Police Scotland - Revision history

Melissa Jones: /* Closely monitoring fracking protest in 2017-18 under ex-spycops boss */

2019-07-05T03:26:57Z

Closely monitoring fracking protest in 2017-18 under ex-spycops boss

Melissa Jones: /* Record and controversies */

2019-07-05T03:26:33Z

Record and controversies

Melissa Jones: /* Record and controversies */

2019-07-05T03:24:01Z

Record and controversies

Melissa Jones: /* Record and controversies */

2019-07-05T03:22:29Z

Record and controversies

Melissa Jones: /* Police Scotland drops fracking protest ‘terrorist’ tag */

2019-07-05T01:03:08Z

Police Scotland drops fracking protest ‘terrorist’ tag

Melissa Jones: /* Record and controversies */

2019-07-05T01:02:44Z

Record and controversies

Melissa Jones at 01:02, 5 July 2019

2019-07-05T01:02:15Z

Melissa Jones: /* Articles and resources */

2019-07-04T15:04:54Z

Articles and resources

Melissa Jones at 13:55, 4 July 2019

2019-07-04T13:55:48Z

Melissa Jones: /* Police Scotland drops fracking protest ‘terrorist’ tag */

2019-07-04T13:54:10Z

Police Scotland drops fracking protest ‘terrorist’ tag

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 ==Record and controversies==
 ===Closely monitoring fracking protest in 2017-18 under ex-spycops boss===
 In 2018 an investigation by Spinwatch into the policing of the anti-fracking movement found that 'despite the Home Office’s December 2016 advice that ‘support for anti-fracking is not an indicator of vulnerability’ under the Prevent strategy, 'at least seven of the 11 regional counter terrorism units (CTUs) and counter terrorism intelligence units (CTIUs) that make up the UK’s National Counter Terrorism Policing Network have either carried out monitoring or surveillance and/or unjustifiably smeared anti-fracking campaigners [over the past five years].  Scotland’s Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit (SCTIU), led by Police Scotland, was one of those units.
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 ::‘…in 2017/18, we will continue to closely monitor individuals and groups that are involved/suspected to be involved in the DE arena and explore all opportunities to disrupt and detect their activities’.
 '[[File:Falkirk-PoliceScotland-screengrab-2018.png|right|350px|]]Police Scotland’s [http://www.scotland.police.uk/assets/pdf/392813/392817/falkirk-lpp-2017-2020?view=Standard ‘Local Police Plan 2017-20’] for the Falkirk region similarly brands anti-fracking protest as a potential threat in its discussion of ‘counter terrorism’ risks in Falkirk - home to INEOS’ Grangemouth chemicals plant, which forms part of an enormous refinery complex classified as critical national infrastructure.
 ===Intelligence gathering===

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 ===Closely monitoring fracking protest in 2017-18 under ex-spycops boss===
 In 2018 research by Spinwatch found that Police Scotland was closely monitoring communities involved in anti-fracking protests:
 <blockquote style="background-color:#CEF2E0;border:1pt solid Darkgoldenrod;padding:1%;font-size:10pt">[[File:Police Scot Gormley-foreword-policing-plan-2017-18.jpeg|thumb|right|250px|Phil Gormley, Former Police Scotland Chief Constable and ex-spycop boss]] Police Scotland leads Scotland’s Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit (SCTIU). Until early 2018, the force was headed by Chief Constable [[Phil Gormley]], a former Met Special Branch chief of two undercover policing units, including the notorious [[Special Demonstration Squad]] that infiltrated and spied on activist and environmental protest groups.

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ::‘…in 2017/18, we will continue to closely monitor individuals and groups that are involved/suspected to be involved in the DE arena and explore all opportunities to disrupt and detect their activities’.
-'[[File:Falkirk-PoliceScotland-screengrab-2018.png|right|]]Police Scotland’s [http://www.scotland.police.uk/assets/pdf/392813/392817/falkirk-lpp-2017-2020?view=Standard ‘Local Police Plan 2017-20’] for the Falkirk region similarly brands anti-fracking protest as a potential threat in its discussion of ‘counter terrorism’ risks in Falkirk - home to INEOS’ Grangemouth chemicals plant, which forms part of an enormous refinery complex classified as critical national infrastructure.
+'[[File:Falkirk-PoliceScotland-screengrab-2018.png|right|350px|]]Police Scotland’s [http://www.scotland.police.uk/assets/pdf/392813/392817/falkirk-lpp-2017-2020?view=Standard ‘Local Police Plan 2017-20’] for the Falkirk region similarly brands anti-fracking protest as a potential threat in its discussion of ‘counter terrorism’ risks in Falkirk - home to INEOS’ Grangemouth chemicals plant, which forms part of an enormous refinery complex classified as critical national infrastructure.
 ===Intelligence gathering===

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ::‘…in 2017/18, we will continue to closely monitor individuals and groups that are involved/suspected to be involved in the DE arena and explore all opportunities to disrupt and detect their activities’.
-Police Scotland’s [http://www.scotland.police.uk/assets/pdf/392813/392817/falkirk-lpp-2017-2020?view=Standard ‘Local Police Plan 2017-20’] for the Falkirk region similarly brands anti-fracking protest as a potential threat in its discussion of ‘counter terrorism’ risks in Falkirk - home to INEOS’ Grangemouth chemicals plant, which forms part of an enormous refinery complex classified as critical national infrastructure.
+'[[File:Falkirk-PoliceScotland-screengrab-2018.png|right|]]Police Scotland’s [http://www.scotland.police.uk/assets/pdf/392813/392817/falkirk-lpp-2017-2020?view=Standard ‘Local Police Plan 2017-20’] for the Falkirk region similarly brands anti-fracking protest as a potential threat in its discussion of ‘counter terrorism’ risks in Falkirk - home to INEOS’ Grangemouth chemicals plant, which forms part of an enormous refinery complex classified as critical national infrastructure.
 ===Intelligence gathering===

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 ====Police Scotland drops fracking protest ‘terrorist’ tag====
-{{‪Template:Fracking badge‬}}The revelations by Spinwatch prompted a furious response from anti-fracking groups, who called on the justice committee at the Scottish Parliament to ask Police Scotland to change its approach reported ''The Ferrett''. <ref> Billy Briggs, [https://theferret.scot/police-scotland-fracking-ferret-report/ Police Scotland amends counter terrorism plan after fracking fracas], The Ferret, 25 September 2018 </ref> Following strong criticism at Holyrood from Green Party co-convener [[Patrick Harvie]] and First Minister [[Nicola Sturgeon]]'s statement that peaceful anti-fracking campaigners should not be considered extremists,  Police Scotland dropped the reference to fracking under the heading 'domestic extremists' from its the 2018/19 annual plan. Detective Chief Superintendent [[Gerry Mclean]] wrote to the Scottish Parliament’s justice sub-committee on policing:
+{{‪Template:Fracking badge‬}}The revelations by Spinwatch prompted a furious response from anti-fracking groups, who called on the justice committee at the Scottish Parliament to ask Police Scotland to change its approach reported ''The Ferrett''. <ref> Billy Briggs, [https://theferret.scot/police-scotland-fracking-ferret-report/ Police Scotland amends counter terrorism plan after fracking fracas], The Ferret, 25 September 2018 </ref>
 :“The Police Scotland annual police plan for 2017/18 did contain the following commentary: ‘There continues to be protests around shale oil and gas extraction and unconventional oil and gas extraction, and unconventional oil and gas extraction, both commonly referred to as ‘fracking’. This paragraph was contained within a wider and diverse section of the annual police plan under the heading of Domestic Extremism.

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 *Melissa Jones, Russell Scott, '''[http://spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/6006-why-are-counter-terrorism-police-still-spying-on-the-anti-fracking-movement Why are counter terrorism police still spying on the anti-fracking movement?]''', ''Spinwatch'', 9 September 2018.
 *Billy Briggs, [http://www.thenational.scot/news/16881590.police-scotland-brand-fracking-opponents-domestic-extremists/?ref=twtrec Police Scotland brand fracking opponents 'domestic extremists], ''The National'', via The Ferret, 16 September 2018
 ==Notes==

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 The plan also makes clear its intent to gather intelligence from local communities, despite strong public opposition to fracking in Scotland.
-‘Seeking the support of communities to develop the national intelligence picture around terrorism, domestic extremism and potential protests around fracking, shale oil and gas extraction given the nature of our commercial business infrastructure located in the Grangemouth area’.  [[File:PoliceScotland Falkirk fracking 2018.png| Falkirk policing plan||right|545px]]<ref>Melissa Jones, Russell Scott, '''[http://spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/6006-why-are-counter-terrorism-police-still-spying-on-the-anti-fracking-movement Why are counter terrorism police still spying on the anti-fracking movement?]''', ''Spinwatch'', 9 September 2018 </ref></blockquote>
+[[File:PoliceScotland Falkirk fracking 2018.png| Falkirk policing plan||right|545px]]‘Seeking the support of communities to develop the national intelligence picture around terrorism, domestic extremism and potential protests around fracking, shale oil and gas extraction given the nature of our commercial business infrastructure located in the Grangemouth area’.  <ref>Melissa Jones, Russell Scott, '''[http://spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/climate/item/6006-why-are-counter-terrorism-police-still-spying-on-the-anti-fracking-movement Why are counter terrorism police still spying on the anti-fracking movement?]''', ''Spinwatch'', 9 September 2018 </ref></blockquote>
 ===Police Scotland drops fracking protest ‘terrorist’ tag===
-The revelations by Spinwatch prompted a furious response from anti-fracking groups, who called on the justice committee at the Scottish Parliament to ask Police Scotland to change its approach reported ''The Ferrett''. <ref> Billy Briggs, [https://theferret.scot/police-scotland-fracking-ferret-report/ Police Scotland amends counter terrorism plan after fracking fracas], The Ferret, 25 September 2018 </ref> Following strong criticism at Holyrood from Green Party co-convener [[Patrick Harvie]] and First Minister [[Nicola Sturgeon]]'s statement that peaceful anti-fracking campaigners should not be considered extremists,  Police Scotland dropped the reference to fracking under the heading 'domestic extremists' from its the 2018/19 annual plan. Detective Chief Superintendent [[Gerry Mclean]] wrote to the Scottish Parliament’s justice sub-committee on policing:
+{{‪Template:Fracking badge‬}}The revelations by Spinwatch prompted a furious response from anti-fracking groups, who called on the justice committee at the Scottish Parliament to ask Police Scotland to change its approach reported ''The Ferrett''. <ref> Billy Briggs, [https://theferret.scot/police-scotland-fracking-ferret-report/ Police Scotland amends counter terrorism plan after fracking fracas], The Ferret, 25 September 2018 </ref> Following strong criticism at Holyrood from Green Party co-convener [[Patrick Harvie]] and First Minister [[Nicola Sturgeon]]'s statement that peaceful anti-fracking campaigners should not be considered extremists,  Police Scotland dropped the reference to fracking under the heading 'domestic extremists' from its the 2018/19 annual plan. Detective Chief Superintendent [[Gerry Mclean]] wrote to the Scottish Parliament’s justice sub-committee on policing:
 :“The Police Scotland annual police plan for 2017/18 did contain the following commentary: ‘There continues to be protests around shale oil and gas extraction and unconventional oil and gas extraction, and unconventional oil and gas extraction, both commonly referred to as ‘fracking’. This paragraph was contained within a wider and diverse section of the annual police plan under the heading of Domestic Extremism.
-:“Police Scotland does not consider any form of lawful and peaceful protest to constitute domestic extremism; however, we accept that from a presentational perspective a misinterpretation of this position may have been given from the way this small section of the annual police plan was worded and presented. No such reference is contained in the current Annual Police Plan for 2018/19.” <ref>  The National, [http://thenational.scot/news/16900264.police-scotland-drops-fracking-protest-terrorist-tag/ Police Scotland drops fracking protest ‘terrorist’ tag], 25 September 2018, accessed same day </ref>{{‪Template:Fracking badge‬}}
+:“Police Scotland does not consider any form of lawful and peaceful protest to constitute domestic extremism; however, we accept that from a presentational perspective a misinterpretation of this position may have been given from the way this small section of the annual police plan was worded and presented. No such reference is contained in the current Annual Police Plan for 2018/19.” <ref>  The National, [http://thenational.scot/news/16900264.police-scotland-drops-fracking-protest-terrorist-tag/ Police Scotland drops fracking protest ‘terrorist’ tag], 25 September 2018, accessed same day </ref>
 ==Articles and resources==