Activist tank at Royal Bank of Scotland

Icon_article Star-blue1 Published: April 01, 2009 12:12 by imc dispatch

Tagged as: g20 repression space_hijackers
Neighbourhoods: city_of_london royal_bank_scotland

The activist group Space Hijackers joined with police to take care of any "bad" demonstrators who might have shown up to anti-G20 protests in the City of London today.  At 10:30 this morning they showed up with a CCTV-equipped armoured vehicle in front of the Royal Bank of Scotland and prepared to defend the building.

Police spoilsports refused their help, conducted a thorough search of the vehicle, and moved them along.  They were later arrested outside News International.

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"Hey, need any help?"

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Where are the anarchists?

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Gearing up to defend the bank

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Cops arrive to join forces

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Thanks, Space Hijackers!

11 Space Hijackers were arrested under section 19 of the Police Act (impersonating police) and taken to West End Central police station.

Additions

reason for arrest

Comment Published: April 01, 2009 16:25 by relay

Space Hijackers made it all the way to Wapping where they had their vehicle checked out (including on the weigh bridge!) and found that it passed the basic roadworthiness standards of the MOT.... whereupon they were all promptly arrested for impersonating police officers!

released on bail

Comment Published: April 02, 2009 09:22 by agent provocateur

The 11 were gradually released last night, bailed on condition that they do not enter Westminster, the City of London or Newham for the next week.

Impersonation, etc.

Comment Published: April 02, 2009 12:19 by Trevor Johnson

Come on, now... the clothing and helmets could hardly be described as giving "an appearance so nearly resembling that of a member of a police force as to be calculated to deceive" as per s90 of the Police Act 1996. Or has this definition of impersonation been superseded?

http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/

I assume members of the group were neither claiming to be police officers nor carrying false documents.

Impersonating?

Comment Published: April 02, 2009 19:21 by Steve

I don't see how these guys or their vehicle could be mistaken for the rozzers. Hopefully the charges won't stick. Two guys in police styled fancy dress were swooped on by riot cops in the middle of the Bank Kettle yesterday eve. They were very obviously not real cops, but they got neck-locked and dragged off without any warning by a thuggish snatch squad.

Charged

Comment Published: July 30, 2009 19:12 by Err

All 11 have been charged with the following two offences:
s.90(1) Police Act 1996: Any person who with intent to deceive impersonates a member of the police force or makes any statement or does an act calculated falsely to suggest they are a constable; and

s.90(2) Police Act 1996: Any person who, not being a constable, wears any article of Police uniform in circumstances where it gives him an appearance so nearly resembling that of a member of police force as to be calculates to deceive.