Women's anger at 'abuse of power' during Bristol police raids

[Emrys]

Last edited Sun Apr 4, 2021, 09:09 AM - Edit history (1)

Two protesters claimed they were subject to terrifying ordeals at the hands of male officers pretending to be postal workers

The police have been accused of an abuse of power by using anti-terror style tactics against protesters after two young women claimed they endured terrifying ordeals at the hands of male officers pretending to be postal workers.

The women were caught up in a series of undercover raids by Avon and Somerset Police as part of the force’s high-profile investigation into a fortnight of the “kill the bill” protests in Bristol. So far 50 people have been arrested in connection with clashes during protests against the government’s police and crime bill, which will give the police wide-ranging powers over demonstrations.
...
Katie McGoran, 21, who left the first “kill the bill” demonstration on 21 March before any trouble broke out, claimed she was mistakenly arrested after a male officer dressed as a postal worker tricked his way into her shared student house in north Bristol five days later. She says the disguised officer and at least three other male plain-clothed officers followed her flatmate up the stairs before revealing they were police with a warrant. They then burst into McGoran’s bedroom and handcuffed her while she was only partially dressed.
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The same day the police are said to have used similar tactics to raid another all-female shared student house in the city. The family of Grace Hart, who is 16, claimed she answered the door twice to a male officer pretending to be postal worker with a package for her flatmate. Her father, Paul Hart, said she became suspicious so she started to close the door. The officer, he claimed, then barged in along with a group of at least three other plain-clothed male officers shouting “police” and pointing Tasers at her.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/03/womens-anger-at-abuse-of-power-during-bristol-police-raids

[X-posted in Women's Rights & Issues (Group): https://www.democraticunderground.com/113812257 ]

[niyad]

1. How terrifying. Thank you for bringing this to us. Would you consider cross-posting in

Women's Rights And Issues? Thanks in advance.

[Emrys]

2. Sure, I'll do that.

The Guardian's whole article is worth reading, but they're requiring a registration (at least from people in the UK) to read the whole of some articles now. It's fair enough, it's their content and it doesn't cost you anything, but if you don't want to do that, you can stop the page fully loading, in which case you can see the whole thing.