Police Intimidation of disabled activist

[jack]

Link: http://mikesivier.wordpress.com/2012/10/27/police-move-on-campaigners-for-criminal-acts-against-dwp/

Quote from one of the targets:

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" when I didn't know what in fuck'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.

I've not heard anything from the police, so I don't know if there may be some reason this isn't as gratuitous as it sounds. I don't know anything about the police officers involved.

But it sounds like the ridiculous expansion of criminalisation of all sorts of critical online speech leads to police action to shut down free speech pointing out obvious problems in government, exactly like everyone thought it would.

One of my friends was friends with the targets, which is the only reason I know anything about it. And I don't know any more of the details or if there's anything else I should know, but I assume the basic account of what happened is accurate.

Edit: Link from friend who knows people personally: http://miriammoules.livejournal.com/261015.html

Comments

[liv]

I'm really, really scared. I mean, this is not about me, the victims are far more important. But this is the point where I'm starting to think seriously that I need to make a feasible emigration plan.

[angelofthenorth]

It's somewhat close to home, isn't it?

At least you have the option of emigrating. Some of us are stuck here due to immigration restrictions on people with mental health conditions.

*hugs*

[liv]

The thing is, I can get myself out, probably, though it would mean sacrificing a lot of comfort and security. But I can't all the people I care about out, partly because some of them are in fact disabled and therefore much more directly at risk than I am.

Do the EU freedom of movement rules help you at all? I would have assumed that EU countries aren't allowed to say "no crazies" when the people with MH conditions are already EU citizens, but maybe I'm wrong on that.

[angelofthenorth]

If necessary I could move to France, because my french is about good enough to survive there, but Huw wouldn't go, in part because France's human rights/rights of endangered minority languages record when it comes to Brittany isn't very good, although he speaks excellent french.

I don't know what work I would do though...

[hairyears]

K. and I had that discussion last year. We review our trigger points for emigration every month or so.

[tig_b]

I've seen the reports on several blogs, but I'm not sure on the authenticity.

Does it might sense to say that I'm worried that I'd be prepared to believe this without more evidence?

The increasing hostility of some police against disabled campaigners and the lengths they think they can get away with now, demonstrated by videos and photos, is terrifying.

[angelofthenorth]

I know all the 3 activists concerned who were hassled/harassed by the police last night, and I can vouch for the authenticity of this. It was my husband (gwyddno) and I who started circulating this amongst out group of friends, trying to get some higher profile to it.

L, the activist in question, is a prominent individual in Cardiff's disabled activism scene.

[tig_b]

Thank you
I've emailed the BBC, and am off to FB.

[angelofthenorth]

I have a blog post on my LJ with details in:

http://miriammoules.livejournal.com/261015.html if you want to point people at it?

[purplecthulhu]

You might want to contact The Guardian and Independent, as well as Liberty.

[lnr]

I presume you've already told L about the spotted link?

[lnr]

I know the person in Case 1 too - and her post about the incident sounded genuinely upset. There's no good reason for her to make this up.

[tig_b]

Thank you
I was a little hesitant as the web does circulate some flawed stories - but I was reassured by the posts here and have pushed the story out.