Police store data on UK protestors

Hardly the most shocking revelation, this. The UK police have been routinely involved in surveillance and, allegedly, instigation of protestors and activists for years.

This isn't simply another effect of Blair and Brown's security policy which has empowered the police to a degree never seen before. It's partly that but also just a continuation of decades of policy aimed at controlling dissent in Britain. The difference is that whereas a few years ago, this was 'just' Special Branch officers turning up in people's homes at one in the morning, now there are officers in each regular police force trained to collect intelligence on people exercising their right to protest.

And now they reckon there's a 'summer of rage' coming. Better charge those cameras, lads.

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