8 Times The Police Crossed The Line And Boris Didn’t Notice

When it comes to police surveillance the Mayor of London seems to think everything is OK. I think the police have abused their powers and wasted time and resources targeting innocent people. Let’s see if I can convince you in less than 2 minutes?

1. Police only watch criminals and terrorists

The police must think I’m a threat to national security because they have files about me on their ‘Domestic Extremist’ database. My file notes that I gave a speech at the Progressive London Conference in 2009 organised by former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone. Is that a crime or an abuse of police power?

2. 94,778 RIPA requests

Via stream1.gifsoup.com

In 2013 the Met Police made around 250 requests a day under RIPA for communications data – the ‘who, when and where’ of communications, such as telephone billing or subscriber details. They approve their own requests rather than a judge or someone independent doing it. An abuse of police power?

3. Domestic Extremist or artistic pensioner?

Via indymedia.org.uk

In December the Supreme Court heard his case where Met Police lawyers argued that they should continue to keep records on people even though they are not suspected of any offence. An abuse of police power?

4. Bob Lambert

Via channel4.com

Bob Lambert was an undercover police officer. He deceived at least two women into long-term sexual relationships, fathered and abandoned a child with one of the women, and gave evidence in court under his false name. An abuse of police power?

5. More than 50 convictions overturned

Via subliminalhacking.net

Because of two undercover officers (Mark Kennedy & Jim Boyling) 56 campaigners have had their convictions overturned or been wrongly prosecuted. The police have admitted 24 undercover officers from one unit were arrested during their covert missions, some more than once. More miscarriages of justice are likely to be exposed. An abuse of police power?

6. The Lawrence family

Via telegraph.co.uk

A Met Police undercover officer spied on the family of Stephen Lawrence during the public inquiry into the Met’s botched murder investigation. The family were campaigning like other families for justice and to hold the police to account. We know 18 families campaigning for justice were spied on, including the families of Jean Charles de Menezes, Cherry Groce and Ricky Reel. An abuse of police power?

7. Over 2,000 files about journalists, photojournalists and photographers

David Hoffman Photo Library David Hoffman / Via londonphotographers.org

The Met’s ‘Domestic Extremist’ database has over 2,000 files relating to journalists, photojournalists and photographers. The journalist and comedian Mark Thomas had over 60 files about him. A journalist from the Times found his file had details of his sexual orientation, childhood and family medical history. An abuse of police power?

8. Journalists’ phone records

Via dailymail.co.uk

The Met used RIPA to obtain the phone records of the Sun newspaper’s political editor and its news desk despite laws protecting journalists’ sources. An abuse of police power?

Andrew Parsons/ i images / Via dailymail.co.uk

I want those who pose a genuine threat to society watched, not everybody. I have published a report which shows the police are wasting their time and money creating a surveillance state which catches large numbers of innocent people in its web. You can read it here.

I care about civil liberties. It’s a shame the Mayor doesn’t.