Police at the Camp for Climate Action national organising meeting; and my near arrest.

The forward intelligence team where out in force filming and photographic people attending this meeting to plan the camp for climate action which this year will focus on biofuels and, at kingsnorth, coal power.

The video starts with me arriving at camp and wondering where the police are. They usually come along and intimidate/photograph people at our open meeting; the minutes to which are later posted online.

After the police arrive and start giving out leaflets, I go outside to wellcome people and tone down the intimidation. After a while one co speaks to me about the fact that i had wandered between the photographer and the people being photographed. Although this isnt illigal--you have to actually be interfering with the camera to be comiting a crime--that judgement is to be made in court. Therefore a caution for this is possible; once cautioned the police officer stated that withholding details for a caution is itself a crime! The start of this isn't on film, the only section that is on film is the part of my near arrest when i passed my camcorder over to a friend, i didnt want to take it to the police cells. We continued to argue for about five minutes, after which I gave them my name and address so that i could get on with the peaceful meeting that i came to attend.

The point worth stressing about this is that it shows how 'responsible' police really are, how over policed peaceful action on the most serious problem of our time is, and how the ballance of power is set against law abiding people taking part in the democratic process in a meanngful participative manner.

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