Guardian: 'Suspicious behaviour on the tube'

[Oeditpus Rex]

This Reuters story was written while the police were detaining me in Southwark tube station and the bomb squad was checking my rucksack. When they were through, the two explosive specialists walked out of the tube station smiling and commenting: "Nice laptop." The officers offered apologies on behalf of the Metropolitan police. Then they arrested me.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1575411,00.html

I can't decide which is more frightening — that this happened, or that it's really not that surprising anymore.

[Briar]

1. How about

most people will think the police justified in what they do "to protect us" and think he should put up with it?

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. 'Justified' might mean walking up to him

asking to search his backpack, and when it's obvious there's nothing wrong, allowing him to go his way with an apology. Here's his 'suspicious behaviour':

· they found my behaviour suspicious from direct observation and then from watching me on the CCTV system;

· I went into the station without looking at the police officers at the entrance or by the gates;

· two other men entered the station at about the same time as me;

· I am wearing a jacket "too warm for the season";

· I am carrying a bulky rucksack, and kept my rucksack with me at all times;

· I looked at people coming on the platform;

· I played with my phone and then took a paper from inside my jacket.

Personally, I hadn't been informed that I should always look at policemen, while, at the same time, not looking at passengers. I was also unaware that I shouldn't enter a station until there's no-one else going in (hey, that should make rush-hour fun); I'm amazed they're still using the 'jacket too warm' bullshit; keeping your rucksack with you is, of course, exactly what they have told you to do for the past 30 years, to avoid it being treated as a suspicious package; and looking at pieces of paper may be suspicious in Airstrip One, but not in the real world.

Whether arresting someone for using a mobile phone in public is justifiable I leave up to the reader.

[ladylibertee]

2. A little to over zealous for the cost of "freedom"

[ihaveaquestion]

3. Scary stuff!

People who become cops must have a "paranoia gene" to begin with and it sounds like it's been kicked into high gear lately.

I have to say, though, that the Metropolitan police were more polite than US cops might have been. US cops are notorious for their rough treatment of everyone they detain.

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