Ratcliffe Trial: James Hansen

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 10 Jan 2011, 23:21

Wow nice one! I once went for a job interview in Hayes and Harlington and it looked a terrible place to live. A fellow interviewee had an epileptic fit and all. Nice to see it has some redeeming features

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 10 Jan 2011, 23:45

Blog by one of the arrestees
http://www.ameliasmagazine.com/earth/di ... 011/01/10/

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 12 Jan 2011, 14:52

JohnB wrote:
nexus wrote:Vote here http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... ist-polive on whether the government should be spying on environmental protesters.
17.2% Yes
82.8% No

Bear in mind that's a Guardian readers' poll. In the population at large I'd guess it would be nearer 50/50.

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 12 Jan 2011, 14:59

biffvernon wrote: Of course PC Kennedy will not have been the only one of his kind. So we now have to ask which of the trouble makers at the student demos last month were actually policemen. I was particularly struck at the time by a video that showed one man taking a metal pole, a piece of a barrier I think, and using it to break windows in the treasury building. It was odd that he was so much acting alone, others watching him but not joining in.

That crossed my mind too - though surely the remit of undercover police agents wouldn't extent to causing criminal damage - especially not, in cases like the one you mention, where they're not just joining in but actively trying to stoke up trouble.

I'm not naive, I know governments use agents provocateurs to discredit groups that oppose them, but it would be quite a risk for the police if the truth came out. My guess is that it's more likely the security services would be involved in this type of operation than the police.

frank_begbie · Post by **frank_begbie** » 12 Jan 2011, 17:33

Ludwig wrote:
biffvernon wrote: Of course PC Kennedy will not have been the only one of his kind. So we now have to ask which of the trouble makers at the student demos last month were actually policemen. I was particularly struck at the time by a video that showed one man taking a metal pole, a piece of a barrier I think, and using it to break windows in the treasury building. It was odd that he was so much acting alone, others watching him but not joining in.
That crossed my mind too - though surely the remit of undercover police agents wouldn't extent to causing criminal damage - especially not, in cases like the one you mention, where they're not just joining in but actively trying to stoke up trouble.

I'm not naive, I know governments use agents provocateurs to discredit groups that oppose them, but it would be quite a risk for the police if the truth came out. My guess is that it's more likely the security services would be involved in this type of operation than the police.

I think you mean the Insecurity Services