Under surveillance: police target journalists

[adam*]

Here are two clips that you should all listen to regarding the police and their surveillance / intimidation of journalists and photographers. Looks like George Orwell got it right.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/mar/06/police-surveillance-climate-camp-journalists

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/audio/2009/mar/06/surveillance-justice

[Harm]

Big Brother is always watching you...

[T.D.]

These kinds of threads seem to have a knack for turning political. Please remember that political discussions are not allowed on POTN.

Thanks.

[adam*]

I won't make it political, just thought they were two interesting and important clips for people to see :)

[JoYork]

That was quite frightening, thanks for sharing.

[chauncey]

"Why can't we all just get along" :lol:

[amonline]

So what? We watch them. Why can't they watch us?

[Spacemunkie]

I'm glad I don't live in Britain any more. What a **** hole!

[adam*]

So what? We watch them. Why can't they watch us?

Because they're not just 'watching', they're preventing and harassing journalists doing their jobs and storing private information.

[primoz]

I'm glad I don't live in Britain any more.
It's not about Britain or any other country. It's about few idiots who are allowed to carry guns, and in this particular case are backed up by idiotic law. But in general this things can happen anywhere on World. For example, I almost got arrested once, because I wanted to be on race course... with proper accreditation and everything else. But particular brain dead policeman decided he's boss of that corner and it's going to be his way. And it wasn't in Britain ;)
So if you are "lucky" enough, you can get harassed for nothing anywhere on World.

[Spacemunkie]

It's not about Britain or any other country....

It's ALL about Britain and no other country in this case. And the Filth don't carry guns as a matter of course in the UK.

We're not talking about harassment. We're talking about state-sponsored removal of civil liberties and people seem to be letting this sort of thing slide. Attributing it to 'one-off power-trippers' is missing the point entirely.

Producing databases of images and information of people who have done nothing wrong other than simply attend a demonstration and exercised their democratic right to protest? Making it illegal to photograph or film the police? The fact that Britain already has CCTV on almost every street? It's no surprise that the word 'Orwellian' springs up so often...

None of this has given people a feeling of safety. It's just succeeded in creating an impending sense of doom and an oppressive environment for everyone.

[gnirtS]

The keeping DNA profiles of everyone including innocent people is far more frightening.

[JoYork]

It's ALL about Britain and no other country in this case.

Last time I looked the Australian Government were looking to carry out wholesale snooping and censorship online. The USA have had their civil liberties eroded greatly since 9/11 in the form of illegal warrantless wiretaps (which goes against the Consitution) and let's not even mention Guantanamo Bay.

I don't want to get political - I don't think one political party is much better or worse than another - but the erosion of civil liberties is happening in most countries (the UN have just announced they want to make the criticism of religion an offence, for example) and if it hasn't happened in NZ yet I reckon it's only a matter of time.

[Spacemunkie]

"...the erosion of civil liberties is happening in most countries..."

...that have made themselves massive terrorist targets through their crass foreign policies.

But feel free to continue to think it's all inevitable.

I'd rather do something about it personally...

[T.D.]

Sadly, my warning was not heeded. Preface them how you will, most of these comments are political in nature.

Thread closed.