City of London creates a 'good behaviour zone'

[Huey P. Long]

City of London police are setting up 'good behaviour zones'.

The policy was first announced in this poster here.

A Flickr photo captures a good behaviour zone sign on location.


The justification is that City of London Police believes that 'there are grounds to believe that members of the public have been intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed as a result of the presence or behaviour of groups of people within the estate acting anti-socially'.

As a result: 'If an officer feels that two or more people gathering in a public place are causing or are likely to cause anti social behaviour they may order you to disperse.'
It is an offence to refuse to comply with the directions of an officer or CSO. So the police can order you to leave an area if they suspect that you might be about to behave 'anti-socially' - and if you refuse their order to disperse then you are committing an offence.

This gives carte blanche to arbitrary power and the whim of police officers. There is not even need for 'reasonable suspicion' by the officer - just a feeling. So far as the Manifesto Club is aware, there is no 'good behaviour zone' power. The City of London has invoked dispersal zone powers, which are becoming a 'tool' of choice in many authorities across the country. Dispersal zones mean the extension of arbitrary power and the erosion of public liberties - particularly the liberties of young people who tend to be criminalised for nothing more than hanging around with their mates.

Tamsin Fulton has produced an excellent interactive guide to London dispersal zones.
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http://www.manifestoclub.com/node/795

[Bad_Ronald]

1. The only thing missing from that sign is the word "ACHTUNG!" in bold lettering.

[onehandle]

2. That will go over well in the capital of public urination, overpacked pubs, and general rudeness. nt

[Ilsa]

3. Is this just for the Summer Olympics and

close to their venues? I can understand that they want tourists to feel safe, but it sounds like this is to be applied all of the time.

[Scootaloo]

6. Funny how the Olympics seems to carry such a negative impact on every community it comes to

I'll bet Londoners thought Eurovision '98 was a pain in the ass...

[Huey P. Long]

7. Well...

Anonymous, Occupy London and European Anarchists in London 2012 Olympics Plot
By Nicholas Edmondson | June 21, 2012
Fears are growing among police and security agencies that the London Olympics will be targeted by an alliance of European and British anarchist groups.
Officials believe that anti-austerity protest groups will focus on disrupting the games, which will provide a major platform for any protest message.

Italian protest group, the Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI) has made a clear threat to the games. On anarchist website 325.nostate, the FAI writes: "In the United Kingdom of clockwork control and domestication, we're some of the "unpatriotic ones" who find the 2012 Olympics, with the ensuing spectacle of wealth, frankly offensive.
"We have no inhibition to use guerrilla activity to hurt the national image and paralyse the economy, howeve we can. Because, simply, we don't want rich tourists, we want civil war."
The Anonymous hacking group has also signalled plans to disrupt the games, suggesting a large scale peaceful protest to show that "we will not be dictated to" and that "these streets are our streets".

Royal United Services research analyst Valentina Soria told the Guardian that the situation could "turn nasty" as certain anarchist groups will look to provoke a violent response from the police.
She said: "We have seen the anarchists in Italy supporting the Greek anarchists more recently and they may join anarchists already in the UK for some king of disruption of the Olympics."

The scale of the Olympic security effort has been well publicised, with a military presence of around 13,500 personnel protecting the capital, including the use of fighter jets and surface to air missiles.
Police and security personnel are braced for protests from groups both large and small as the eyes of the world turn on London for the games.
Occupy London protester Kerry-Anne Mendoza told the Evening Standard there is a plan for, "the greatest act of civil disobedience of our time' during the event.
Mendoza claims several protest groups will unite under the banner Reclaim London and use the Olympics as an opportunity for the "unheard majority".
Meanwhile parental rights group Fathers 4 Justice and other splinter groups have also promised disruption attempts.

The police have been granted additional powers to combat protests during the games, with clauses in the London Olympic Games and Games act 2006 seemingly giving officers the ability to seize placards and political posters and even enter private homes to seize protest materials.
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http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/354855/20120621/anonymous-occupy-euriopean-anarchists-target-london-olympics.htm

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. No, it's years old

The link refers to a City of London example (though the photo is from Tower Hamlets, and the Metropolitan Police):

RELEVANT LOCALITY
(refer to map)
Guinness Estate, London, E1 bounded by Mansell Street, Haydon Walk, Haydon Street, the western estate boundary from Haydon Street northwards to its junction with Little Somerset Street and Little Somerset Street.

RELEVANT PERIOD From 7th January 2008 to 7th April 2008
I Superintendent Geoffrey Fallows of the City of London Police, with the consent of City of London, being the relevant Local Authority, hereby authorise uniformed Constables and Police Community Support Officers to disperse groups as defined under Part 4 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 from the area detailed during the relevant period.
City of London Police and the City of London have both agreed that there are grounds to believe that members of the public have been intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed as a result of the presence or behaviour of groups of people within the estate acting anti-socially. It has therefore been decided that a Good Behaviour Zone is to be introduced for a limited period providing Police and Community Support Officers additional powers.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME?
•
If an officer feels that two or more people gathering in a public place are causing or are likely to cause anti social behaviour they may order you to disperse.
•
Examples of anti social -behaviour are spitting, shouting, using drugs, drinking alcohol, causing graffiti or damage.
Clearly not every gathering would involve such behaviour and therefore in those circumstances this power would not be used.
•
Where anti social behaviour occurs, or is likely to occur, the police can order the group to disperse and in the case of non-residents, to leave the estate for a period of up to 24 hours.
•
In the case of an unsupervised young person (under 16) who is out after 9pm, an Officer can return them to their home.
•
This will only be done if you are disorderly or police are concerned for your welfare.
If a person fails to comply with the directions of a Constable they commit an offence for which they can be fined or arrested.

http://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0EF4D242-D8BA-44C3-B89C-509113D227BA/0/goodbehaviourcampaignposter.pdf

The law: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/38/part/4

[Lucky Luciano]

4. I assume by "City of London" they are referring to

London's version of Wall St?

[spanone]

5. i love the brits and their naughty bits

[petronius]

8. "lice" officers? Looks like somebody already did some editing on that sign...

On edit: "Metropolitan lice" at the bottom is even funnier...

[Nye Bevan]

9. Why I am I reminded of the Ministry of Love? (nt)

[DocMac]

10. Some has blotted out the

Po in Police. Now you will be arrested by the lice.

[Honeycombe8]

11. Seems like there was a harassment problem in that area. Good for the authorities. nt