Monday, August 31, 2009

Stalked by the MET after flash mob - a residents tale


So much for 'community policing' it seems that now the police are happy to stalk residents, but not actually speak to, or stop or search them.

The flash mob held at London City Airport today was a peaceful and successful event. An airport official was approached by a campaigner and it was explained the flash mob would be there for around an hour, peacefully, and that they hoped that this was ok. This was accepted, and despite a large police presence, the police did not interfere with this peaceful chance to express concerns about the expansion of flights, and the effect on the local environment and climate change as well as locals health and well being.

At the end of the Flash Mob rally, FTF thanked the campaigners for their support and the police for their patience.

However it seemed that the Police had rather more interest in some residents than others, and decided they would stalk them, to Drew Road Primary School, to London City Airport DLR, on the DLR to Woolwich Arsenal, and then out of the DLR to Woolwich Arsenal mainline rail station.

When asked why they were following, they claimed their vehicle had been taken. Strange that.

As law abiding citizens we found their stalking tactics pretty disgusting. It perhaps would have been preferable to have been stopped and searched. But they clearly didn't need to stop and search, as there was no reason to. But there was no reason to stalk residents either. So now we know what some of the £15,000 daily police security costs that the London taxpayer pays for London City Airport goes towards: stalking women residents.

Policemen stalking women for no reason is not acceptable, it is intimidating and a form of harassment. FTF will be asking the MET for comment on this issue, and raising this with their respective MPs.

The MET missed a trick though: in our opinion the criminals are in the offices inside the airport, busy trying to hide 8 years of planning law breaches. Any chance of the MET applying the law to them?