Arrested for his taste in music?
Posted on Sunday, April 5th, 2009 by Home Office WatchCategory: Police, Surveillance, Terrorism
Some people’s taste in music can be pretty bad, but criminal??
A jazz musician in Wales was arrested by armed police as part of a major anti-terror raid. Victor Frederick had been aware of police surveillance days before his arrest.
From WalesOnline, via Cory Doctorow on Boing Boing:
Victor Frederick, 63, was arrested and strip-searched just yards from his home, just moments after his partner Andrea Heath and their daughter had infra-red sights trained at them and were told they would be shot if they moved.
No charges were ever brought against Mr Frederick…[who told how] police interpreted soundproofing equipment and wiring from his musical studio as a potential sign of illicit activity.
Mr Frederick was informed he was being arrested on suspicion of making explosives, but later during questioning, police told him they had found nothing.
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April 6th, 2009 at 7:41 am
Following him by helicopter must have also run up a fairly big fuel bill - money which could have gone on catching actual criminals.
April 6th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Another case fro charging police officers with wasting police time?
Did nobody ask the local bobby aka your Community Police Officer?
April 6th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
This country is seriously turning authoritarian. I wonder how much tax payer’s money was wasted on this frankly ridiculous overzealous police operation. Looks like Bin Laden has won, all he wanted to do was restrict our liberties.
April 7th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Years ago, the Labour Party used to be the party of the people. Now is just the party of the fascists.
It reminds me of the Franco era in Spain.