Police Response to Anonymous

Anonymous’ May 10 Protest against the Church of Scientology was extremely violently policed in Manchester.
Similar hostility was also observed in London.
This report will deal exclusively with the events that occurred in Manchester and, in addition, will record the response from the INTERNAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT of Greater Manchester Police.
I met Robert Meek of Internal Affairs on Tuesday August 5th and we spoke from 10am until 12:30pm. Tony Leigh (of “getbeckyout”) attended the interview with me.

Following the Manchester Police hostility on May 10, I officially complained to the ACTING CHIEF CONSTABLE of Manchester Police, DAVID WHATTON on June 1st. I also sent a copy of the letter to my solicitor. The three points that I made were as follows:

1. The police confiscated my poster because it showed a picture of Lisa McPherson – purporting to be acting under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986. They even impounded the poster after I covered up the picture of Lisa. Three months later, the police had still not returned the poster to me. They also failed to honour their promise to contact me.

2. Mounted Police officer Price aggressively moved the protest from its original location outside the Scientology Org into a side street (St John Street). He announced that if we didn’t move, he would end the protest. Liberty (and Greater Manchester Police) later confirmed that Officer Price did not have the authority to do this. The hostility of this officer frightened many of the younger female protesters into silence.

3. After the protest was moved, I approached Mounted officer Price. In the course of a verbal exchange between me and the officer, the officer took hold of my arm and forced me across Deansgate. He also threatened me with arrest, hand-cuffing and a beating in the cells. Both Liberty and Greater Manchester Police confirmed that I could prosecute the officer for this action.

So what exactly happened on August 5th?
Well, Robert Meek of Internal Affairs couldn’t have been more pleasant and co-operative.
He told me that Officer Price had been given a permanent black mark on his record.
He also confirmed that Officer Price would be interviewed by Internal Affairs within the next 4 weeks. If I was happy with Price’s response, my response could be resolved as a “LOCAL RESOLUTION PROCESS”. However, if I was unhappy with Price’s response, I could instruct my Solicitor to tale Officer Price to Court in a Civil Prosecution for Assault and threatening battery.
Robert Meek returned my Lisa McPherson poster in a very apologetic manner.
The poster was still in its police plastic bag (much like Stuart Wyatt’s videos).

CONCLUSIONS

1. If an Anonymous protester is mistreated by a police officer ALWAYS make a FORMAL COMPLAINT to the CHIEF CONSTABLE immediately. Also send duplicate letters to LIBERTY (and, if you can afford it, to a solicitor). Liberty carry great influence over the police.

2. For all future Anonymous protests, PLEASE KEEP PART OF THE PAVEMENT CLEAR FOR PEDESTRIANS. An officer can call a senior traffic detective to end the protest if he feels pedestrians are being forced onto the road.