Bring on the clowns
From an article in the Observer 2nd February 2009
What do children's crayons, a clown’s costume, balloons, tents, plastic buckets, soap, nail clippers, cycle helmets, life jackets, paddles, blankets and bin bags all have in common? They are all among the 2000 items confiscated by Kent Police during the protests against the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station. The Police, described as being 'over the top' by protestors, initially tried to justify their £5.9 million pound policing bill by saying a heavy police presence was necessary to ‘prevent unlawful incursion of the power station’ and to protect protestors themselves and that seizing that items was a pre-emptive action to prevent them being used in crimes. One wonders what one crimes one can commit with crayons and soap but there you go. The police also originally said that 70 officers had been injured in the protests until it came to light that the injuries were basically – errrm – toothache, sunstroke, insect bites and …. headaches!!! I am not quite sure what HM Constabulary are up to, but making themselves look like fools doesn’t do much to inspire confidence in our police and policing.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/mar/01/kingsnorth-power-station-climate-camp