>POLICE Scotland used “extreme violence” to protect the interests of arms companies from pro-Palestine protesters, a new report has claimed.
>A report from Scottish Community and Activist Legal Project (SCALP) and the Network for Police Monitoring published on Thursday is set to reveal “repeated misuse” of police powers and “discriminatory” policing.
>Backed up by recent revelations that the arms industry lobbied the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to crack down on pro-Palestine protests, the report – which cites data from several freedom of information requests – details an operation which “prioritised the interests of private companies over the right to protest and the safety of protesters”.
>[…]
>FOI data shows a fourfold rise in people being arrested under the Section 65 of the Civic Government Act 1982 – which outlines offences related to public processions – from 2022/23 to 2023/24.
>Jessie Faulkner, a spokesperson for SCALP, said: “The values of dignity, respect and safety for all people are supposed to be core to Scottish identity, but this report shows that Police Scotland have consistently and violently undermined these values, and misused their powers in defence of genocidal corporate interests.
>“This repression is part of a wider, deeply disturbing crackdown on the right to protest across the UK. We deserve better than this.”
>[…]
>Documents revealed earlier this month that arms and banking industries lobbied the Scottish Government for tougher action on pro-Palestine protests.
>Partially redacted papers show that Barclays requested the intervention of the First Minister after being targeted for protests, while the trade association for the defence industry lobbied for the proscription of Palestine Action by the UK Government and urged Police Scotland to exercise national security powers to crack down on demonstrations.
>[…]
>The report details “violent” police interventions in pickets at the Thales weapons factory in Glasgow, when police actions were described as a “threat to life” and police cited company operations rather than legislation to justify their intervention.
>[…]
>FOI data also revealed that Police Scotland spent £90,409.30 on policing pro-Palestine protests in just one month, from November 9, 2023 to December 10, 2023. This figure is the best indication of monthly costs available from Police Scotland.
So, a protest group are complaining about how a protest was policed.
They are a group with an agenda, as such, not impartial.
Bad reporting on behalf of the National here, or at least the headline, passing it as fact as opposed to opinion.
Surely someone from the protest group who was on the receiving end of the ‘extreme violence’ got it on video?
Why is The National quoting the SCALP?
They’re not exactly a reliable source but sure, the polis showed the Thales protesters “extreme violence” with the use of batons, pepper spray and “indiscriminate force” (aka standard protest control).
Good. About time.
Was “grabbing” a protestor really the best example of “extreme violence” this report highlighted? Because right now this sounds like complete hyperbole. I also love the complaint of racism from gobshites who chant “from the river to the sea” without even the slightest hint of irony.
We live in an age where everything is recorded so none of the protestors got it?
Not a single example of violence anywhere in that article, let alone extream violence.
Also SCALP are a group which advocates that protests should have zero liaison or communication with the police. They are extreamly biased.
Also, they are a group of lawyers who advise you not to use a duty solicitor and to instead contact one of their “approved” lawyers. None of whom are free…
Good. What is ‘extreme violence?’ Our police don’t carry weapons or guns…. They are weak, so what does that say about the ‘protesters..’
I’m sure the Inquiry in 25 years will find no criminal activity on behalf of Police Scotland.
Police scotland use extreme violence at every opportunity…why is it a headline now?
Some amount of boot lickers in this thread.
Give yourselves a shake.
Fuck them, paid thugs with no morals who will act however they’re ordered by the state
**A report from Scottish Community and Activist Legal Project (SCALP) and the Network for Police Monitoring**
So not an independent report then?
Just another rage bait, click bait headline.
When headlines include partial quotes, it’s usually BS (or at best, an awful example of journalism).
17 comments
So ?
ACAB
Some highlights:
>POLICE Scotland used “extreme violence” to protect the interests of arms companies from pro-Palestine protesters, a new report has claimed.
>A report from Scottish Community and Activist Legal Project (SCALP) and the Network for Police Monitoring published on Thursday is set to reveal “repeated misuse” of police powers and “discriminatory” policing.
>Backed up by recent revelations that the arms industry lobbied the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to crack down on pro-Palestine protests, the report – which cites data from several freedom of information requests – details an operation which “prioritised the interests of private companies over the right to protest and the safety of protesters”.
>[…]
>FOI data shows a fourfold rise in people being arrested under the Section 65 of the Civic Government Act 1982 – which outlines offences related to public processions – from 2022/23 to 2023/24.
>Jessie Faulkner, a spokesperson for SCALP, said: “The values of dignity, respect and safety for all people are supposed to be core to Scottish identity, but this report shows that Police Scotland have consistently and violently undermined these values, and misused their powers in defence of genocidal corporate interests.
>“This repression is part of a wider, deeply disturbing crackdown on the right to protest across the UK. We deserve better than this.”
>[…]
>Documents revealed earlier this month that arms and banking industries lobbied the Scottish Government for tougher action on pro-Palestine protests.
>Partially redacted papers show that Barclays requested the intervention of the First Minister after being targeted for protests, while the trade association for the defence industry lobbied for the proscription of Palestine Action by the UK Government and urged Police Scotland to exercise national security powers to crack down on demonstrations.
>[…]
>The report details “violent” police interventions in pickets at the Thales weapons factory in Glasgow, when police actions were described as a “threat to life” and police cited company operations rather than legislation to justify their intervention.
>[…]
>FOI data also revealed that Police Scotland spent £90,409.30 on policing pro-Palestine protests in just one month, from November 9, 2023 to December 10, 2023. This figure is the best indication of monthly costs available from Police Scotland.
So, a protest group are complaining about how a protest was policed.
They are a group with an agenda, as such, not impartial.
Bad reporting on behalf of the National here, or at least the headline, passing it as fact as opposed to opinion.
Surely someone from the protest group who was on the receiving end of the ‘extreme violence’ got it on video?
Why is The National quoting the SCALP?
They’re not exactly a reliable source but sure, the polis showed the Thales protesters “extreme violence” with the use of batons, pepper spray and “indiscriminate force” (aka standard protest control).
Good. About time.
Was “grabbing” a protestor really the best example of “extreme violence” this report highlighted? Because right now this sounds like complete hyperbole. I also love the complaint of racism from gobshites who chant “from the river to the sea” without even the slightest hint of irony.
We live in an age where everything is recorded so none of the protestors got it?
Not a single example of violence anywhere in that article, let alone extream violence.
Also SCALP are a group which advocates that protests should have zero liaison or communication with the police. They are extreamly biased.
Also, they are a group of lawyers who advise you not to use a duty solicitor and to instead contact one of their “approved” lawyers. None of whom are free…
Good. What is ‘extreme violence?’ Our police don’t carry weapons or guns…. They are weak, so what does that say about the ‘protesters..’
I’m sure the Inquiry in 25 years will find no criminal activity on behalf of Police Scotland.
Police scotland use extreme violence at every opportunity…why is it a headline now?
Some amount of boot lickers in this thread.
Give yourselves a shake.
Fuck them, paid thugs with no morals who will act however they’re ordered by the state
**A report from Scottish Community and Activist Legal Project (SCALP) and the Network for Police Monitoring**
So not an independent report then?
Just another rage bait, click bait headline.
When headlines include partial quotes, it’s usually BS (or at best, an awful example of journalism).
Comments are closed.