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Good, I'd like to see the Police try and arrest all of the photographers for being "intimidating" and photographing the Police.

They don't need to. Didn't you know that any gathering of more than three people that doesn't have police permission is now technically against the law and they can therefore arrest anyone participating?

Jon

What legislation is that?

Where have you been for the last decade Linux_User?

One comedian (can't remember his name) actually did a show about it... Along with the having to apply to do a protest, even one person, around the House of Commons, he set a record for the most number of protests on one day, by one person! All officially approved, The transcript was absolutely hilarious, especially his conversations with the poor PC assigned to vet the applications!

Can't remember the exact details of which law it is that brought that in. Memory says it was an amendment to the Criminal Justice Act but that's a bit sketchy. I have a feeling it was originally brought in to try to combat illegal raves in the late '90s. The comedian Big_D mentions is Mark Thomas and there's an article by him here.

In his case it wasn't about the 'right to protest' in general it's about the notion that it's now illegal to protest at all without permission anywhere near the Palace of Westminster. I can't imagine many things more farcical than the idea you have to get permission to make your opinion known to the people who are supposed to be your representatives.

Of course the police have always had the ability to coersively disperse large groups of unruly people - see the etymology of the phrase 'reading the riot act' for details - but the extension of the rules in recent years seems to me rather draconian. Much like a lot of recent legislation, if I'm being honest.

Jon

The Mark Thomas protest was playing with the SOCPA legislation - Serious Organised Crime Prevention Act (IIRC).
It says that in order to form a protest within the designated zone in London, you require a permit from the Police to do so. A licence, in effect.
Quite why it's been lumbered with the Serious Organised Crime aspect (I tend to make associations with Mafia type gangs and white collar crime), I haven't a clue.

Well yes I am familiar with the exclusion zone around Westminster, and it's not one I agree with (I am in fact actively campaigning with the Lib Dems to have it abolished).

The Riot Act did enter my mind, but Wiki tells me that it hasn't been on the Statute books for well over 30 years.

I think I am familiar with the provision you refer to jon, but I'm fairly certain it applies to people engaged in "anti-social behaviour", whatever that is.

Classic politics. Stick a bill though dealing with the hot issue of the day, add a dodgy clause on at the end, accuse anyone who opposes it of supporting terrorism (or exposing the country to the risk of a bird flu pandemic, or whatever) .
Over the last 10 years or some incredibly bad law has been passed through parliament by piggybacking or similar tactics. Course it doesn't just happen here, happens pretty much everywhere you've got some sort of parliament or similar. Seriously, some of the worst decisions since McCarthyism in the US.

Jon

Well quite; 'whatever that is'. Whatever it is is whatever the police determine it to be at the time, from throwing bins through bank windows to waving a placard in a strident manner, and all points in between, depending on the mood of the local officer in charge.

I should say ay this point I've met quite a few coppers who are consiencious, polite, even handed and genuinely want to do a good job. I've also met some utter tossers who enjoyed nothing more than exercising every last iota of power they could squeeze out of the system regardless of justice or anything else. But, you know, coppers are human at the end of the day. The problem I have is not with the police per se, it's to with the eejit politicians who have chucked out large chunks of the things we should hold dear in the name of 'security' which by objective analysis starts to look very much more like 'control' and in the process have made the police less the protectors of the people and more the protecters of the establishment and status quo.

Jon

And being too tall.

That's a very measured, considered approach. Unfortunately, I don't believe it's simply the politicians to blame here. Certain people within the police are taking it upon themselves to deliver Judge Dredd style justice and have little regard for the people they are supposed to protect and serve.