classified as "domestic extremist" by police. john catt, 85 years old.

[demoleft]

"For John Catt, protest has never been about chaining himself to a railing or blocking a road in an act of civil disobedience. The 85-year-old peace campaigner's far milder form of dissent typically involves turning up at a demonstration with his daughter, Linda, taking out his sketch pad and drawing the scene.

However this, it seems, has been enough for police to classify Catt and his 50-year-old daughter "domestic extremists", put their personal information on a clandestine national database and record their political activities in minute detail.

Secret files have revealed how police have systematically documented their political activities, undermining official claims that only hardcore activists were placed under surveillance.

The (UK) National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) recorded their presence at more than 80 lawful demonstrations over four years, logging details such as their appearance, and slogans on their T-shirts."
source, the guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/25/peace-campaigner-classified-domestic-extremist

between ridiculous and hateful.
and this is from one year ago:

Camera grid to log number plates
A national network of cameras and computers automatically logging car number plates will be in place within months, the BBC has learned.
...
John Catt found himself on the wrong side of the ANPR system. He regularly attends anti-war demonstrations outside a factory in Brighton, his home town.
It was at one of these protests that Sussex police put a "marker" on his car. That meant he was added to a "hotlist".
This is a system meant for criminals but John Catt has not been convicted of anything and on a trip to London, the pensioner found himself pulled over by an anti-terror unit.

bbc, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/whos_watching_you/8064333.stm

the witch hunt made more sense in comparison, just to be absurd tonight.
simply grotesque, antidemocratic and stasi-like.

the surveillance video, in the guardian: http://gu.com/p/2tx25

[gratuitous]

1. Careful men, he's got a sketch pad!

Better Tase him, just to be safe.

This is part of that whole "slippery slope" thing. But nobody dares laugh at the nervous nelly gendarmerie quailing at the sight of an 85-year-old pensioner, because that will put you on the same list. This is Very Serious Business, and no laughing matter. Got it?

[Hydra]

2. Duh!

Even some here at DU think our Intel boys have better things to do than watch peaceful protesters.

Wrong answer! As I said under an article a few weeks back that talked about RW commandos killing union people in Colombia:

"When was the last time you heard about left wing extremists killing RW's?"

[BeFree]

3. A Dangerous Person, Indeed

How dare he even look like he might question authority?

He should know better, being his age and all that.

[hvn_nbr_2]

4. His mistake was not showing up with a misspelled sign and an AK-47

If he was a wingnut with a gun, all would be fine.