Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021: protest powers factsheet

Referring to The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021 and control over protests

Phil Monk of We The Undersigned, wrote on his Facebook page:

"I wish I knew how to stop the Bill !

"Heading Into a new level of legislation of control that has just changed our campaigning landscape completely

 

"A whole load of new laws and rights (what remain) need to become familiar with to not fall foul of them

 

"Some truly sinister recent legislation that Britain is becoming a Corporatocratic policed State

 

"My Gut tells me we need to start uniting into a new political part or to engage with and help grow a different suitable party

 

"But the entire system is rotten to the core...meaning all this could inevitably result in a dystopian empoverished British nation with hardships leading to violent uprising and insurrection of a super wealthy and power abusing elite

 

"This could all be a great novel if not such a,disturbing reality

 

"It seems there has been a lot of controlled opposition to rob the People of their rights in the guise of protecting public health.

 

"I suppose we could arrange carnivals instead or silent protests?"

My reply:

"There is nothing new in this; it has been planned for decades and somewhat an inevitable attempt by the Governments, not only ours, to keep control in a world where population is growing so fast with such damage by industry to individuals and inevitable protests over the environmental and economic collapses that capitalism leads to - hence the drive by people such as Elon Musk to get us off the planet and whilst we are still here, trace our every move and word and limit our freedom and control our money, education, communication, transport and even entertainment - "they" already control the news and rug elections.

 

"Fact is freedom is mostly an inner experience - I reckon I was one of the most free men in prison because I refused to see it as them locking me up - I used to bang my own cell door closed before they had the chance; and lockdown which to me has never been lockdown just restrictions has not been a problem, because I am not a number, I am a free man, even when locked up.

 

"That does not mean that I approve of what the tyrants are doing or will not resist, it means I will not let them grind me down."

 

 

80-year old man busted for trying to save his life.

My name is Tony Bevington. I live in Camborne, Cornwall. In March this year I will be 80 years old. About two years ago I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Kidney Failure. A condition for which there is no cure or treatment, that can be terminal with dialysis or transplants the only recourse. With this in mind and being very aware of the medical aspects of cannabis I started to grow my own medicine. I processed the plants for the oil and ingested it daily. But over the last six weeks have been arrested twice for growing my medicine. I did not wish to participate in buying from local dealers ( unknown quality and dubious source) Prescriptions out of the question , being a pensioner and aware of the existing medical reticence to it. But my blood reading (EGFR) have defied my doctors predictions and are improving. I take medication for Blood Pressure and use a vegetarian diet, apart from that my only medicine is my oil. I harmed no one. I did not benefit financially and possibly at no cost to the state improved my health. How on earth does prosecuting me help? regards,

P.A.Bevington. (Tony)

BEWARE ACTIVISTS - BIG BROTHER IS OUT TO GET YOU

Soon disagreeing with Government policy could become a criminal offence - what can we do to stop it?

They already not only ignored the advice of experts on cannabis but then sacked the Chair of the Committee for publicly speaking against Government policy --- now this, police invading a disabled lady's home because she dared argue with Government policy aimed at making peoples' lives more difficult - on FACEBOOK - just as I AM DOING NOW.

BEWARE YOU ACTIVISTS - BIG BROTHER IS OUT TO GET YOU

Police raid activist’s home for ‘criminal’ posts on Facebook. China? No – Wales
27 Saturday Oct 2012
 Posted by Tom Pride in hopeless naivety
 (Not satire – I’m sorry to say.)
  A female disability activist had her home raided yesterday by South Wales Police who attempted to intimidate her into stopping posting comments on Facebook critical of government cuts and specifically the Department of Work and Pensions and their attacks on the rights of disability claimants.

In her own words:
I’ve just had the police forcing their way into my flat near midnight and harrassing me about my “criminal” posts on Facebook about the DWP, accusing me of being “obstructive”. I didn’t know what in f**k’s name they were on about. They kept going on and on at me, it was horrifically stressful, and they only left after I started crying uncontrollably.

The police officers did not charge her. They clearly were just attempting to scare her into stopping her political activities.
The woman was alone in her own home. She was left feeling frightened and vulnerable – by the very people who should be protecting her.
If the police wanted to talk to her, why did the officers choose to enter her home at midnight on a Friday? Why didn’t they inform her in writing or interview her at a police station so she could arrange for a lawyer to be present?
At best this is unprofessional behaviour on the part of South Wales Police, at worst it is political harassment of an individual worthy of a dictatorial state such as China or North Korea.
Well done South Wales Police. You must be very proud of yourselves.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/alun-buffry/beware-you-activists-big-brother-is-out-to-get-you/400170320053020

Mob-handed police called in to search school children based upon a rumour

Rob Haring, school principal, said: "It was a very quick operation, we wanted to check a rumour and there was nothing substantive in it."

So they call in police to search schoolchildren based upon a rumour that was obviously unfounded and then tell the kids it was a one-off - bet the kids will be pleased as punch

what total nonsense - how much did this cost the taxpayers.

Ivybridge College uses sniffer dogs to search for drugs
BBC News, 12 October 2012
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-19906668

The headmaster of a Devon school has defended using ten police officers and a sniffer dog to search pupils following rumours about drugs.

Ivybridge Community College searched 2,000 students but no drugs were found.

Rob Haring, school principal, said: "It was a very quick operation, we wanted to check a rumour and there was nothing substantive in it."

Vicky King, a parent, said she thought it could have been handled better.

She said: "I was quite shocked. I would have preferred to have known."


'Not mob-handed'

Mr Haring said: "It's about education, about students being informed and knowing what's right and what's wrong and there being a very clear message that we won't tolerate things that aren't right.

"It certainly wasn't mob-handed."

Ten police officers, teachers and a sniffer dog were involved in the unannounced search on Friday.

Philip, a teacher at a Plymouth school who did not provide his surname, said: "As a parent and teacher and being a recovered alcoholic and drug addict this is a necessary way to deal with the problem."

It is the second time this year the search has been carried out at the school. The first resulted in action being taken against a student.

Sgt John Livingstone from Ivybridge Police Station added: "It was a one off and there's not the intelligence to suggest that it would warrant it [again]."

Child, 11, among children in Norfolk caught with cannabis - comment

Whilst congratulating police for doing their job I must ask is this really necessary to protect society?  The present law whilst aimed at reducing cannabis use has in fact merely attracted criminal profiteers and street drug dealers and even enabled children to buy cannabis and maybe even hard drugs.  At great expense to the taxpayer we have sen this getting worse and worse over the years, achieving next to nothing apart from criminalising users.

What is needed is a new approach - along the lines of the Dutch Coffeeshops, outlets for adults, supplies quality controlled, consumer protections, separation from hard drugs and taxation on profits.

Face the facts, people will grow and use cannabis - the cultivation and possession for own use are victimless "crimes" and if nobody is harmed then nobody should be punished.

The law needs changing to recognise that in fact cannabis users that do no harm to others deserve the protection of law like those that drinkers have, not punishment by it.

Otherwise this will go on and on with more and more people being criminalised and alienated.

Child, 11, among children in Norfolk caught with cannabis

Evening News, June 4 2012


A child aged just 11 was among more than 3,500 people hit with police street cautions for cannabis possession in Norfolk over the past six years, new figures have revealed.


Norfolk police say an increase in such cautions in the past 12 months, along with a hike in fixed penalty notices for cannabis possession, shows police takes the use of the Class B drug seriously.

Police have the option of using a street caution when someone is caught for the first time with a small amount of the drug for personal use.

Figures revealed using the Freedom of Information Act shows that since 2006, 3,683 street cautions have been issued, with 618 issued in 2011, up from 567 on the previous 12 months.

Eighteen-year-olds were the age group hit most often with street cautions, with 519 dealt with that way, including 87 last year.

But there was also an 11-year-old who was issued with a street caution in 2010, while 11 other children aged 16 or under were caught with the drug.

If people are caught with cannabis for a second time, then police can issue a fixed penalty notice of £80.
Since their introduction in 2009, 378 people in Norfolk have been issued with penalty notices for cannabis possession.

Last year, 177 were issued, up on 133 in 2010. The youngest fined was 17 and the eldest 72.

Since 2010, a further 1,186 people have been dealt with through other cautions, the youngest being 13 and the oldest being 66.

A spokeswoman for Norfolk police said: “Cannabis use is often associated with anti-social behaviour and other criminal activity, and we are committed to tackling these issues in our communities.

“Cannabis misuse is harmful. The constabulary continues to take cannabis possession seriously, as indicated by the number of interventions and appropriate case disposals.

On the tender age of some of those dealt with, she said: “It is always a cause for concern when young people choose to misuse any drug.

“The constabulary continues to work hard with its partner agencies, through the Norfolk Drug and Alcohol Partnership to deliver harm minimisation messages.”

Pointless, expensive and failed drug prohibition policy must go!

Well I know it's not up to the police to change the law but for them to think that by evicting people from their homes is going to reduce crime and specifically drug dealing, is an illusion.

ALL efforts by Government and police to reduce dealing, over forty years of it  - have failed.

There is more drugs, more addiction, more crime, more illness and more death, than ever!

Kids as young as eight have been found with drugs in school.  A huge percentage of teenagers have tried drugs and booze - it's not just cannabis.  Whilst drugs get contaminated or cut, whilst they remain available in every town and city, whilst the dealers' profits rise along with addiction, the zero-tolerance policy has failed miserably and has cost many many billions of pounds; over one million people in the UK have a criminal record for cannabis and many of those never actually harmed anyone!

The answer is staring us in the face.

Instead of arresting dealer after dealer, simply creating opportunities for others to step in (as they do), alienating the youth and often abusing people's humans rights in the process - locking up people's who's only "crime" is that they choose to use one drug rather than another, wrongly discriminating between drugs like alcohol and plants like cannabis .. why not ...

.. take the bull by the horns, use common sense, recognise people have and always will take substances to change their moods - take the drugs out of the hands of criminals by legalising the possession, production and supply

This should be an immediate step for cannabis.  As the late Eddie Ellison, retired head of Scotland Yard's Drug Squad, once said: "cannabis ought never have been made illegal."

Legalisation of cannabis cultivation would mean that people would be able to grow plants for their own use in their own homes and stay away from dealers that may offer other drugs.

Legalisation of commercial production and supply to adults would allow quality control, point-of-sale advice, tax on profits, separation from the world of hard drugs and crime - and it would save BILLIONS of pounds of tax-payers money every year.

There are also many hundreds of thousands of people that do or could benefit medicinally from controlled doses of cannabis.  Unlike many prescription drugs, cannabis has no fatal dose, no unpleasant side-effects (for the vast majority) and no need for more pills to counteract those side effects.

It is time for our Government to tell us exactly and honestly why they stay with such an expensive failed policy of prohibition.

Using drugs will cost tenants their homes, warn police
Western Gazette, March 8 2012.

Police in Crewkerne have warned housing association tenants they will be evicted if they use drugs or take part in antisocial behaviour.

Officers are taking a hard stance on the issue and say those responsible could be made homeless if they do not heed the warnings.

Pete Paskin, beat manager for Crewkerne, said: “We are working with the housing associations to tackle drug dealing and drug abuse under the banner of crime reduction and antisocial behaviour.

“We’re sending out the message – don’t think you won’t be made homeless if you take part in antisocial behaviour and drugs. There is a high likelihood you will be.

“You will lose your home if you don’t heed the warnings.

“This should serve as a reminder to everyone, expect a bang on the door from the police and housing associations if you are involved in this sort of activity.”

A spokesman for Yarlington Housing Group, one of the associations working with the police, said: “When we receive a complaint about any sort of antisocial behaviour we would take steps to bring about a conclusion which is acceptable to the parties involved and go to lengths to reach an amicable solution.

“This process may involve the issuing of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts. If this does not bring about a successful result and the antisocial behaviour breaches the tenancy agreement, then we have the option to take the matter to court to impose compliance with an agreement, or ultimately to repossess the property.”

This latest warning comes after a Crewkerne ketamine dealer was forced to pay back more than £16,000 of criminal gains.

Inspector Jackie Gold, head of south Somerset neighbourhood policing, said she is personally committed to ridding Crewkerne of drugs.

She said: “Crewkerne is a low-crime area and generally a safe place, but like any other town around the country, it’s got crime and we monitor crime trends very carefully. Part of my job is to keep Crewkerne as low in terms of crime as possible and keep it safe.“Drugs have a major impact on local communities like Crewkerne. It drives up crime such as burglary and car thefts because people need to fund their habits.

“Any drug dealing we deem to be serious business. We take a very dim view of it and personally I pull out all the stops to curtail any drug-dealing activities.”

PC Paskin is working with every local housing association in the area such as Yarlington and Knightstone.

He said: “We have had one person evicted from Rhydderch Way in January and are closely monitoring other areas of the town. “With antisocial behaviour and the drugs that propagate it, it affects other residents and their quality of life. People in the area notice an improvement in the standard of living right away when those responsible are evicted.”

Drugs paraphernalia found in dawn raid - the public will pay the cost.

So the police used a battering ram, a team of five, find nothing but "drugs paraphernalia, including a cannabis grinder, a lighter and rolling papers" and then the police try to use this as a "warning to anyone involved in supplying drugs in Brentwood."   At what cost - it seems like an expensive warning to people other than the poor chap that had his door kicked in.

This man deserves an apology and the law needs to take action because by interfering with his Private Life without justification, the police have acted illegally.

The criteria under Human Rights law - like it or not - is that there must be some threat to public health, public order or the Rights of others.  This was clearly not the case.

Police then go on to say that their operations are hit and miss because they take time to organise - in this case seemingly even giving the victim enough time to go to bed!

As for the lighter and rolling papers being called "drug paraphernalia"  - well yes, often used to smoke the drug-containing tobacco - a poisonous and addictive substance easily obtainable.

And the herb-grinder?  I have seen herb grinders sold in many shops including supermarkets, along with coffee-grinders and so on.  Presumably if it had been used to grind cannabis there would be evidence that someone had at some time used it for that purpose.

The law needs to be changed - even if this man had been caught with a small-amount of cannabis it would not make him guilty of doing harm and prosecution would have been unjust, even if legal.

Inspector Burgess said :"these crimes that blight our community", presumably referring to the cultivation and supply of cannabis rather than the possession of the grinder, lighter and papers!

The answer to that is to take the dealers off the streets and the way to do that is allow people to grow their own in their own private dwellings for their own use and the establishment of licensed cultivators and suppliers with consumer protection, quality control, tax on profits, credible advice and help and separation from hard drugs and crime.

Drugs paraphernalia found in dawn raid

Brentwood Gazette, February 8 2012

POLICE officers smashed open the door of a flat in Warley after a tip-off that cannabis was being smoked and dealt in the area.
Five officers from Brentwood police station barged into the cramped one-bed apartment in Border Edge House, Firsgrove Road, after obtaining a search warrant from magistrates.

A red Enforcer battering ram was used to force open the double-locked front door of the untidy ground-floor property.
In a bid to avoid disturbing neighbours, officers had earlier attempted to use a key to gain access to the flat without success.
The occupant of the flat, a 30-year-old unemployed man, was in bed when the police forced entry.
After initial but brief resistance, the man co-operated as officers wearing body armour combed his home for drugs.
Wearing rubber gloves, the team searched the man's bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and hallway but found no illegal substances.
However drugs paraphernalia, including a cannabis grinder, a lighter and rolling papers, were discovered.
The raid, christened Operation Brompton, took place at 6.50am on Thursday and followed the receipt of intelligence which suggested that packages, possibly containing drugs, were being exchanged outside the property.
Officers left the flat at 7.20am and the occupant was not charged with any offence.
PC Neil Baldock, the first man to enter the property, told the Gazette: "With the paraphernalia that he has got, there is clear evidence of cannabis having been smoked."
Meanwhile, Sergeant Dan Tan, who led the operation, admitted he was disappointed not to have found any drugs.
He said: "It went as well as an operation could have gone but unfortunately with a negative result.
"We always like to get a positive result, even if it is straight possession, because a lot of time goes into planning these things.
"Sometimes with these operations it can be hit and miss – we could come back tomorrow and get a positive result."
He added: "We will continue to monitor it and if we get any more information, we are duty-bound to act on it."
Inspector Jon Burgess, who authorised the operation, said: "We depend very much on support and information from local people.
"If you tell us what you know about suspected crimes and criminal activity in the area, then we will act on that information.
"No drugs were found this time, but nonetheless this is a warning to anyone involved in supplying drugs in Brentwood.
"If we have good reason to know you are committing these crimes that blight our community, we will come for you."