Author Archives: netpoluk

Both the Undercover Research Group and Netpol are particularly busy and cannot update this diary as regularly as usual. This is a summary of policing of coronavirus restrictions over the last month. POLICING As 2020 drew to a close, around the country there were reports that police had clamped down on unauthorised New Year gatherings.Continue reading “January 2021 Update”

Both the Undercover Research Group and Netpol have been particularly busy in November with, respectively, the start of the Undercover Policing Inquiry and the launch of a new report on the policing of this summer’s Black Lives Matter protests. We have not had the capacity to update this blog as regularly as usual. This is,Continue reading “Update 28 October – 25 November”

POLICING Yet another sign that the government is unable to abandon its public order approach to embrace a public health crisis one instead, is that the police will get access to the details of members of the public in England who have been told to self-isolate through NHS Test and Trace. The BBC reported that thisContinue reading “13-19 October Update”

POLICING On 2 October it was reported that the Metropolitan Police had launched an investigation into Scottish National Party MP Margaret Ferrier, over alleged breaches of coronavirus rules that included travelling by train journey between London and Glasgow after receiving a positive Covid-19 test. Ten days on, she continues to resist calls to resign asContinue reading “1 – 12 October Update”

Kevin Blowe and Eveline Lubbers This article was written in the summer of 2020 and first appeared in issue 85 of the Haldane Society magazine Socialist Lawyer When the Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol) and the Undercover Research Group started the “Policing The Corona State” diary1 back in March to document the policing of Britain’sContinue reading “Villains of The Pandemic”

POLICING On 30 July, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced new coronavirus regulations on social gatherings affected a number of areas in the north of England, including Greater Manchester and large parts of West Yorkshire and Lancashire. This “northern lockdown” began on 31 July and meant that people in these areas were no longer permitted toContinue reading “30 July – 5 August 2020 Update”

POLICING The latest figures released by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) show that men aged 18 to 34 from ethnic minority groups were twice as likely to be fined for breaching lockdown coronavirus regulations as young White men. This confirmation of racial disparity is included in a report, “Policing the Pandemic: Detailed analysis onContinue reading “20-29 July 2020 Update”

POLICING On Friday, the Independent reported that more than 100 people have been wrongly prosecuted under coronavirus laws and the number is likely to rise, according to a review. Big Brother Watch revealed that 36 new unlawful Coronavirus Act prosecutions have had to be overturned, and has slightly different figures: 100% of prosecutions, – nowContinue reading “14-19 July Update”

POLICING This weekend’s relaxing of lockdown rules have led to another round of apocalyptic warnings about nationwide chaos, with police leave cancelled in cities like Manchester and in Leicestershire, where there is a local lockdown in place, a warning to expect “more police than New Year’s Eve” on patrol. On Sunday, news reports and socialContinue reading “1-5 July Update”

POLICING In Glasgow, on Saturday, the police disrupted a socially-distanced Black Lives Matter protest at George Square, kettling protesters with dangerous disregard for their health, keeping them contained for several hours, before moving protesters to another square and letting them go little by little. Good thread reporting the events by video. Warnings by police aboutContinue reading “19-21 June Update”