For those out there who want some proof about the nature of our Police State then read this :

www.infowars.net/articles/july2008/080708Police.htm

I would add that in 2006 I was stopped on the way to a Record Company meeting at Kings Cross under these powers !! and given NO REASON for being stopped.

It seems that we ARE living in a Police State now and basically ANYONE and EVERYONE is being stopped by the Police going about their normal work and daily business.

The UK is a Police State - read the article and you will see hard evidence to prove this. It is all going on behind the scenes without reaching the mainstream media. I would expect that many of you reading this have experienced being stopped. Especially if you work in music or are from an ethnic minority.

While I agree with you're comments, i'm slightly puzzled as to why you would be singled out because
"you work in the music".

I did not say I was singled out because I work in music - though that is an interesting thought. I look as if I work in music to be fair - and I have a feeling that if you look as if you work in the media you get picked on disproportionately by the Police. You only have to read about the way in which Police seem to follow Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse around....and then look at the Jacko thing and so on and so on.

They gave no reason - so I have to accept it was just "one of those things" but I still have the pink slip as proof that it happened.

This year these stops are likely to double again - and they went up three times last year !! So anyone reading this and moving around London is in danger of being stopped - particularly at railway stations.

Getting stopped on the way home from playing gigs seems to have notably slowed down of late.
It used to happen pretty much every week to me.
We asked "why"? once and were told "we always stop a lot of Fords Sir!"


Hmmmmmmmmm...........

Irish people in the UK got used to this in the 70s.

I don't see what the problem is with being stopped. You've done nothing wrong, I presume?

No, it just is an annoying delay relay. These days, I stick a guitar in the back window which is a bit like saying, "give me a break I work nights!"

Incredibly, I have not even had a speeding fine yet (oh dear thats tempting fate..) and just prior to getting my now essential SatNav, actually flagged a police car down to see if they could help shut the petrol cap on my hire car and get me off the damn North circular! I was allowed actually to follow them, until one of them put his arm out of the window to point the way to the M25.

I suppose a more "jobworth" pair would have done me for knowing the car properly.

Aaah the "you've done nothing wrong" argument.

Basically a Stop and Search takes about 30 minutes and can take more if you are underground ! There is a massive form for the Police to fill in......

So if you are on your way home after a gig late at night - you really dont want to be waiting around for 30 mins. I know from many bands in Vans - they get stopped alot and the vans are often searched ( for illegal substances I would expect !! )

To give you one more HIGH PROFILE example this week - a young lad who is a RAPPER was stopped at Bournemouth Railway Station by ARMED POLICE and forced to lie on the floor ( He has since written on his My Space it was the WORST and MOST TRAUMATIC experience in his life to be surrounded by Police like that )

So when you make glib "if you have done nothing wrong comments" then think about the trauma being stopped can often bring......and for DE MENEZES and that CHELSEA BARRISTER they dont even LIVE to tell the tale about their "Mistaken ID" stop.

We need to stop criminals - not law abiding citizens.

The Police AVOID going to estates where there is trouble - how often do you hear " I rang the Police but they never came or arrived 2 or 3 or 4 hours later" : THIS IS BECAUSE THE POLICE ARE STOPPING inncocent people ( who have nothing to hide !!) and ignore REAL CRIMINAL activities ( in case they get hurt or because it creates EVEN MORE paperwork !!! )

The Police have lost the streets and are picking on soft targets.

Check your'e original comment. Last sentence? In what way do people who work in the media differ in appearance from the average human? Again, i agree with what you're saying but some of the reasons given are very peculiar and don't make sense. If you talk about ethnic minorities being stopped randomly then its fully understandable. I cant see Rick Sky getting stopped for no apparent reason, then again.

But I know numerous reasons why Rick would and should be stopped!

The music fan and industry dress in a very particular way ( look at how those Goth music fans were beaten up and one killed )

The Police are trained to be able to notice people and notice what their likely job - threat is in an instant. Sometimes we forget that. They can tell what people do - whether they are "upper class" " rich" "chav" - even we can do a bit of that if we are honest.

In addition there is a huge difference late at night between someone coming home from work in music and the average punter in say the West End - for one we are not drunk ! Most Musicians dress in a noticable way as well ( or why would they want to be on stage )

I do think that people like Pete and Amy suffer greatly at the hands of the Police. I really dont think you can argue otherwise.

You rarely hear of Journalists being mis arrested or stopped by The police ( Unless they come from an ethnic minority ) - give me an example ? I bet you cant even think of one. Because the Police DO KNOW who is who roughly. When they stopped me they knew that I was law abiding ( They did not even search my bag - and i opened it for them to show them all the CDs and documents for the meeting ) they did not care because they had already judged from my reaction to being stopped that I had nothing to hide ( They are trained like that as well I am sure )

At the moment people are being killed on the STREETS in the evening.....so the Police put up METAL ARCHES for commuters ( who work ) at Rail Stations.....anyone see the slight problem there. Once again they harass the working ordinary people - and leave the criminals alone.

Last night TWO ( Yes TWO ) were KILLED by stabbing on the streets of North East London ( where these things have been happening alot in the Edmonton - Stratford area ) Yet the KNIFE teams were in stations in leafy suburbs with their arches with SKY TV News !!! This is the shocking truth - and until we all start to stop making excuses for our Police avoiding dealing with the REAL criminals then we will get the pathetic protection on our streets that we deserve. It is OUR fault for not making a fuss about this.

The Police have lost the streets of many areas of London - that is a fact. We all know that. I believe it is true for other cities as well in the UK. Luckily the main areas are still safe and the "nice" areas are still safish. That is why no one is complaining ( It is like we have written off many poor areas )

We have a two or even three tier society growing in the UK.....it is worrying,

Crimes against musical journalism?