Police protecting the interests of corporate capitalism - 29/01/11
I couldn’t get to the UK Uncut protest at Boots in Oxford Street. And am totally appalled and shocked about the reports of unprovoked attacks by the cops. My experience of these protests have been positive, peaceful and vibrant. So why are the cops behaving in this heavy-handed manner, spraying noxious substances in the faces of protesters and when is it “criminal damage” to post a leaflet through the doors of Boots explaining tax avoidance?
The cops are stretching the definition of this specific legislation and I hope the protester challenges it along with suing the police for assault. The police aren’t protecting the public they are undermining liberty and right to peaceful protest. If the police are allowed to get away with stretching legal definitions then the future doesn’t bode well. I would mention the IPCC but we all know just how spineless they are!
Though should we be surprised by the cops actions? Hugh Orde (head of Acpo) gave a rather stark worrying when he remarked:
“Walking into Topshop with an intent to cause damage, [means] you’re actually a burglar,” he said. ” If you walk into Boots and do nothing then you are simply a trespasser and the role of the police is to stand by to prevent a breach of the peace.”
And it now seems we are being confronted with extreme policing. But we should also ask, just who the hell is Acpo? Acpo, a limited company run by police chiefs, is a shadowy organisation with no accountability nor transparency. They watch us. We can’t watch them. This is further evidence that the state is criminalising dissent. Isn’t it being able to speak out against what you believe to be wrong a healthy part of democracy such as peaceful direct action?
Welcome to the future of authoritarian capitalism. They used to say that for capitalism to flourish a country needed democracy. China proved them wrong. Don’t think the right havn’t noticed either. Police violence and calls for greater restrictions on protest (remember the loose talk before Christmas about water cannons?) has coincided with increasing talk about limiting the right to strike.
The left needs to stand up for itself. It would help if the Labour Party didn’t consistantly capitulate to the Mail/Scum/Express/Tory agenda also – it simply moves the debate further and further to the right.
James
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by N Roberts, HarpyMarx. HarpyMarx said: Blogged: political policing http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/political-policing/ [...]
and when is it “criminal damage” to post a leaflet through the doors of Boots explaining tax avoidance?
I think It could be criminal damage if the action temporarily impairs the usefulness of the property (phew!) That’s daft, but laws are often set up to clobber.