Blunkett probes police on measures used to quell British arms demo
LONDON, Sept 10 (AFP)
British Home Secretary David Blunkett has demanded an explanation from police Wednesday of why they used anti-terrorist powers against protesters at a major international arms show in London.
The day after the Defence Systems and Equipment International show opened 23 people were arrested as demonstrations occurred throughout the Royal Docks area of east London.
Two protesters brought rail connections to a virtual standstill by chaining themselves to railway carriages using cycle locks round their necks.
Members of the public trying to get to the four-day event, which showcases military hardware and defence systems, were impeded by other protesters including a 100-strong group of cyclists on the main roads.
A total of 102 people have been arrested during the show and in the weeks leading up to the event, police said.
Civil rights group Liberty accused the police of using anti-terrorism powers to arrest and search demonstrators who had not broken any laws.
"Our complaint is that Terrorism Act powers -- very draconian emergency powers that were passed through parliament with a view to being used in very extreme situations -- appear to have been used possibly to quell protest," Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti told the BBC.
Blunkett said he had written to the head of Britain's counter terrorism branch to ask why police had chosen to use that particular part of the legislation rather than wider public order legislation.
Scotland Yard spokesman Andy Trotter said powers under the Terrorism Act should be used "sparingly" where officers believed there was a threat of terrorism.
It would be "inappropriate" to use them for a public demonstration but his officers had to be aware of the constant possibility of a terrorist threat, Trotter said.
"We are coming up against the anniversary of 9/11 and we have got to be alert," Trotter said.
"I don't think the public would forgive us if we allowed terrorism in under the cloak of public disorder," he said.