Smokers harrassed - with the encouragement of a school, and the co-operation of the police

Students at the Hundred of Hoo Comprehensive School in Medway have been running up to smokers in the street, shouting "ciggy busters" and snatching their cigarettes from them. And filming themselves doing it. Should you wish to, you can find these self-righteous little vigilantes on YouTube.

Here's a quote from the responsible "adult" from the school in the write-up in the Medway Messenger:

I was scared about doing something so crazy on the street - I mean you can get arrested.

And should be.

And here's a quote from the write-up at This is Kent:

Kent police in Medway were made aware of the planned filming, prior to the event taking place.

And didn't stop it!?

Disconcerting, isn't it, that rather than seeking to dissuade young people from exercising their authoritarian views in a way that frankly amounts to straightforward robbery, a school in this country is encouraging them to do so and empowering them with video equipment, funding and a rent-a-prat "teacher" to boot? We supposedly live in a pluralist society, in which the views and wishes of a minority can be respected. Live and let live. Instead, the "tolerance" of these self-appointed minor Stasi of course extends solely to the things of which they approve. Beyond that, they film themselves cackling away as they intrude upon and assault those with whom they disagree. It is with good reason Winston Smith and co constantly fear betrayal by the youth League and the Junior Spies, as children swallow Big Brother's propaganda most keenly in 1984.

Lest you think that I'm misinterpreting a set-up which occurred as part of a drama exercise, this quote from the teacher makes it clear that the "ciggy busters" extended their attacks beyond their own stool pigeons:

I knew we could not really go and film in public and attack people in that way and take goods off of them, so we devised a cunning plan.

We planted some people and we started with them. People were watching and following us and at the end we tried with some other people.

So you did go and attack people "in that way" and "take goods off of (ahem, from) them." Name and shame time: the school's "mentor" for the project is Italian media artist Margherita Gramegna. Perhaps in Italy "media artist" is how one spells "idiot."

This is a remarkable and quite disgraceful story. Law-abiding people in Kent are being robbed on the street, with the tacit approval of the local constabulary. The mob action is part of an ongoing scheme from the school and is going to continue in September.

Shame on you, Kent Police. Shame on you, the school!

By Alex Deane

Hat tip: Phil

Comments

[Paul]

Joan: you mean they deliberately picked on vulnerable people, people who would not or could not fight back?

What kind of lesson does that teach the kiddiewinks? That it's OK to go out and pick on vulnerable smokers, drinkers, fat people et al? People like myself, who can't fight back?

Those kinds of practices lead to gassings and death camps.

[Lee]

Video now removed - I managed to grab it seconds before it was deleted - I will upload it to my own Youtube channel later tonight.

[Bucko]

They've taken down the video from Youtube.
Probably sick of getting emails

[Olly]

@lee if you could post a link to that youtube please mate

Cheers
Olly

[parent-with-graduate-children]

In all honesty - I would look forward this teacher and her pupils trying this with me.

The video has by now been removed from youtube by the person who put it up, so I have no chance of warning these kids that their action might not only cause pain to the back of their heads; it might cause much more than this to this unresponsible teacher of theirs.

[Dave Atherton]

I got a gracious reply from Medway Police.

Dear Mr Atherton

Thank you for your email of 19 August 2010.

As your letter refers to policing matters involving the Medway Policing Area, I am forwarding your correspondence onto Chief Superintendent Corbishley, the Area Commander, with responsibility for policing in Hoo. Please be assured that he will arrange for your concerns to be dealt with appropriately, ensuring that a response is sent directly to you on this matter.

Kent Police are committed to meeting public expectation on service delivery and we aim to respond to all letters regarding our service levels within 20 working days. If you have not heard from us within this time, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards

Enquiries Support
Chief Constable's Executive Support Office
Force Headquarters
Sutton Road
Maidstone
ME15 9BZ

'Protecting and Serving the people of Kent'
P please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to.

>>> 19/08/10 11:08 >>>

[Phil]

Rachel Noxon, Medway's tobacco control strategic co-ordinator also gave her approval for this stunt. You can contact her as follows:

Rachael Noxon, Tobacco Control Strategic Coordinator
Medway public health directorate
telephone: 01634 331074
email: rachael.noxon@medway.gov.uk

It is interesting to note that Medway Council is cutting funding for before and after school clubs for children and for library books whilst retaining the "services" of the Tobacco Control Strategic Coordinator and the spy cars featured on this blog a couple of days ago. Medway Council is a Tory council and it gives an interesting insite into their take on Dave's proclamation about smaller government and getting the state off our backs.

[Dave Atherton]

Phil thanks for that.

[Lee]

@ Olly . . . .

Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heJpxeSHSfY

[James Tobin]

This council seems to be completely out of control. They were on the local news a couple of nights ago for threatening people who dared to put a for sale sign in their car. Apparently you need their permission in Medway.

http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/Council-let-sell-car/article-2514409-detail/article.html

David Cameron made much of his idea to recall rogue MP's. This whole rogue council seems to be worthy of recall. Organising assault and robbery of the electorate is really going too far. I wonder what he thinks of their behaviour.

[Phil Johnson]

I received this, this morning from Kent Plod:-

Dear Mr Johnson

Thank you for your email which has been logged under reference number 5598/2010 and forwarded to Medway Police for a response.

Regards



Enquiries Support
Chief Constable's Executive Support Office
Force Headquarters
Sutton Road
Maidstone
ME15 9BZ

[geraldine]

This is tantamount to mugging!!!!!!

[Rose Whiteley]

From the "teacher":

"We were going down the street grabbing cigarettes from people and running off.

"It was so funny."

So, exactly like "Happy Slapping" then? But with a bit of theft thrown in for good measure?

[alastair]

@pjh:
Yes, I do expect citizens' arrests to work. They are a fundamental part of the power of arrest enjoyed by the police, never mind everyone else. The power of arrest may have been watered down by New Labour, but it still exists and it *can* still be used.

If the police did decide to play it the way you suggest and arrest me for a perfectly valid arrest on suspicion of a criminal act, that's fine, we can go to court and I'll press for exemplary damages. Even better if one of their senior officers agrees that they should behave that way, since the fine goes up dramatically.

[Chris]

You can arrest another if they have committed an indictable offence. What you can't do is take them anywhere. You must detain them on the spot & remain there until the police arrive

[PJH]

@Alastair, while I applaud your opitmism, I fear that in practise you wouldn't succeed.

I'm not attempting to critisise your opinion, but I'm sure any attempt at citizens arrest (at the moment) in the UK would initially result in a charge of assult, and any further attempts at dragging it through the courts would prove costly.

And as pointed out above by Chris, I'm sure Citizens Arrest involves 'detaining until a police officer arrives' and certainly doesn't include 'transporting them to a police station.'

I welcome anything that would disabuse me of the latter (or the former for that matter.)

Without (deliberate) malice....

[Lee]

Indoctrination of children, promotion of attacks on law abiding adults, theft, destruction of property + presumably the dissemination of trophy video to further humiliate the victims and, no doubt, an inculcated sense of righteousness.

Nasty stuff on so many levels, I doubt those behind this can see further than the health issues surrounding tobacco use.

The use of children to impose one's values on others will, unfairly, get the children a smack in the mouth, when it clearly should be those manipulating them for their own sociopolitical ends.

[PJH]

On the 'plus' side, however, an incident of citizen's arrest gone wrong(http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Coroner-rules-death-car-thief-accident/article-2513733-detail/article.html) - those detaining the suspect were not charged with the death of the suspect.

[Perry de Havilland]

The correct response to a physical assault is physical violence. We call this "self defence"...

...and happily the perpetrators of the assault are thoughtfully providing video evidence to prove that the reason you punched that nasty little turd in the face was that he was robbing you on a public street.

[Diamond Geezer]

If the zealots want some aggro,
ready when you are.

About time this anti smoking hysteria
had some added meaning.

Now then ,where do these Medway Gauleiters
sink their smoothies.

7 sister's cousins

[Big Smoker]

Anyone tries it on me and I'll kick the shit out of them! Just what we want. Teenagers (and I've nought against teenagers per se - used to be one myself) being given free rein and encouragement to run around happy slapping folks by some hair-brained teacher who needs a good slap herself... Does this give me carte blanche now to go around attacking anyone whose annoying habits I object to? Hope so. If so, Labour voters and Muslims be afraid! Be very very afraid!!!!!

[JohnRS]

So when I happen to be walking down a Medway street and am attacked without warning by a group of thugs who attempt to steal my property, how much of a kicking can I give the little bastards and their odious ringleader before I overstep the bounds of self defence?

[Dave Atherton]

An indequate reply form Kent Police in my opinion.

"Dear Mr. Atherton,

Thank you for contacting us to highlight your concerns and those of your members
with the recent Hundred of Hoo school 'Ciggie Busters' campaign/event.

The school contacted Medway police prior to the event and discussed it with our events manager. We were advised that actors would play the role of the 'smokers' with students approaching them, before taking the cigarette from them and 'advising them' about the health issues.

In addition to this Medway NHS were to also be involved as well as the council.

We did advise the school that to approach non-actors could cause problems and to our
knowledge no non-actors were approached. No one has made any allegations of crime
regarding this matter, (in so far as no one who was approached has made any complaints).

The school involved police and other agencies in their planning and I believe took on board all our advice and comments. The filming and actions were part of a project the students were under taking and I am told the cameras were clearly visible to all in attendance. This was a deliberate part of the planning as overt cameras and the use of actors would hopefully prevent the people being approached being offended in any way.

If a person who was not an actor was approached and their property taken etc. we
would consider their complaint. However, as no one appears to have been approached in this manner, we shall not at this time be taking this matter further.

I am sorry you feel offended by this incident, but I can assure you that it was
meant to be a light hearted educational project, with no harm intended.

Yours faithfully,

Michael
A/ Det Chief Inspector
Medway Police Station.

[Michael J. McFadden]

So the police wrote, " We were advised that actors would play the role of the 'smokers' with students approaching them, before taking the cigarette from them and 'advising them' about the health issues. ... We did advise the school that to approach non-actors could cause problems. ... I am told the cameras were clearly visible to all in attendance. This was a deliberate part of the planning as overt cameras and the use of actors would hopefully prevent the people being approached being offended in any way."

Now wait a minute, WERE they or WERE THEY NOT supposed to be doing this stuff to "non-actors" ? If they were NOT then why would there have been any concern to "hopefully prevent the people being approached being offended in any way."

Clearly the plan, and evidently the advice from the police, specifically concerned groups of young teens noisily running up to ordinary citizens, screaming something at them and then grabbing things from them.

This reminds me of a similar action that I believe took place just a year or two ago where kids were taken out of school to stage raids on bars by having them all run in and grab all the ashtrays in sight and then run off with them. I can't remember just where or when this was though. :/

Michael J. McFadden
Author of "Dissecting Antismokers' Brains"

[Andy]

Its irrelevant if the film used actors or not with regard to incitement to hate and anti discrimination laws.