The
Glasgow Defence Campaign condemns Police Scotland for its ongoing interference
with democratic rights to protest and organise in solidarity with Palestine. This
week’s intimidation and harassment of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! (FRFI)
and Palestine supporters is described below.
On
Thursday 24 June, 14.20hrs, “Keith McLennan - Police Scotland liaison
officer for Palestine protests”, using the contact number publicised on
Facebook, phoned FRFI.
In very
diplomatic and fluffy language he asked if FRFI supporters could help the
police “facilitate protest” by giving them notice beforehand of “how many
people and plans for protest...so we are able to facilitate Palestine protest
within the bounds of what’s allowed”. This would “save yellow uniformed police
turning up and not knowing what’s planned...really appreciate you taking the
call...is there scope to give us a call next Monday or Tuesday?”
‘McLennan’
left a number for supporters to contact him on “whenever” news of Palestine
protests came through. Worryingly he stated that this system for contacting the
police “had been working relatively well in recent months for other groups”
giving the example of a recent Palestine protest in Glasgow. He also asked for
information about ‘Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!’ and the meeting they were
holding that night ‘How to organise solidarity with Palestine?’
This
meeting was visited by two uniformed Police Scotland officers – male A695 (stationed
in Govanhill) and woman G19 (Drumchapel) to “see how the meeting was going” and
if any future plans for Palestine protest had been agreed.
 |
| Police Scotland, posing as 'Liaison' officers soon returned to their aggressive selves. The GDC suggests a return to Tulliallan for some more role play training. |
Finally FRFI’s
protest stall, on 26 July on Argyle Street, in defence of Palestine and socialist
Cuba was harassed by two police liaison officers; male G16 Inspector Forbes (stationed
at Cathcart) and female B 1371. They joked that the protest was not where it
had been publicised and unsuccessfully tried to intimidate supporters who
calmly informed them they would not be intimidated. As one supporter stated
over the megaphone
“Why are the police so scared about people in
this country supporting Palestine? Because the Palestinian people, poor and
oppressed, are fighting back. The British ruling class fear that resistance
could spread!”
Friends of
Palestine within Britain should expect to be harassed by the police as they
defend the British imperialist state (Tory and Labour alike) which is a
political, financial and military partner of Apartheid Israel. However this
does not mean we should accept the harassment. We must organise and remain
vigilant; do not talk to or cooperate with police liaison officers before,
during or after meetings and protests. These softly spoken blue uniformed
officers are agents deployed to gain intelligence which their distrusted yellow
uniforms will not get them. We have every right to ignore them and withhold our
personal details unless they can tell you an offence they suspect you of
committing or witnessing.
Miriam Kelly,
Glasgow Defence Campaign.
Glasgow, Scotland, 28 July 2014
