Cable Forum - Police lied and tricked protesters into arrest.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/ma...-uncut-fortnum

Quote:

Campaigners for the tax-avoidance protest group UK Uncut have claimed senior police officers "tricked" them into a mass arrest after a peaceful protest inside Fortnum & Mason's in London on Saturday.

Activists say they were given repeated assurances by a chief inspector from the Metropolitan police that they would be shown to safety after the protest, which she described as non-violent and sensible. However, when protesters left the luxury Piccadilly store on police instruction, they were kettled, handcuffed and taken into custody.

Quote:

Another Uncut activist, who was arrested for 20 hours and preferred to be known only as Jim, said: "There was this policewoman, and she spoke to the legal observers and said that all we had to do is turn left and we'd be free to go.

"But when we got out, they began arresting us. People in the crowd told a second female officer: 'You've lied to us. You said we could leave and now you're arresting everyone.' She replied: 'Yes, you're free to leave – to the police station. You're going to be arrested.'"

"Because we were at a peaceful protest, which had been the same as all UK Uncut actions to date, it really shocked me that they would arrest all 150 protesters. I feel tricked. Perhaps I shouldn't expect the police to tell me the truth," he said.

Can't say I'm surprised to be honest, though I think it's despicable that peaceful protesters are treated in this way, I hope the officers involved are held to account. I'd like to see a foreign exchange scheme in the police force, where some of our plod could swap places with their Greek counterparts and spend some time policing the next round of Greek protests. Then I think they'll begin to appreciate the value of "peaceful" protest.