Trainspotters being stopped under anti-terror powers

[Fop 1]

Trainspotters being stopped under anti-terror powers

Trainspotters are being stopped by police using draconian anti-terrorism powers, it has emerged.

 

 

By Ben Leach

Last Updated: 7:35AM GMT 05 Jan 2009

 

 

The Prevention of Terrorism Act 2000 has been used to stop 62,584 people at railway stations and another 87,000 were questioned under "stop and search" and "stop and account" legislation.

 

Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker, who uncovered the figures, warned that Britain was heading towards a "police state".

 

He said: "Law-abiding passengers get enough hassle on overcrowded trains as it is without the added inconvenience of over-zealous policing.

 

"The anti-terror laws allow officers to stop people for taking photographs and I know this has led to innocent trainspotters being stopped.

 

"This is an abuse of anti-terrorism powers and a worrying sign that we are sliding towards a police state.

 

"Trainspotting may be an activity of limited, and indeed questionable, appeal, but it is not a criminal offence and it is not a terrorist threat."

 

The revelation will increase concern that the controversial anti-terror powers are being used "disproportionately".

 

The Liberal Democrat MP added: "While it is important to be vigilant about the threat of terrorism to the transport network, the sheer scale of the number of people stopped by police on railway property is ridiculous."

 

In a letter to Mr Baker, Ian Johnston, the British Transport Police's Chief Constable, said: "There is clear guidance available to officers (and railway enthusiasts), and this has been reissued on a number of occasions over the last couple of months in response to the increased concern among some railway enthusiasts."

 

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/roa...ror-powers.html

 

 

Terrorism laws used on train spotters

 

10:13am Wednesday 7th January 2009

 

comment Comments (0) Have your say »

Photograph of the Author By Rob Merrick »

 

 

THOUSANDS of train spotters are being quizzed as potential terrorists at railway stations across the region, it was revealed yesterday.

 

Police are accusing enthusiasts of carrying out reconnaissance for a terror attack when they are simply noting down serial numbers and taking photographs of carriages, the Liberal Democrats claimed.

 

A total of 7,031 people were questioned under antiterrorism powers in 12 months at railway stations in the North-East, according to official figures.

 

Another 4,039 were targeted using separate “stop and search” (or reasonable grounds) legislation, a further 2,155 under “stop and account”

 

laws, and 32 using the Criminal Justice Act – taking the total to 13,257.

 

Last night, Lib Dem transport spokesman Norman Baker condemned the crackdown as “a worrying sign that we are sliding towards a police state”.

 

Across the country, British Transport Police quizzed nearly 160,000 people on railway property in the year to last September, including more than 60,000 as potential terrorists.

 

Mr Baker said: “While it is important to be vigilant about the threat of terrorism to the transport network, the sheer scale of the number of people stopped by police on railway property is ridiculous.

 

“The anti-terror laws allow officers to stop people for taking photographs, and I know this has led to innocent train spotters being stopped.

 

“Train spotting may be an activity of limited, and indeed questionable, appeal, but it is not a criminal offence and it is not a terrorist threat.”

 

Section 44 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2000 gives police the power to search any person in any area designated by the Home Secretary, including railway stations.

 

The Act was deployed against 82-year-old Walter Wolfgang when he made an anti-war protest during the Labour Party conference in 2005.

 

People can also be stopped under the 1984 Police and Criminal Evidence Act – if there are reasonable grounds to suspect unlawful possession of items – under “stop and account” laws, and searched for weapons under the 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act.

 

British Transport Police were unable to give Mr Baker specific figures for the numbers of railway enthusiasts included in the statistics.

 

Instead, Chief Constable Ian Johnston said that “clear guidance” had been issued to officers “in response to the increased concern among some railway enthusiasts”.

 

Recently, Philip Haigh, the business editor of Rail magazine, described the bullying of train spotters on railway platforms as “a problem that doesn’t ever seem to go away”.

 

He said: “We get complaints from railway photographers all the time that they are told to stop what they are doing, mainly by railway staff but also by the police.

 

“It usually results in an apologetic letter from a rail company.”

 

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4025...train_spotters/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there actually anything anti-terror legislation can't be used for?

[Guest alex]

I think I'd probably vote Tory next time round if they came out and said they would repeal all this ridiculous 'terror' legislation. I honestly don't know what the fuck is happening to this country.

[trophyshy 7099]

Train spotters should be quizzed on wtf they are doing anyway imho

[FaustinoSaspirella 0]

Train spotters should be quizzed on wtf they are doing anyway imho

 

Whats worse??? Trains Spotters or Plane spotters ???

[Fop 1]

I think I'd probably vote Tory next time round if they came out and said they would repeal all this ridiculous 'terror' legislation. I honestly don't know what the fuck is happening to this country.

 

 

Incredibly sloppy legislation (which gave massive new powers with almost no limitations to their use) combined with a party that has been in power far too long and now is as totalitarian, corrupt and sleaze ridden as all party's get after more than 2 terms in power.

 

Labour are certainly never going to change from this course if left to their own devices, it's up to the electorate to change things.... before election results that aren't "fit for purpose" or "prudence" end up being ignored because of anti-terror law.

[Park Life 71]

I think I'd probably vote Tory next time round if they came out and said they would repeal all this ridiculous 'terror' legislation. I honestly don't know what the fuck is happening to this country.

 

It's all just conspiracy theories pay no mind.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

A mate of mine is a photographer. He was taking some shots in Leeds station when a Railtrack employee told him "You can't do that here mate, Data Protection Act"

[Guest alex]

I think I'd probably vote Tory next time round if they came out and said they would repeal all this ridiculous 'terror' legislation. I honestly don't know what the fuck is happening to this country.

 

It's all just conspiracy theories pay no mind.

Ooooh

[Fop 1]

A mate of mine is a photographer. He was taking some shots in Leeds station when a Railtrack employee told him "You can't do that here mate, Data Protection Act"

 

That is part of the problem though, not just it being done legally with the supporting legislation (which that technically does have under anti-terror legislation), but also the thousands of idiots who then go around "enforcing" something that they barely understand.

[Fop 1]

I think I'd probably vote Tory next time round if they came out and said they would repeal all this ridiculous 'terror' legislation. I honestly don't know what the fuck is happening to this country.

 

It's all just conspiracy theories pay no mind.

Ooooh

They've got him.