The passing of wood through glass is a remarkable feat. There are those who believe that royalty can perform miracles – there is a well developed cult around the vain and vicious Charles I, for example. It now appears that the presence of the future Charles III also has the ability to suspend the laws of physics.
The police have now issued extensive CCTV footage of the attack on the vehicle of Charles and Camilla on the fringes of the anti-tuition fee demonstrations, and the media have been replete with more nonsense about Camilla being poked with a stick. Yet of all the CCTV footage and numerous photographs, there is no evidence at all of this attack and all the images show the car windows to be closed – as they would be. One gets cracked but not holed.
There is in fact no evidence at all of any intent to harm the persons of the expensive royal layabouts, as opposed to discomfiting them and damaging their vehicle. It is fascinating that the media continually repeats the “Camilla attacked with a stick” line when it is so blatantly untrue. There appears to be a closing of ranks by the whole Establishment to perpetuate the myth – both the Home Office and St James Palace have deliberately fostered the myth by refusing to confirm or deny.
Personally I would not touch Camilla with a bargepole. I dislike violence at demonstrations. Demonstrations, good, riots, bad is my basic mantra. Attacks on people in a civil demonstration are always wrong, including attacks on the police unless in self defence. I did not join in the outrage at the prosecutions of violent demonstrators after the big Lebanon demonstration in London, because I personally witnessed the group hurling dangerous missiles at police who were neither attacking, threatening nor kettling them. That is absolutely unacceptable.
But a policy as appalling as the withdrawal of state funding from university teaching, carried out by Nick Clegg by one of the most blatant political breaches of fatih with the public in history, , is bound to provoke huge anger. The government reaps what it sows. Demonstrators should not set out to hurt people. But all the evidence shows they had no intention of hurting Charles and Camilla.
I have personally worked closely with the royal family’s close protection officers in organising two state visits abroad, and plainly they too could see there was no intent to injure – that is why weapons were not drawn. They deserve commendation rather than the crap spouted out by Sky News, who seem to think they should have gunned down the odd student.
All of which serves to take the focus off vicious police attacks on students and the use of kettling to detain people who were seeking peacefully to express their views. Kettling people in extreme cold and with no access to toilet facilities raises questions on illegal detention which genuine liberals in government would wish to address. What is it? Is it a form of arrest? What is the status of the fenced pens into which people are herded? Should they not be formalised as places of police detention, and individuals booked in and given access to lawyers? If that is not possible, this detention – which can be for many hours – is not lawful.
One more item: regardless of whether you think the militarist and gun language of US politics has had a bearing on the recent shooting, what do you think of it in general? I think a collective British view – which spans left and right, mainstream and radical is – is that the language needs to be tempered and calmed down, before someone gets hurt.
I am sure I’d be saying the same to the American Left, if it were predominantly their broadcasting stations that were responsible for this threatening and inciteful approach.
No hope for the gun crazy Americans it would seem.
There Will Be Guns
Arizona’s response to the Giffords shooting: Only guns can stop gun violence
http://www.slate.com/id/2280772/
PS It has taken five days to get the police to attend to that parking matter I spoke about last week. I made a further complaint about their lack of response.
Interesting that so many people seem to expend so much energy attempting to tell everyone that the hard state does not do anything covert and assigning pejorative epithets to anyone, however rational, who attempts to argue that such systemic activity has been and remains a significant factor in civil society, and then, when incontrovertible evidence emerges of such activities, they tell us that ‘It’s no big deal, it’s been happening all the time, black ops, grey ops, multicoloured ops, what are we moaning about, these are not conspiracy theories’.
How odd that five minutes ago, the same ideas were termed, were ‘daft conspiracy theories’ and five minutes hence, they will again be assigned that definition.
Ah well, at the risk of sounding smug, glad to know that *everyone* now agrees that we were correct about this matter, all along: the hard state conspires against the people.
No big deal, just business as usual in the Free World, chaps.
Btw, I share ingo’s skepticism, from this morning, over the ‘weeping secret policeman’ – a phrase which reminds one somehow of Brecht. He is not like Craig Murray, Annie Machon, Sibel Edmonds, Katherine Gunn, Clive Ponting et al in that he spied on, may have engaged in entrapment activities and possibly helped to undermine, peaceful, legal oppositional organisations for a decade and only ‘recanted’ (as it were) when he was found out! Now, it’s probably a good thing that the trial of the protestors has been abandoned due to his intervention. But it would’ve been far better if the police had been put inot the dock and the protestors onto the Prosecutor’s bench – and then we could’ve had a good look at exactly what PC Kennedy did get up in his seven-year fling.
The organisation concerned is right to be wary of anything this spy says, esp. when he’s pointing the finger at this or that person.
Ex-PC Kennedy will have to work for another seven years to possibly redeem himself. he could make a start by revealing everything he knows, in great detail and publicly, about hard state infiltration of peaceful, legal oppositional groups in the UK in recent times. Then he most certainly will need protection from both physical and mental assault.
And of course, ‘betraying friends’ is precisely what spies do – it is their core job description.
“And of course, ‘betraying friends’ is precisely what spies do – it is their core job description.”
“‘Gentlemen, I have served you both well’ says the double agent”. (John le Carre, of course).
http://screwloosechange.blogspot.com/2011/01/truther-body-count.html
‘..the hard state conspires against the people.’
Much more. The hard state entraps some of its people to covertly ‘steal’ taxpayers’ money (VAT and excise duty) to fund its illegal activities and shadow economy. It then with the compliance of its judiciary locks the citizens up.
Larry
There may well be some ‘Jew-hating right-wing Tim McVeigh NWO-fearing types’ among the 9/11 Truth movement. Equally there are also numerous scientists, pilots, CIA veterans, military officials and parliamentarians from all over the world all listed at http://www.patriotsquestion911.com
To pretend otherwise is simply to deny the evidence.
@larry
“Yes, 911 truth is fringe.”
Doesn’t seem to be at all fringe with you – you witter on about it all the time, it’s all you ever talk about. Interesting.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/10/mark-kennedy-undercover-policeman-activist?intcmp=239
Precisely what I (and I think ingo) were saying earlier about this ponytailed secret policeman.
In some countries, spies infiltrate even completely innocuous organisations such as knitting circles as they are fertile places to gather intelligence about, and manipulate, target figures who may be related to the knitters. Any kind of social grouping is thought to display a tendency among its participants of collective action. And collective action – the mentality of collective action – is what the hard state and the interests on whose behalf it acts most fears.
Now we have activists saying they were being followed around London and harassed in “sarky” ways by undercover cops.
Roderick Russell was right after all, then. I think Mr Russell, and people like him, are owed a debt of gratitude for helping to expose this kind of stuff.
Sex is sometimes used by male and female undercover officers as a means of eliciting information. Honeytraps, in other words. Do their regular, ‘real-world’ partners know this, one wonders???
God sake, they’re worse than rock stars with groupies!
Good, I’m glad it’s been exposed. Of course, many people seem to think such activities are wonderful and part of the heroic fight against crime. They no longer view legitimate protest as legitimate protest. This is how far we have come in this country, it seems. Brainwashed.
Perhaps they once worked for BAE. Then, perhaps, their knitting circle gets infiltrated, their wife swept off her feet by that handsome young ponytailed knitter.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/11/undercover-officer-sexual-tactics?intcmp=239
“@evgueni
“Selection of representatives “by lot” is not such a daft idea”
Have I found an ally? Selection by sortition. I occasionally cast that pearl here, but the swine splash on by (please read humorously). ”
Yes. I mean, we could end up with a less corrupt and corruptible body of representatives that way. They may not be collectively as qualified, intelligent and eloquent but politics is not a science it’s about preferences.
But to be clear, I think that even the current bunch of self-enamoured opportunists in Parliament could do a lot for us if only Parliament were actually a democratic place. As I understand it, our “representatives” are not able to control the agenda in Parliament in any meaningful way. By a lottery process once a year some of them get a chance to put a bill on the agenda ?” a process that seems designed to be easily corruptible. And then there are party whips etc. This is essentially the same type of ‘bias by omission’ that characterises our MSM. It is very easy to remain oblivious of this very insidious kind of bias ?” after all both the MSM and our parliamentarians appear to be constantly squabbling amongst themselves ostensibly on our behalf and for our benefit. What could be more democratic?
Oops, my comment above at 11.35 PM was in response to Vronsky Jan 10 6:45 PM
Another informant/agent provocateur?
From The Independent 15 June 2008
” Met chief’s secret squad ‘used illegal informant’
High-profile murder inquiry in disarray as police watchdogs investigate claims that mole sat in on lawyer-client briefings. Michael Gillard reports
Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, has become embroiled in an eavesdropping controversy amid accusations that a secret squad paid a mole to inform on defendants’ private legal discussions and “sabotage” appeals.
Judicial watchdogs investigating the claims have received documents in which the informant admits receiving £21,000 over nine years to act as a human bug inside a group of south London businessmen.
One of the police targets was a man now facing trial for the axe murder of a private detective. The high-profile prosecution could be undermined if it is proved that strict rules governing the use of informants and police eavesdropping on legally privileged conversations have been broken.
The disclosure comes amid growing concern that the police are using novel but unlawful intelligence-gathering techniques.
Andrew Holroyd, president of the Law Society, has separately written to the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw, to demand “a thoroughgoing review of the legal and practical framework for protecting legal professional privilege” against what he called “the ever-growing administrative, regulatory and technical apparatus of state surveillance.”
This is only the latest legal bugging row to hit Sir Ian. In February, it was reported that anti-terrorist officers had bugged conversations in prison between the lawyer and Labour MP Sadiq Khan and a constituent. In 2007, Sir Ian himself was also ruled to have unlawfully bugged the phone calls of the Black & Asian Police Association, which was suing him.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) are investigating the latest case. It centres on an informant active from 1998 to 2007 who used the pseudonym “Joe Poulton”. He is said to be a retired Scotland Yard detective recruited by the Complaints Investigation Branch (CIB3), a secret unit investigating one of the Met’s most notorious unsolved cases ?” the 1987 axe murder of Daniel Morgan, a private detective, in south London. Detectives now admit that Morgan was about to “blow the whistle” on police involvement in drug trafficking.
CIB3 bugged the offices of the prime suspect in the murder conspiracy, another private detective, who cannot be named for legal reasons. There was insufficient evidence to prosecute him for murder but the man was jailed in 2000 for unrelated offences of conspiring to plant drugs on a client’s wife.
Poulton became his trusted confidant, making prison visits and working on an unsuccessful appeal. The informant was also introduced to another inmate appealing his 2001 conviction for a major VAT fraud. Poulton worked on that case, too, which the Court of Appeal also rejected.
Both defendants have complained to the CCRC and IPCC respectively. They add that Poulton unlawfully informed on privileged information gleaned from attending solicitors’ meetings and participating in other sensitive legal discussions. It is also alleged he took money from Legal Aid to conduct defence work while drawing money and expenses from Scotland Yard’s Informant Fund.
The CCRC complaint from the man who is back in prison awaiting trial for the Morgan murder says: “Whilst in the employ of CIB, [Poulton] actively sought every opportunity to involve himself in my defence… [He] would join me, including weekends at my solicitor’s office, to listen to audio tapes and examine other evidence… [He also] persuaded me to recommend his services as a solicitors agent… to gain access to other appeal applications, private letters and letters to Members of Parliament.”
The complaint names Sir Ian, who was in charge of CIB3, and Assistant Commissioner John Yates, who worked in the secret unit and is now in charge of the Morgan murder case.
This is the Met’s fifth investigation. Sir Ian and AC Yates have already apologised to the Morgan family for the quality of past investigations. The family was not made aware of this latest development.
The Met regard the complaints as vexatious. However, lawyers for the complainants have handed the watchdogs two confidential reports dated January 2006, which they say were written by Poulton to his police handler. One report says: “My handlers past and present can verify that I have given 100 per cent… [and] have been able to build up contacts for intelligence that have proved useful in relation to other investigations.”
Poulton also confirms that his “long-running role” targeting the prime suspect in the Morgan case was kept from his defence during the earlier drugs planting trial.
A senior police source conceded that, if that conviction is found to be unsafe because of police foul play, it could have an adverse effect on the Morgan murder prosecution.
In 2002 five men accused of murder were acquitted when a judge discovered that Lincolnshire detectives had bugged conversations with their solicitors in the police station exercise yard.
The man believed to be Poulton did not return calls. The Metropolitan Police refuses to comment while the complaints are being investigated.”
Which right-on movements are MI5/the Filth trying to infiltrate these days, what are they most keen on? Time to sign up with several without delay – I want to get “honeytrapped”! Just a _little_ more persuasion by some sweet babe of an activist, and maybe I might want to talk about some subversive action…
As a precaution, I’ll contact the authorities and say I _might_ be able to pick up useful information if they’ll provide a stipend and immunity in advance for any seditious talk. Oh, to sting a honey-trapper – imagine the red faces all around!
(Any advice on how I’d explain to the wife that this was all for the greater good?)
Technicolour, maybe you didn’t know you were lied to; corporate lies are carefully crafted and plausible. The staff aren’t told what’s true and what isn’t; they’re just told what to say. The communication is formalised and one-way; there is no possibility of the corporation varying its behaviour for an individual customer.
Also, like I said to Dreoilin about conscience, this isn’t really applicable to some specific individual’s morals, it’s an overall lowering of the bar for society, a sort of dilution of the truth.
Glenn, excellent idea! I think, though, you might need a very fast bike indeed if your wife found out!
There seems to be comment from the man of Straw on the sexual predator policeman who was jailed yesterday.
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/uk_national_news/8783056.Rapist_policeman_jailed_for_life/
There seems to be NO comment….
Red faces indeed. Via their mole, the state has funded a high quality marijuana supply for a bunch of activists already!
Blair and Straw to be questioned further by the Chilcot committee:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12172167
Back in the 1970’s I had a friend who did the PA for an annual Metropolitan Police disco. He said there was a side room, “with all the confiscated gear (drugs) laid out, just help yourself…”.
The UK Census on Sunday 27th March 2011:
“The outsourcing of the Census data processing to the United States defence contractor Lockheed Martin, whose company officers and executives have no choice under the US Patriot Act but to allow US Government agencies to snoop on our unredacted, not yet anonymised Census data”.
https://p10.secure.hostingprod.com/@spyblog.org.uk/ssl/spyblog/2011/03/03/2011-census—press-social-media-spin-preparations.html
“Back in the 1970’s I had a friend who did the PA for an annual Metropolitan Police disco. He said there was a side room, “with all the confiscated gear (drugs) laid out, just help yourself…”.”
They weren’t cops. It was a Village People fancy dress night.
This is the best collection of criticisms of WikiLeaks that I’ve found so far:
https://p10.secure.hostingprod.com/@spyblog.org.uk/ssl/spyblog/2010/12/12/alternatives-to-wikileaks-which-no-longer-caters-for-ordinary-whistleblowers—o.html
If you return your census form, this is who you’ll be reporting to:
“If one giant outfit gives war profiteering its full modern meaning, though, it’s Lockheed Martin. […]. Now, William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation, has written Prophets of War: Lockheed Martin and the Making of the Military-Industrial Complex, the definitive account of how that company came to lord it over our national security world…
“Tim Shorrock, author of the seminal book Spies for Hire, has described Lockheed Martin as “the largest defense contractor and private intelligence force in the world.” As far back as 2002, the company plunged into the “Total Information Awareness” (TIA) program that was former National Security Advisor Admiral John Poindexter’s pet project. A giant database to collect telephone numbers, credit cards, and reams of other personal data from U.S. citizens in the name of fighting terrorism…
” There were, of course, those interrogators it recruited for America’s offshore prison system from Guantanamo Bay to Afghanistan (and the charges of abuses that so naturally went with them), but the real scandal the company has been embroiled in involves overseeing an assassination program in Pakistan. Initially, it was billed as an information gathering operation using private companies to generate data the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies allegedly could not get on their own. Instead, the companies turned out to be supplying targeting information used by U.S. Army Special Forces troops to locate and kill suspected Taliban leaders”.
Link for 1:54 PM:
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175339/tomgram%3A_william_hartung%2C_lockheed_martin%27s_shadow_government/
Thanks for that excellent piece Ruth, almost like lego, it fits.
I think ther are more than one gang active within such a large body of police, don’t you? Drugs in the Met? I never…
We must encourage the Marks of this world to speak out and thanks Clark for the latest website, spy org seems to fit this bill, indeed it looks like a litte cyber shop.
Somebody, the Lancashire press is kacking itself rather than stand up and look at Straw crumblin edifice, he had their reigns in his hands and used them for decades, not surprised nopbody bothered with a comment, they are all heavily censored. The Lancs. Telegraph iseationg out of his hand, total dependency!.
My missis heard something on the radio which was distrubing, someone mentioned the training of autistic children and teenagers in operating remote control drone’s, cause their focus and diligent stickability to a task, plus their lack of questioning a technical task they get to like, is helpful to those thugs.
Anybody heard of this?
Thanks for that excellent piece Ruth, almost like lego, it fits.
I think ther are more than one gang active within such a large body of police, don’t you? Drugs in the Met? I never…
We must encourage the Marks of this world to speak out and thanks Clark for the latest website, spy org seems to fit this bill, indeed it looks like a litte cyber shop.
Somebody, the Lancashire press is kacking itself rather than stand up and look at Straw crumblin edifice, he had their reigns in his hands and used them for decades, not surprised nopbody bothered with a comment, they are all heavily censored. The Lancs. Telegraph iseationg out of his hand, total dependency!.
My missis heard something on the radio which was distrubing, someone mentioned the training of autistic children and teenagers in operating remote control drone’s, cause their focus and diligent stickability to a task, plus their lack of questioning a technical task they get to like, is helpful to those thugs.
Anybody heard of this?
Clark – is there any campaign to refuse to complete the census, do you know? The Lockheed Martin involvement has been in the public domain for some years, but hasn’t forced a change of supplier.
Too late now I should think – best case scenario is that there are too many evaders for the system to deal with. Or, people fill in name & address as they are so obliged, and refuse to complete anything else.