Galery  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/7556182.stm

Gnome in ocean off Thailand

E.ON’s replica of the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station has been occupied by one inch tall climate change campaigners. The drama unfolded at the Legoland park in Windsor – sponsored by E.ON – where the Lego Kingsnorth is given pride of place next to Big Ben and Canary Wharf.

[youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ykkJJWgOu8A]

The Lego campaigners struck as hundreds of people gather at this year’s Climate Camp to protest the planned new coal plant at Kingsnorth in Kent.

The six campaigners appeared at the top of the construction at around 11am this morning, before unveiling a banner saying STOP CLIMATE CHANGE down the length of the tower. Lego police are in attendance at the foot of the tower, along with a Lego police helicopter.

E.ON proudly announced the construction of Britain’s newest coal-fired station at Legoland in 2006. The German utility giant is Britain’s single biggest greenhouse gas polluter. The company is aiming to have Kingsnorth 2 built by 2012. Despite claims that the new plant will be more efficient, it is estimated that it will emit 8.4 million tonnes of climate changing pollutants every year, compared to the 8.7 million tonnes the existing plant releases annually, and nowhere near the 80% reductions needed to combat global warming.

Neither the campaigners nor the police would comment, because they’re made of Lego and therefore can’t talk.

THE SITUATION:

There is chaos all around you caused by a hurricane with severe flooding.
This is a flood of biblical proportions.
You are a photo-journalist working for a major newspaper and you’re caught in the middle of this epic disaster.
You are trying to shoot career-promoting photos.
There is a mass of debris and many people swirling around you, some disappearing under the water.
Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury.

THE TEST:

Suddenly, you see a man in the water.
He is fighting for his life, trying not to be taken down with the debris.
You move closer… Somehow, the man looks familiar… You suddenly realise who it is… It’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown!

You notice that the raging waters are about to take him under, forever!

You have two options:

You can save the life of Gordon Brown…

…or you can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the world’s leaders.

THE QUESTION:

Here’s the question and please give an honest answer…

Would you select high contrast colour film or would you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?

Climate Camp has been started, field squatted, ….. and is now open for business.

Get down there, and I wish all well.

Climate Camp Ready For Action – Indymedia UK page

Climate Camp 2008 Indymedia UK topic page

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/1415949]

Climate Camp http://climatecamp.org.uk

Any readers out there, wot know about computers and stuff, can tell me how to get rid of these files.  hldrrr.exe  flec006.exe

I believe them to me malicious, they’re using resources and I wan
t rid of them.  Tried deleting them in ‘running process, but they wont go!

Any advice gratefully received

The most action packed show to date, here we move into June with an hour and a half of stuff that matters and music to tingle the senses. With the warmer weather moving in and the city coming alive again we tell those untold stories and showcast some of the best new acts and artists.

We talk to people about the arrests of 2 activists at Nottingham University under the Terrorism Act and ways to campaign against the upcoming deportation of one of them. We bring you an exclusive report about a recent protest at arms manufacturer Hecker & Koch and an update from NAIL, the ongoing campaign against Nottingham’s waste incinerator. Also we went along to a mass trespass of a proposed open cast coal mine site near Heanor, Derbyshire. We have a chat about the Sumac Centre, and interview Alice who’s been involved with producing a free booklet about social centres in the UK and Ireland. Also updates on this years Climate Camp in August and talk about the upcoming mobilisation against the BNP’s Red, White and Blue Festival in Denby, near Codnor. Music from the Rebel Soul Collective, Freakcullector, Leni Ward, Fists, Verbal Warning and Old Basford.

http://riseupradio.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/5-the-june-show

Riseup Radio
http://riseupradio.wordpress.com

Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, has written to the Home Secretary to protest against police surveillance of journalists and photographers.

Dear’s letter, sent to Jacqui Smith on 22 May, states that journalists and photographers are being monitored and recorded by the Metropolitan Police’s Forward Intelligence Team (FIT), adding that this surveillance amounts to virtual harassment and is a serious threat to the journalists’ right to carry out their work.

‘As you will be aware,’ he writes, ‘the FIT team have a responsibility to provide intelligence to police units in respect of individuals who may be involved in public order issues. “Targets” whose likenesses are retained by the police are given four-figure Photographic Reference Numbers and held on a database.

‘Recently, the FIT team has started surveillance of press card-carrying journalists who cover and report on protests of any kind. For example, at a recent lobby against the SOCPA (Serious Organised Crime and Police Act) restrictions on protests on 01 March, all members of the press present were catalogued by the FIT team. Through Data Protection Act requests we have learned that details of bona fide journalists are held on this database with photographic reference numbers.’

Later in the same letter he adds: ‘Despite repeated requests there has been no legitimate reason given why police photographers should be photographically cataloguing journalists going about their lawful business.’ He then asks Smith to provide more information about the FIT and the guidance it is given.

Dear has written to the Home Secretary because ongoing concerns he has raised directly with the police have not been resolved, he told BJP. ‘Despite the guidelines drawn up,’ he said, ‘photographers continue to face intimidation.’

He added: ‘The government must stamp out the routine and deliberate targeting of photographers and other journalists by the Forward Intelligence Team. Such actions undermine media freedom and can serve to intimidate photographers trying to carry out their lawful work. These abuses are the latest in an increasingly long list of infringements of media freedom at the hands of the Metropolitan Police. The rights of photographers to work free from threat, harassment and intimidation must be upheld.’

Photojournalist and NUJ member Marc Vallee, who was hospitalised after covering the unlawful ‘Sack Parliament’ protest in London on 09 October 2006, added: ‘Press freedom is a central tenet of our democracy and it is extremely unpleasant to have Metropolitan Police FIT officers take notes, film and photograph you when working. It begs the questions what legal, moral and political power such repressive actions are based on. The Home Secretary needs to swiftly confirm that the police have no legal power to prevent or restrict working photographers in this way.’

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that it has ‘used the tactic of Forward Intelligence Teams in their current format for at least 10 years, including covert photographers’.

In a statement to BJP, commander Bob Broadhurst, in charge of Public Order policing at the Metropolitan Police said: ‘I have personally met with various representatives from bodies who represent the interests of photographers and have sought to protect their rights to do their job through educating colleagues within the Met. Before every operation all our staff are briefed as to the rights and role of the media and wherever operationally possible to facilitate them.

‘Metropolitan Police FIT officers do not target legitimate photographers. FIT officers are deployed in an intelligence and evidence gathering capacity at public order events. This may include interaction with photographers, who on the production of a valid form of accreditation will be able to continue with their work.’
Date: 28 May 2008

http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=796182

“Street Journalists Under Surveillance”
http://jasonnparkinson.blogspot.com/2008/05/street-journalists-under-surveillance.html

“police surveillance of journalists – jeremy dear sends jacqui smith a letter.”
http://www.marcvallee.co.uk/blog_280508.html

Home Secretary told ‘end police surveillance of journalists’
http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=816

Jeremy has now written to the Home Secretery on the matter: Here is a copy of his letter:

Jacqui Smith
Home Secretary
Home Office
Direct Communications Unit
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF
22 May 2008
Dear Jacqui,

I am writing to highlight our growing concerns regarding routine police surveillance of journalists.

In particular we have serious concerns about the activities of the Metropolitan Police’s Forward Intelligence Team (FIT Team) in monitoring and recording the activities of bona fide journalists, especially photographers. A number of members have alleged that the police’s surveillance action amounts to virtual harassment and is a serious threat to their right to carry out their lawful employment.

As you will be aware the FIT team have a responsibility to provide intelligence to police units in respect of individuals who may be involved in public order issues. “Targets” whose likenesses are retained by the police are given four-figure Photographic Reference Numbers and held on a database.

Recently, the FIT team has started surveillance of Press-Card-carrying journalists who cover and report on protests of any kind. For example, at a recent lobby against the SOCPA restrictions on protests on 1 March – all members of the press present were catalogued by the FIT team.

Through Data Protection Act requests we have learned that details of bona fide journalists are held on this database with photographic reference numbers.

I have met with a number of those journalists, mainly photographers who have been the victims of this intimidatory policing. For instance, members of the FIT team who know individual journalists by name still follow them and film them all the time they are working. The journalists have provided their Press Cards to FIT team members, have asked why they are under surveillance and have reminded police officers of their lawful right to carry out their work. Despite this the surveillance continues.

Despite repeated requests there has been no legitimate reason given why police photographers should be photographically cataloguing journalists going about their lawful business.

I would welcome from you information in respect of the guidance given to the FIT team.

· Are the FIT team issued with instructions to photograph and catalogue journalists? Can you provide guidelines issued to FIT Team members about their duties/role?
· For what purpose is information gained by the FIT team held on journalists by the police?
· Who has access to information being held on police databases about journalists?

The routine and deliberate targeting of photographers and other journalists by the Forward Intelligence Team  undermines media freedom and can serve to intimidate photographers trying to carry out their lawful work. The rights of photographers to work free from threat, harassment and intimidation must be upheld.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and/or relevant officials to provide further evidence of this activity, including photographic evidence and to seek assurances that the government will do all it can to ensure professional journalists are able to carry out their lawful work.

Yours sincerely

JEREMY DEAR
General Secretary

After yet another encounter with police surveillance operations and the FIT team at the Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ.  I had taken more photos of them and made another Indymedia posting about it all. As usual, the comments present us with more heat then light.

FIT are beyond the evidence gathering we have all come to know.  There is an intimidatory component to their activities. Protestors, Football Fans, Animal Rights activists, Travellers and Festival attendees have know this for years. The NUJ and journalist are the latest group to be added to be targeted by these folks. These links give you some of this progress:

NUJ Freelance Apr08 FIT snappers snap snappers
http://www.londonfreelance.org/fl/0804fit.html?i=flindex&d=2008_04

Jeremy Dear, Gen Sec NUJ – FIT for purpose
http://jeremydear.blogspot.com/2008/05/fit-for-purpose.html

BBC NEWS  UK  Police ‘spying’ powers challenged
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7377437.stm

British Journal of Photography – Excuse me, officer …
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=792719

police surveillance of journalists  marc vallée  blog
http://www.marcvallee.co.uk/blog_080508.html

New Statesman: Is this what a police state looks like?
http://www.newstatesman.com/200805030006

Current TV [Google Channel] You Can’t Picture This, Oh yes you can!
http://current.com/items/88856223_you_can_t_picture_this

Police in court over pictures at arms protest  Politics  The Observer
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/apr/27/police.humanrights
If it is accepted that police are supposed to investigate and prevent crime ….. then the filming of lawful activity by police, might be considered oppressive.  [the point!] and perhaps illegal.

However, this example from the US, and the way the law worked for them, should give some heart to how the UK citizens, might try and establish similar principles. Please check out the main link and watch the video interview about the judgement outlawing ‘blanket’ police surveillance. 

Democracy Now: NYPD Spy Tactics Exposed [February 19, 2007]
http://www.democracynow.org/2007/2/19/nypd_spy_tactics_exposed_democracy_now
[Video Interview on the issue]
http://tinyurl.com/3pca3j

Local Surveillance examples: [so much more, this is just a sample]
Nottingham Surveillance at Demo at Heckler & Koch weapons manufacturers HQ
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/05/398414.html

Fossil Fools Blockade E.On Offices Surveillance and Specialist Equipment
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/395429.html

Prime Minister visits Nottingham University :: Surveillance Operations
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331596.html

Surveillance of Nottingham city centre
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/03/335022.html

Excuse me, officer …
British Journal of Photography
Date: 7 May 2008

Momentum is growing as photographers fight back against increasing restrictions on shooting images in public places.

More than 190 MPs have now signed up to an Early Day Motion introduced in the House of Commons by Austin Mitchell, urging the ‘Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers to agree on a photography code for the information of officers on the ground, setting out the public’s right to photograph public places, thus allowing photographers to enjoy their hobby without officious interference or unjustified suspicion’.

The motion was introduced after the Metropolitan Police launched an advertising campaign calling for citizens to report any ‘odd-looking’ person taking pictures – to the disgust of both amateur and professional photographers, who say they are increasingly demonised.

Press campaign
Press photographers, in particular, say they are being prevented from carrying out their work by overly-officious police and security personnel, pointing to a number of recent cases which have led to sometime violent confrontation.

To address the issue, the British Press Photographers’ Association is joining forces with the National Union of Journalists and the National Association of Press Agencies to try to resolve the issue with the police. Guidelines already exist, but say the organisations, rank-and-file officers seem to be unaware of their content, or choose to deliberately ignore them.

While the campaign is expected to gather strength, photographers are now waiting on the results of an upcoming meeting between the police and representative associations. This was due to happen last week, but the Met postponed and has yet to reschedule.

A group of freelance photographers, aided by the BPPA, has been meeting with the police regularly to address such issues. Now, to show a united front in the media freedom campaign, the BPPA is starting a new group alongside the NUJ and the NAPA. ‘This group, which has yet to be named, will carry on with these meetings with the police,’ says Jeff Moore of the BPPA. He hopes that the unified front will force the police to brief their officers on guidelines agreed in 2006. ‘We’ve tried to push the police to let us give talks to street officers about these guidelines, but we were never allowed to do it,’ Moore says. ‘It’s been promised, but it never happened.’

Last month, Moore asked individual photographers to make formal complaints each time they are assaulted by the police. However, no proper official complaint has been filed with the police yet, he tells BJP this week. ‘We will wait for the outcome before doing so.’

Funny side
Meanwhile, several spoofs of the Met’s ad campaign have appeared, including one that calls on photographers to report any ‘odd-looking’ police officers. Backed by the BPPA, EPUK and the NUJ, it reads: ‘Thousands of coppers stop photographers every day. What if one of them seems odd? Police twists the laws to help prevent protest, stopping people and threatening arrest under vague, all-encompassing terrorism laws. If you see a copper behaving oppressively we need to know. Let experienced journalists decide what action to take.’

Other photographers have submitted their own versions of the ad on the photo-sharing site Flickr. To view them, visit  http://www.flickr.com/groups/met_poster .