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The Watchers

Police target anything that even hints at social change. Street theatre, poetry, art, music, journalism and even education have been described as subversive, as a threat to society. Activists are stopped, harassed, assaulted, photographed, videoed and followed. Their faces are shown at police briefings and carried on spotter cards. Secret databases log their activities, undercover police befriend them. As far back as 2006 Richard Thomas, the then information commissioner, warned that we were “sleepwalking into a surveillance society.”

From 2000 police surveillance became overtly confrontational. We photographers found police Forward Intelligence Teams - the FIT - filming us continually, often just inches from our faces, glaring at us, trying to intimidate us. They followed us as we worked, even when going into a pub for a pee. FIT were on us everywhere. Harassing, obstructing, intimidating and always gathering data on us and on our contacts. We discovered that many of us had been classed as Domestic Extremists and our personal details – even things like the mental health history of family members - were documented on a secret police database. 

We are sliding towards a world of pre-emptive policing. Activists are arrested before they even begin a protest. Police are trialling tiny drones to circle silently above us logging our movements. They’ll recognise us from the way we walk, and from our clothes. They’ll know our friends from Facebook and they’ll believe they know our thoughts from their own paranoia. And it all gets logged.


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Activists from the Climate Camp at Kingsnorth block the Vopak fuel storage depot, Purfleet, Essex
Activists from the Climate Camp at Kingsnorth block the Vopak fuel storage depot, Purfleet, Essex
081013_ClimateDemo_212 Policce Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) at the Climate Rush demo, organised by anti-airport expansion ...
081013_ClimateDemo_212 Policce Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) at the Climate Rush demo, organised by anti-airport expansion campaigners. Hundreds of activists chanting "Words not deeds" stormed Parliament to demand urgent action on the environment. The protest was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Suffragette's rush on Parliament to demand the right to vote, 13 October 2008.
Police film me during a Media Workers Against The War demonstration
Police film me during a Media Workers Against The War demonstration
Police FIT team video me at a protest rally.
Police FIT team video me at a protest rally.
Police film me during a National Campaign against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) and the EAN demonstration.
Police film me during a National Campaign against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) and the EAN demonstration.
Police officer watches from a distance and takes notes during a demonstration
Police officer watches from a distance and takes notes during a demonstration
070615-148 Police in attendance at two simultaneous demonstrations - National Front anti Islam and Muslim demo against police...
070615-148 Police in attendance at two simultaneous demonstrations - National Front anti Islam and Muslim demo against police oppression. Whitehall 15 June 2007
EDL banned from entering East London allowed to protest in a pen outside the Houses of Parliament. Westminster 27/10/12
EDL banned from entering East London allowed to protest in a pen outside the Houses of Parliament. Westminster 27/10/12
071103_Class_War_017 Police film and photograph the anarchist group Class War demonstrating against 'toffs', 'the rich' and F...
071103_Class_War_017 Police film and photograph the anarchist group Class War demonstrating against 'toffs', 'the rich' and FIT (the police Forward Intelligence Team) in Ladbroke Grove, London. 3 November 2007.
City of London police watching a protest march
City of London police watching a protest march
SpaceHijackers_070501_117
SpaceHijackers_070501_117
City of London police watching a protest march
City of London police watching a protest march
Activists from the Climate Camp at Kingsnorth block the Vopak fuel storage depot, Purfleet, Essex
Activists from the Climate Camp at Kingsnorth block the Vopak fuel storage depot, Purfleet, Essex
090103_Palestine_253 Police FIT team film protests outside the Israeli embassy following a pro Palestinian march and rally ag...
090103_Palestine_253 Police FIT team film protests outside the Israeli embassy following a pro Palestinian march and rally against Israeli military action in Gaza, London 3 January 2009.
090103_Palestine_363 Police FIT team film protests outside the Israeli embassy following a pro Palestinian march and rally ag...
090103_Palestine_363 Police FIT team film protests outside the Israeli embassy following a pro Palestinian march and rally against Israeli military action in Gaza, London 3 January 2009.
Police video supporters of GenetiX Snowball protesters outside High Court, London while Monsanto argue that GM campaigners ha...
Police video supporters of GenetiX Snowball protesters outside High Court, London while Monsanto argue that GM campaigners have breached injunction.
City of London police watching a protest march
City of London police watching a protest march
Mayday demonstration at Bank. People protest against police violence and dress as convicts  prisoners or police.
Mayday demonstration at Bank. People protest against police violence and dress as convicts prisoners or police.
Mayday demonstration at Bank. People protest against police violence and dress as convicts  prisoners or police.
Mayday demonstration at Bank. People protest against police violence and dress as convicts prisoners or police.
A Future That Works - a TUC organised march against austerity and the cuts. London October 20, 2012
A Future That Works - a TUC organised march against austerity and the cuts. London October 20, 2012
YZ76/3 Police video supporters of GenetiX Snowball protesters outside High Court, London while Monsanto argue that GM campaig...
YZ76/3 Police video supporters of GenetiX Snowball protesters outside High Court, London while Monsanto argue that GM campaigners have breached injunction.
7.1/676 Police photograph Reclaim The Streets activists at a protest in Trafalgar Square. 1997.
7.1/676 Police photograph Reclaim The Streets activists at a protest in Trafalgar Square. 1997.
Mayday demonstration at Bank. People protest against police violence and dress as convicts  prisoners or police.
Mayday demonstration at Bank. People protest against police violence and dress as convicts prisoners or police.
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