Blackstone Defines "Extremism"

Blackstones police manual defines "extremism"
Netcu Watch | 04.02.2010 14:20 | Animal Liberation | Anti-militarism | Repression

Well.....Blackstones police handbook 2009 and Blackstone's 2009 Counter-Terrorism handbook both Oxford University Press, make interesting reading. It appears that we are all far too extreme for our own good. Read page 131-137 for laughs or groans of frustration.


It begins by stating that protest activity is aimed at, "a broad range of "causes" ", note the quotation marks, those who THEY define as "extreme" do not have valid concerns and consist of the following "key domestic extremist groups";

Anarchism, ALL who call themselves anarchists
Animal rights activists, anyone who believes that non human animals are not ours to abuse (there's a suprise!)
Anti Capitalism, again all who are opposed to capitalism
Anti Globalisation, ditto
Anti War activists, just "anti war" (nasty) not "peace" (nice) activists.
Environmentalists, just the extreme ones mind not the "good" ones like Bill Oddy
Fascists, the whole lot of 'em.

This intimates that certain political activity is unlawful. If ALL anarchists are extremists for example does this not imply that even if only engaging in lawful activity that a person with that viewpoint is a "bit dodgy" and is worthy of police suppression? Very worrying as this crap is dessiminated to people thick enough to swallow it without question and the power to harass and assault those identified as "extremists". The fact that this is 5 pages in a very general police handbook shows how the state is prioritising the criminalisation of dissent.

Onwards...

Tactics...so what do these naughty "extremists" do then and how can the horror be stopped?
Shockingly local groups protest outside "primary and sometimes secondary sites"
Sometimes "Regional and national days of action" are held outside the poor helpless multinationals with the air of menace enhanced by the fact that some activists might not be local to the area in which they are protesting (helpfully there is a table telling us all about what "primary" and "secondary" targets are).

Extremists also do "mass" demonstrations, spontaneous demonstrations (it is "extreme" not to plan a demo with the police), home demos, bomb threats, bombs, hoax bombs, office occupations, malicious mail, harassment, intimidation, unsolicited goods, assault, phoning the company, black faxes, emailing and working undercover.

Interestingly protest activity most people would recognise as rather benign and utterly justified for example writing a letter to a company who makes cash out of blowing up children is mixed up with incendairy devices to confuse the issue of what constitutes "extremism", implying that someone who writes the letter will then go on to blow the place up which is a bit unlikely.

Have no fear though the "extremists" are apparently being brought to heel (they wish) by the brave forces of:
"NETCU National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit, acts as a central support service for bussiness and the academic sector targeted by domestic extremists. NETCU assesses risk and provides one-to-one tactical guidance, security advice, and support on dealing with domestic extremist campaigns". (we would like to know if this includes Asian shop keepers terrorised by Nazi filth but we doubt it). NETCU do silly exagerated press releases also.

"NDET National Domestic Extremism Team integrates with other units and organisations to help develop, prioritise and coordinate investigations concerning individuals and extremist groups". (these are the idiots who turn up on raids and try to look all important treating a bit of for example spray painting like they would a murder).

"NPIOU National Public Order Intelligence Unit liases with special branch teams and Counter Terrorism Units within the police service to maintain a strategic overview of domestic extremism related public order issues".

A useful diagram follows this, these police officers are spreading their wings and looking for victims of their oppression, beware, this has gone beyond the animal rights movement and could apply to any activist.

All in all hardly suprising, might be of interest to quite a few on Indymedia and an indication if any were needed that ANY protest activity which is both effective and contrary to the power structure in the UK will be dismissed as extreme. After all did not some pro hunt people threaten to poison the water supply as well as hospitalise those who disagree with them, kill 2 young lads, nail animals to peoples doors, blockade the M25 etc? Maybe the police are scared of them, in this book only anti hunting activity is described as "extreme". We get the impression that facists were just added as an afterthought.

Netcu Watch
Homepage: http://netcu.wordpress.com

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