Police intimidation to coerce details from protesters

Yet more evidence has emerged that the police are abusing their power and using threats of arrest to intimidate protesters into giving their details for an unoficial database of protesters, and being arrested, processed and de-arrested if they do not cooperate. This is from a personal account by Adrienne Campbell posted on Viva Lewes.

We were politely asked to move, and given a five-minute deadline. I moved just 30 seconds before the time was up and was grabbed by three coppers who demanded I give my name and address. I refused, believing this was my right. They told me that they would arrest me if I didn’t give my details. I refused. They tried to handcuff me; I resisted. They twisted my arm behind my back and marched me, bent over – very undignified – to the police van where I was handcuffed and arrested. My shoulder and my pride were hurt. I was told I would be ‘de-arrested’ if I gave my details. After a while I did, to a police video camera, and was released. Presumably I will now be joining the rising numbers of people logged on a protesters database. My information is this kind of intimidation is illegal and I will be taking legal advice.

This behaviour by our police is outrageous and there is no excuse for it at all. This is abuse of the law, plain and simple. I urge you all to write to your MP and ask for this practice to be stopped.