Police harassment at Ramsgate's port of shame

Another day, another live export shipment, another completely over the top police presence and this time they decided to harass people for the crime of walking on the beach and then attempting to use a public footpath.

It looked at first as if someone had seen sense and sent an appropriate number of officers to the port - only four were visible when I first arrived.  But no, a wander along the port road revealed plenty more police in various locations, and soon more vehicles arrived.  Strangely, a very large throng of officers were keeping a low profile behind some of the container lorries parked in the port.

I counted a total of a dozen or so police vehicles, including five large vans.  I would estimate that there were between 40 and 50 officers present, though it was difficult to be sure as they seemed to be spread about all over the place this time.  What on earth were they expecting to happen?  There was a small group of protesters, less than usual at the port as I believe others were demonstrating at other points.  Despite this, it was deemed necessary to have approximately two cops per peaceful protester.

A couple of guys were walking along the beach - doing nothing, not carrying banners, not shouting, just walking.  Suddenly eight cops appeared and started tracking their movements - I can only assume they've been watching too many American movies.  One of these guys was prevented from leaving the beach area and using the footpath.  I heard one of the officers keep saying 'I believe you to be a protester.'  Which he was, and wasn't making any secret of the fact...but was doing absolutely nothing that could be construed as a threat to public order, to the lorries about to arrive or to the safety of the officers.

A short while later, these two guys and two further protesters were escorted away from the port area and prevented from going back to where the group were gathered near the roundabout.  The police seem to be assuming powers they don't actually have (at least not legally).  If this kind of nonsense is deemed necessary for a low key protest by a small group, what the hell would happen if 500 people turned up and decided to get rowdy?  Cameron & co seem to have decided that all protests must be crushed - and we take another step towards living under a regime much like those seen in China & Iran...

More pics here

Freedom of the press? More from the port of shame

As if essentially providing an escort to allow the safe passage to live export lorries operated by convicted criminals wasn't bad enough, the police have taken their war on protesters against this sickening trade a step further and prevented press photographer Val Cameron from doing her job.

Around midday, 23 October, another shipment of live animals passed through Ramsgate's port of shame.  Once again there was a staggeringly large number of police officers in attendance (I would estimate 50 were involved, including some deployed along the port entry road and even on the steps nearby leading up to the clifftop).  I counted six large police vans, four cars and two SUVs but there may well have been even more.  The protesters were kept well back this time - there is some evidence to suggest that they were only allowed to the gates of the port on Friday so that Meridian could get footage for its news coverage.

Protesters, the number of which I would put at around the 30-40 mark, were vocal but peaceful.  I saw the photographer going about her business as I was also taking a few pictures of the proceedings...and then moments later she was being led to one side by the officer shown in the pictures below and stopped from taking further photographs.  I was standing a few feet away - there was absolutely no reason at all why she would have been prevented from covering the event, not least because she'd already gained prior permission and regularly attends these protests in the role of official photographer.

The officer involved seemed somewhat taken aback to find himself being snapped by me as he overstepped the mark.  For some reason, many officers seem to think they can make up their own law, especially when it comes to oppressing people with cameras (who they seem to think fall into one of two categories - paedophiles or terrorists).

Meanwhile, it was reported that one of the poor animals in this shipment was found to be badly injured and had to be destroyed.

Ramsgate port live exports protest 23 October (33 pics)

Port of shame update - 4 arrested for no good reason

Further to previous post, 4 people were arrested at the 22 October protest for no good reason.  Having witnessed the heavy handed treatment they received at the 19 October protest, I have to say I'm not surprised.  On the 19th, there were 14 officers present and they quickly lost control once the activists did what they'd gone there for - and started protesting as the live export lorries made to enter the port.

Clearly someone decided that what was needed for the smaller gathering on the 22nd was four times the number of officers and a few arrests to show the rabble who's in charge.  The following pictures were taken on the 19th October and show the police overreacting and losing the plot.

Ramsgate - port of shame

There's no question that the transportation of live animals is shameful.  All the more so as most passing through Ramsgate's port of shame are very young and most will be ritually slaughtered by people who haven't yet reached the 19th century in terms of cultural development, far less the 21st.

Also shameful in these days of constant cuts and endless carping from the likes of David Cameron and other millionaire public schoolboy friends of his is the ridiculous deployment of numerous front line police officers to deal with the major threat to national security a few dozen peaceful animal rights protesters armed with banners undoubtedly pose.  Step aside al Qaeda - there are some people shouting a bit at money grabbing hauliers over there!

Today there were around 60 police officers, at least six large vans, four cars and one SUV all tied up at the port for many hours.  The taxpayer is picking up the bill so that this reprehensible  trade can continue, despite widespread condemnation from right thinking people everywhere, including the RSPCA.

Presumably the fact that so many officers and vehicles were available means that there are no murderers, paedophiles, muggers, rapists, burglars, car thieves, expenses fiddling politicians or other low life out there to be arrested.  Britain has become a crime free Utopia and they forgot to tell us.  Either that or some moron in an office somewhere thinks putting this many officers somewhere their services will be almost entirely wasted is a good idea, and a sensible way to spend who knows how much of the rapidly dwindling police budget for the year...