Merseyside Police Force
The Merseyside Police Force is in charge of applying the rule of law in the county of Merseyside (approximately 1.5 million people). [1]
Its constabulary boundaries contain many PEDL blocks which the UK government has licensed for oil and gas exploration.
INEOS, Igas, Cuadrilla, Egdon and Aurora are among the fracking firms hoping to exploit shale gas reserves in the region. [2]
Prevent Policy and anti-fracking protestors
In November 2016 Spinwatch revealed that the Merseyside Police Force had included ‘anti-fracking’ as a form of ‘domestic’ extremism in its latest Prevent presentation.
This contentious powerpoint document forms the basis of the Merseyside Police, 'special branch' programme of presentations to schools, governors, colleges and childcare providers. One of its five divisions, Sefton Council, has also used the document.
The presentation describes ‘Anti-fracking’ campaigners as ‘domestic’ extremists on a list that includes the ‘extreme right wing’ groups the English Defence League (EDL) and North West Infidels, and 65 international groups who are considered ‘international’ extremists. [2]
References
- ↑ Merseyside Police Force website, accessed 06 December 2016.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Russell Scott, More police forces and councils labelling peaceful anti-fracking protestors as 'extremists' alongside ISIS and far right, Spinwatch, 02 December 2016. Accessed 6 December 2016.
