Current Events > Innocent man stopped and frisked because he.... looked at the police and walked.

(+) Yeah! (+)

80/80

Police stopped and searched a young black man in central London, apparently because he looked at officers and put something in his pocket.

The mans detention along with that of another man of colour, who was also subsequently released without charge prompted allegations of racial profiling.

A form purportedly issued to the man following the search in Oxford Circus was posted to social media by privacy campaigners, who were monitoring the deployment of facial recognition technology in the area.

Subject was walking past uniformed officers and continued to look at them, the form said. Subject also reached back into trouser pockets, appearing to secure items in there.

When stopped, subject used foul language and was getting more agitated by throwing bag on floor. Subject kept reaching into trouser pockets despite instructions not to do so.

The man was questioned by police, handcuffed, searched and released without charge, according to Griff Ferris, a campaigner for civil liberties group Big Brother Watch.

The form also said officers were in an area affected by gang violence and robbing in the West End.

Mr Ferris said the man told him he was on his way to work at the time and agreed to let him publicise the form he was given by police.

Police standing around the facial recognition surveillance van have so far racially profiled and stopped and searched two innocent young black men, Mr Ferris said.

He told The Independent he believed the searches were humiliating, having taken place in broad daylight in a very busy area of the capital.

Silkie Carlo, the director of Big Brother Watch who also witnessed events, told The Independent that the other man stopped by police was asked what shops he was going to. He said not sure, then they cuffed him, she claimed.

Officers thought it was suspicious that he was walking slowly, Ms Carlo claimed.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said Thursdays live facial recognition in Westminster was in support of an operation to disrupt robbery and associated crime in and around the West End.

They said: Two men were stopped by officers as part of this proactive operation, one in Oxford Street and one in Regent Street, neither of whom had passed through the Live Facial Recognition zone.

The Met has been approached for comment on allegations of racial profiling.

Figures show black people are nine and a half times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people in England and Wales, and use of the powers were expanded by the government last year.

Controversial facial recognition technology was deployed in Oxford Circus on Thursday, to the outrage of civil liberties and privacy campaigners.

Hannah Couchman, from campaign group Liberty, compared the technology to having your fingerprint taken but without your knowledge or your consent.

Live facial recognition checks people against watchlists said to contain suspects wanted by police and the courts and officers can approach a member of the public if there is a match.

A spokesperson for the mayor of London said Mr Khan has sought reassurance police have met conditions set out in a report on the ethical use of the technology by an independent panel.

Full ARticle: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/stop-search-london-met-police-black-man-hands-pockets-oxford-circus-a9349311.html

https://i.imgur.com/vMP8qGg.jpg

1984 anyone?
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I looked across the highway at some cops who were pulling someone over once and they actually got in their car and drove across the area in the middle of the highway, sped up to catch up to me, then tailgated me for about a mile, then pulled me over and ripped apart my car before letting me go.

They didnt help me put all of my shit back together btw.

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Expected London, got London

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solosnake posted...

I looked across the highway at some cops who were pulling someone over once and they actually got in their car and drove across the area in the middle of the highway, sped up to catch up to me, then tailgated me for about a mile, then pulled me over and ripped apart my car before letting me go

Didn't go so far for me but one time I looked at some police (I was on foot) and then they spent the next mile or so following me in their car. Lights on and everything.

It was super weird, I considered confronting them after a while but thought that would be a bad idea so I just ignored them.

I think they were looking for an excuse to arrest me for no reason but eventually accepted I wasn't going to give them one.
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Thie is why I dont stare at police. I always worry its gonna be a psycho cop

UnfairRepresent posted...

Didn't go so far for me but one time I looked at some police (I was on foot) and then they spent the next mile or so following me in their car. Lights on and everything.

It was super weird, I considered confronting them after a while but thought that would be a bad idea so I just ignored them.

I think they were looking for an excuse to arrest me for no reason but eventually accepted I wasn't going to give them one.

yeah, i asked them why i was pulled over and they said "we'll get to that" but they never did tell me. I was just happy to get out of there with my life tbh. My knees were literally shaking

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looking without our looking loicense, aren't we then old chap?

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berlyman101 posted...

looking without our looking loicense, aren't we then old chap?

UK police dont say old chap
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UnfairRepresent posted...

Didn't go so far for me but one time I looked at some police (I was on foot) and then they spent the next mile or so following me in their car. Lights on and everything.

It was super weird, I considered confronting them after a while but thought that would be a bad idea so I just ignored them.

I think they were looking for an excuse to arrest me for no reason but eventually accepted I wasn't going to give them one.

One time I was at a drinking buddy's place and a neighbor called the cops because we were being "too loud" and we were both extremely cooperative and compliant. They knew we were drinking and smoking and asked me how I was getting home. I said walking as I live only maybe 5 minutes away. They were like "well keep it down. This building has lots of old people who are trying to sleep" (It was like 8:30). They then proceeded to all dick around in the parking lot for an hour talking and laughing loudly. They were louder than we had been and probably disturbed more residents than we allegedly did. When I left, I walked right between their SUVs. One of them said "Have a good night" and I said "thanks, you too." They all tore ass out of the parking lot and sped off once I was about halfway down the street. Fucking pricks thought I was lying about intending to walk home.
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Fuck da police
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thanks Bloomberg

Noticing the police, shoving something in your pocket and dipping out is suspicious activity. He deserved to get searched.

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If that was America, guns would have been fired and bullet holes made.

Machete posted...

One time I was at a drinking buddy's place and a neighbor called the cops because we were being "too loud" and we were both extremely cooperative and compliant. They knew we were drinking and smoking and asked me how I was getting home. I said walking as I live only maybe 5 minutes away. They were like "well keep it down. This building has lots of old people who are trying to sleep" (It was like 8:30). They then proceeded to all dick around in the parking lot for an hour talking and laughing loudly. They were louder than we had been and probably disturbed more residents than we allegedly did. When I left, I walked right between their SUVs. One of them said "Have a good night" and I said "thanks, you too." They all tore ass out of the parking lot and sped off once I was about halfway down the street. Fucking pricks thought I was lying about intending to walk home.

.... This is the most ridiculous thing in the world to be mad about.


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Patchwork posted...

.... This is the most ridiculous thing in the world to be mad about.

I dunno

Being called to break up loud noises and then making louder noises is pretty douchey
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Wolf_J_Flywheel posted...

Noticing the police, shoving something in your pocket and dipping out is suspicious activity. He deserved to get searched.

This.
I'm not saying that there isn't any racial component involved in this case, but this literslly happens to white people as well

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fusespliff posted...

This.
I'm not saying that there isn't any racial component involved in this case, but this literslly happens to white people as well

It also doesn't help that he started giving the police shit the moment they approached him:
UnfairRepresent posted...

When stopped, subject used foul language and was getting more agitated by throwing bag on floor. Subject kept reaching into trouser pockets despite instructions not to do so.

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Patchwork posted...

.... This is the most ridiculous thing in the world to be mad about.

Huh? Who is mad?
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Machete posted...

Huh? Who is mad?

Your reference to them as fucking pricks doesnt exactly send the message that youre pleased.

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They are just bullies who wanna have power over people

This is why you always record the police if you ever have to confront them

Aggressive behavior and the ignoring of lawful orders to keep your hands in view could lead a reasonable person to believe the subject has a weapon on his/her person, and a frisk for weapons is no longer an infringement on subjects 4th amendment rights.

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UnfairRepresent posted...

Officers thought it was suspicious that he was walking slowly, Ms Carlo claimed.

Well that explains it all then. He should have been sprinting through the neighborhood at top speed like everyone else on their way to work.

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Patchwork posted...

Your reference to them as ?fucking pricks? doesn?t exactly send the message that you?re pleased.

Do you only have 2 settings? Mad and pleased? It's always one or the other in every facet of your life and experiences?
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UnfairRepresent posted...

I dunno

Being called to break up loud noises and then making louder noises is pretty douchey

Maybe the intent was to be douchey to the people who called it in. Police don't really like being called for no reason. I had a friend who used to be a cop, and he hated being called to noise complaints because 99% of the time it's just a neighbor who is too awkward to actually speak to the person next door and ask them to keep it down

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eston posted...

Maybe the intent was to be douchey to the people who called it in. Police don't really like being called for no reason. I had a friend who used to be a cop, and he hated being called to noise complaints because 99% of the time it's just a neighbor who is too awkward to actually speak to the person next door and ask them to keep it down

Nah. The fact that they stayed for an hour and left 2 minutes after I did meant they thought I was lying and would either drive drunk or have my buddy drive me drunk, so they were waiting to try and bust us for that. When I proved my story be true, they had nothing and just left. The timing indicates it was about us.
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