Just off one of Birminghams main city centre streets away from the B'ham Gaza demo on 17th January 09 Saturday this scenario played out as an arrest was witnessed, It occurred along Cannon St near Ted Baker’s off New Street. It was as it turned out, nothing to do with the Demo, but worth writing about as it shows the law of the land again being illegally subverted by Cops who decide to implement their own self imposed censorship on events. We approached the scene and observed a number of Retail security personnel surrounding a civilian sitting on top of someone he had detained! The Cycle cops arrived fenced off the immediate area with their bikes and took over from the civilian, detaining the suspect on the floor till a cop car arrived to ferry him to the Cop shop. As they boxed in the arrest scene with their bikes I heard one say "Stop them taking photos or they will be all over bloody YouTube" Despite the fact there were numerous citizens taking shots with their camera phones, PC Iam Makingitupas Igoalong approached the only professional crew and demanded that we desist from taking photographs of the arrest, otherwise he would seize our cameras! When told he had no right to stop anyone or seize any equipment, he said yes he had! Then when challenged to state under which law such a right was granted and being informed the PACE84 act exempted journalistic material from seizure. He stated it did not matter, because such images were evidence and therefore he could!.. Strewth! Since none of us had witnessed or photographed the alleged initial offence the only conceivable way it could be evidence would be if the Cops themselves were misbehaving when arresting the suspect! Finally a female CPO with a ‘headcam’ arrived just after the suspect had been driven away in the cop car. Someone said "you took your time! It’s all over" when told of the illegality of PC Iam Makingitupas Igoalong’s assertions and demands she said "Ooh I don’t want to get involved in this" done a sharp about turn and exited!
Post new comment