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Tuesday, 1 April 2008

FIT on Fossil Fool's Day

Fossil Fool's Day (April 1st) was marked by People & Planet with a demo at Parliament Square.
And of course FIT were there, snapping all the students. Only one team though.
Don't think I've seen this photographer before...

Aha, a familiar face...

10 comments:

Anonymous said...: There was also a fit team at the E On blockade in Nottingham, as shown in pictures
by Tash [alan lodge], including CO 4954.

Looks like some people may have been about to start fitwatching.; 2 April 2008 at 14:42
Anonymous said...: Sorry, that should have been CO 5494.; 2 April 2008 at 14:45
fotdmike said...: The Parliament Square demo was a very fluffy affair and my impression was that the organisers (People & Planet) had been liaising fairly closely with the cops.
Consequently I was quite surprised to see any FIT there at all... a sign maybe of just how far their remit has been extended!; 2 April 2008 at 16:53
fotdmike said...: Tash has also uploaded a number of good FIT photos to his Flickr photostream. Check out flickr.com/photos/tash/2383390225 and adjacent ones for example.; 3 April 2008 at 01:16
Anonymous said...: Pc comment here. These photos seem a bit'Shaky' anyone would think 'Lex Luteher, criminal mastermind' was involved! (codes darlin' !); 3 April 2008 at 20:24
Anonymous said...: top photo: cop seems to be wearing a 'headcam' albeit on his chest; third photo down: shy cop seems to have forgotten his numbers. this is a distressing trend, especially among the younger members of the fit (i'm thinking especially of yts boy).; 4 April 2008 at 00:53
fotdmike said...: Third pic down... last time I saw this guy (as far as I remember) was at '07 Climate Camp.

Fancies himself as a bit of a wit... happened to be passing him just as Big Ben was striking the hour, whereupon he looks at me and asks the time.
Which really just demonstrates the arrogance that goes with the uniform.; 4 April 2008 at 11:45
fotdmike said...: "on a tea break": I'll check that top photo again in the original size to see if I can confirm that.; 4 April 2008 at 11:49
fotdmike said...: Re cop apparently wearing head cam... no. Checked the original and it looks more like a radio mic.; 5 April 2008 at 22:41
Anonymous said...: Pc comment here.
It is called a 'whaaa!' It is a police tradition. Where were you at the torch thingy. There were countless numbers of us FIT but no FITWATCH, very sad, I had new tactics to use.; 7 April 2008 at 12:34

Who are FIT Watch?

Fit Watch are a fluid group of people who have come together to resist and oppose the tactics of the Forward Intelligence Teams (cops who harass protesters).

We aim to act in solidarity with each other, supporting campaigns by being at meetings and protests, making it harder for the police to film and gather intelligence.

We hope to encourage a culture where their presence is not acceptable and to act when we see people being followed and harassed.

We aim to make it harder for them to photograph and intimidate us by getting in the way of their cameras, taking photos and publishing as much information as we can about them on our blog.

Please add info as a comment or send to defycops(at)yahoo.co.uk

Some Ideas For Fitwatching

FIT Watch can be done by anyone and can be as passive or as confrontational as you wish. Here are some tactics we have found to be effective:

1.Holding large banners in front of photographers. This is particularly effective with double sheets on sticks which can block a camera from a distance. This is the least confrontational way of blocking photography.

2.Taking photos of them. They really don’t like this but it isn’t illegal. With any photos it’s always good to either try and get the cop’s number in the shot, or note it down.

3.Following the FIT. Pick a team and tail them. Turn their tactics onto them – everything time they send a text message look over their shoulder, listen to their phone conversations, look at what they’re writing in their notebooks.

4.Watch out for group huddles, especially with senior officers and go and unobtrusively stand by them. This disrupts their briefings and there’s always the possibility you might learn some useful information.

5.Upload any information gathered about the FIT to www.fitwatch.blogspot.com or email to defycops@yahoo.co.uk

6.Put yourself physically in the way of the camera men by standing constantly in front of the camera and constantly shadow them. This has been the most confrontational tactic used so far and has therefore been the one people have been arrested for. However it has also been possible to do this without arrest, especially if there are larger numbers doings this.

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Tuesday, 1 April 2008

FIT on Fossil Fool's Day

10 comments:

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Some Ideas For Fitwatching

Cop Photographer pulling face

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Fitwatch

http://www.fitwatch.org.uk

Fit watch

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Policewatch Films

Tuesday, 1 April 2008

FIT on Fossil Fool's Day

10 comments:

Twitter / Fitwatcher

Subscribe To

Donate To Fitwatch

Who are FIT Watch?

Some Ideas For Fitwatching

Cop Photographer pulling face

Fit Eating Ice Cream

Blog Archive

Contributors

Links