Police harassment log

This will be updated as necessary.

The policing teams involved in the harassment in Govanhill can be found here and here. Please email, phone and write to the police offices involved to demand an end to police harassment. Make sure they know that we won't go down without a fight!

June-July 2010

PC Willie Neil of Southside Central Community Policing Team on two occasions demands FRFI activists produce a permit for their stall on Victoria Road and attempts to take personal details without any legal basis. Activists refuse to give any details. The same officer also attempts to take details off Glasgow Solidarity Network supporters at the same spot.

Tuesday 13 July 2010

PC Willie Neil and PC Farooq Ishaque approach FRFI activists on a stall in Govanhill. This time they charge two activists for illegal street trading under the Civic Government Scotland Act 1982. The hand-over of material and personal details is demanded under threat of immediate arrest. When challenged about the legal basis of this, PC Neil claims “the law is nothing to do with me.” 13 copies of the newspaper Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! are confiscated along with a table. This is done with the support of Sergeant Eadie of the New Gorbals Police Office.

Thursday 5 August 2010

Police demand the names and ages of FRFI supporters leafleting at Laurieston Job Centre following phone calls made by security guards inside.

Saturday 7 August 2010

PC McCallum and PC Burns turn up to an FRFI stall on Victoria Road at approximately 1pm and demand activists produce a street traders’ licence. They leave after activists state that this is not necessary and defend the democratic right to organise. Then at approx. 2.40pm PC Weir and PC O’Donnell of Craigie Street Police Office approach the stall alongside two community support officers and charge an FRFI activist under threat of arrest, again for illegal street trading. 27 copies of the newspaper Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! are seized. A mobile CCTV van is called in to video activists and supporters on the stall.

Monday 9 August 2010

Two police officers on bikes turn up early to a meeting at Glasgow University organised by the Left Society to discuss protests against an upcoming march by the Scottish Defence League in September. The officers tell janitors in the Boyd Orr building to cancel the meeting, which has been booked through appropriate university channels. Police then proceed to question people coming to the meeting as to why they are there, while telling others it has been cancelled and that they cannot enter the room. A police van is parked around the corner with more officers inside. Eventually the police leave and the meeting continues as planned. The excuse given by police is that there had been threats against the meeting from the SDL.

12 - 14 August

New Gorbals Area Commander, Chief Inspector Stephen McAllister phones campaign members on 12 and 13 August wanting an “adult discussion” with supporters and complains about what he terms this “erroneous” article. The contact telephone numbers have been taken from articles on the Govanhill Defence Campaign blog which police are monitoring.

On Saturday, three officers and a chief inspector turn up to the FRFI and Glasgow SolNet stalls on Victoria Road. He asks if we have received any “hassle” and moves on. No demands are made for a street trader license, no papers are confiscated or threats of arrest issued. Either the law has changed since the previous weekend or Strathclyde police are now aware that their harassment will be met with resistance.

The campaign has yet to decide whether to meet with the Chief Inspector to demand an end to the harassment of all political groups and the return of seized material. Saturday’s events clearly show the necessity and effectiveness of confronting the police.