Monday 7 June 2010

Is Barnet becoming a Police state?

I was stunned to read the latest press release from Barnet Council. It is entitled :-

Enjoy the World Cup responsibly this summer
(click here to read the whole thing - http://www.barnet.gov.uk/press_releases.htm?id=2224 )

The press release ends with the following statement :-
Councillor Joanna Tambourides, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Cohesion, said: "The World Cup is a time when the whole community enjoys the feelgood factor, and the council is totally supportive of residents enjoying themselves while watching the football. What won't be tolerated is anti-social and violent behaviour that intimidates or harms others simply trying to enjoy the games. We will work closely with our police colleagues to make sure that any problems are quelled quickly and effectively."
Does the phrase "We will work closely with our police colleagues to make sure that any problems are quelled quickly and effectively" sound like what you'd expect a councillor to say about the World cup? It surprised me to see that this is, so far, the only Barnet Council press release on the subject of the World Cup. Nothing trying to capitalise on the huge interest in participent sport, which will doubtless ensue. Nothing to get youngsters off their backsides and out  into the parks playing football. No special events to use the World Cup to promote community cohesion (just think how many different nationalities, who live in Barnet are represented). All we have from  the Police is this statement :-
Inspector Simon Roberts, in charge of Barnet Police's Priority Intervention Team, said: "Naturally we want England to go the whole way and win, and we want people to enjoy every moment of it. While we think the chance of any real problems arising is low, passions do tend to run quite high in these sorts of events. We will deal robustly with any disorder and alcohol related offences during South Africa 2010."
Is it just me or are we becoming rather authoritarian in Barnet. Are the Police saying they don't normally deal robustly with disorder and alcohol related offence? Are they saying that they are simply targetting World Cup revellers?

Even more worrying is the following statement in the press release :-
Enforcement and police officers have extra powers in the Cricklewood, Tally Ho, Finchley Central and Hendon Central areas where there are alcohol control zones now in place. If there are people drinking in the street and officers suspect they may commit anti-social behaviour they can demand the alcohol is handed over. A £500 fine is the maximum penalty for refusal.
So the Police have been given the power to sieze alcohol if they think someone "may commit anti-social behaviour". Lets get this right, you don't actually have to do anything. So if I go for a picnic in Finchley and have a lager and a policeman decides "I might commit anti social behaviour" he can nick my booze?

This is completely bonkers. There are acts of anti social behaviour actually happening all of the time in Barnet, which go unpunished, which the police totally ignore, but they can nick the booze of anyone they think "may commit an offence during the world cup?".

It flies in the face of English law to allow Police to punish people for crimes they haven't committed. They have drafted 30 extra officers in to deal with "football related trouble" but refuse to deal with all sorts of other trouble. Sure, bunches of bare chested blokes drinking lager and shouting "England" isn't the most edifying of sights, but what sort of a world are we coming to.

I suspect that the real cause of this press release is the fact that Councillor Joanna Tambourides and her ilk are snobs who hate football. I suspect that they consider normal working people who actually know how to enjoy themselves to be oiks and that they would ban all revelling if they possibly could. I seem to recall Brian Coleman telling Ken Livingstone with great glee, how he'd scuppered plans for a large screen for people to watch games on in Hyde Park. I suspect the reason that Brian doesn't understand the thrill of watching football over a few lagers with your mates is because he hasn't actually got any mates.

4 comments:

baarnett said...

Whwn I saw a van load of police turn up, purely as routine, to attend a meeting of the Barnet Planning Committee at Hendon Town Hall last year... that was when I realized that Barnet really is an EXTRAORDINARY local authority.

(At least on that occasion, they looked like lemons, and buggered off quite quickly.)

Broadway Blogger said...

The answer is YES. Some very nice individual POLICE but here on the BROADWAY we never see the POLICE when we need them. They drive up and down with sirens on max when there is no traffic and in general they mess things up. The PCSOs based out of Dome house are a total waste of money. Finally - the "Three Riders of the Apocolypse" parade up and down the Broadway on their POLICE MOTORBIKES one morning a week making the place seem like the BRONX.
Whatever happened to a friendly community bobby.....would be lovely to have one on the Broadway......

Good topic Barnet Eye - that is two major issues that concern the people of Barnet in one day ! Impressive and non political both of them.

Moaneybat said...

Nothing like a bit of family Tambourides's Cyprus coming to Barnet.

Mrs Angry said...

Excuse me while I laugh at the thought of Cllr Tambourides suddenly becoming interested in helping the police deal with ASB, except at World Cup time .. shame there is so little interest and support from the council in the issue the rest of the time. As regards your chances of being arrested for drinking in public Rog, unless you are in the habit - and who knows what you get up to - of sitting all day outside the post office with a can of cider yelling obscenities at passers by and peeing into rubbish bins, I don't think you need to worry!