Independent Clicky
Halle-bloody-lujah.

Mark

The ACPO have been reminding ordinary coppers about this for ages. I suppose they're that sick of the public backlash they're going to start coming down on this behaviour very hard.

I know, but it's seemingly done no good. In fact I'd go as far to say it's gone in the reverse direction. There's been a few very high profile cases of professional photographer being stopped just recently.
It really is about time that the S44 abuse was reigned in.

Mark

What really narks me about S.44 is that the public apparently have 'no right' to know where such areas are. If I ignore for the moment the ludicrous notion of people being subject to a law but somehow aren't allowed to know if it applies in their area, how are ordinary members of the public supposed to know if Police Officers are truly acting lawfully if they are using S.44 powers? If you don't know if the area is actually designated under S.44 or not, there is no way of knowing whether the PC is actually acting within his/her authority.

I recently wrote to my MP about this, and the response I got from the Home Office is appalling. They had no problem whatsoever with being in position where people ware subject to a law but are not allowed to know where such draconian powers can actually legally be used.

I first read that as casual terrorist.

Very casual

Ignorance is no defense in law.

Sadly there seem to be many examples of laws which are immoral, inconsistent and even contradictory.

Writing to your MP was the correct first course of action. If enough people do this, then the weight of public opinion becomes apparent. It's far more effective than voting in some poll.

Agreed - ordinarily - but taking it to the point where the public have no option but to be ignorant about the law is a step too far. You must then ask if that's fair and in the interests of justice.