Tom Shaw was told by security officers that what he was writing was ‘suspicious’ and despite his protests he was asked to leave the train.Oh. What was he writing? Surely not a 'Take me to Cuba!' note, I don't think they have the franchise for that, do they?
No, it was a playlist:
Once on the platform Shaw showed the officers his list, which included the name of the best-selling American rock band as well as the Oasis song Cigarettes and Alcohol (Ed: Yeah, that probably didn't help..) and Shut Up and Let Me Go by British band the Ting Tings.Whew! Thank god he didn't want to include something by The Grateful Dead or Poison, or he could still be standing on a station platform somewhere, explaining himself to some semi-trained cretin with a shoe size bigger than he and his colleague's IQ put together...
After giving explaining to them why he had written Killers, the officers let the 25-year-old bassist go.
SWT said that the two mouth-breathers had now been dismissed from the company, and in recompense, Tom would get free travel on their trains for the rest of his life, adding 'Please god, don't sue us, we're in enough trouble already..'
Ha, only kidding:
A spokesperson for South West Trains said: ‘We employ highly-professional rail community officers who work closely with the British Transport Police in protecting the security of passengers on the rail network.Note the third paragraph - uniformed goons can now stop you, force you off the train, question you about your plans, and decide whether your explanation 'satisfies them' or not.
‘During a routine high-visibility patrol, they spoke with a passenger on the platform at Fareham station.
‘The team clarified the nature of the individual's business, were satisfied with his explanation and the man went on his way.
‘We would like to thank him for his co-operation and understanding of the need to be vigilant in the current environment.’
And they can do this if you have a ticket, are sober, are just minding your own business and not causing any trouble.
And some weaselly PR flack will trot out the old 'Just doing our jobs keeping the railways safe from terrorists' line and everyone goes 'Oh, OK then'....
16 comments:
Poor bastard, being stuck in Fratton until the next train :-) I'd fucking sue.
"Note the third paragraph - uniformed goons can now stop you, force you off the train, question you about your plans, and decide whether your explanation 'satisfies them' or not."
If they try and stop me they'll really wish they hadn't
Similar sort of thing is happening in my neck of the woods, not to do with trains though. This concerns not commiting an offence and then getting stuck on datebase to track behaviours etc. Still more work for the unemployable I suppose.
See here for the details;http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/local/harwich/5062089.Tendring__Award_winning_parking_scheme_to_be_rolled_out/
Julia, you evil woman. I just saw that in the Mail and was gearing-up. Then I saw your take.
I'm not bothering bloggingit now because I would have written exactly what you did.
You mind-thief!!!
I'll give you a link.
I've read the article again and again and I still can't understand WTF has gone on. I really don't understand what these people in reflective jackets are doing or even WHY? This has to be one of the most sinister things I've ever read (other than the official statement) Christ Almighty get me out of here.
There are less real Police Officers on the street and more of these quasi community support security guards.
A young in service Police Officer usually has a chance to ask advice from an Officer with more years and experience. And even then the Police over react/under react, (usually because of some stupid Govt Policy.)
I remember an advert for Securicor that ran in the 1970s. It was a guard looking at a broken window at a factory and the caption. 'We guard your premises and if we find a problem, we call the Police'
There was a clear demarcation between the Police and 'Guards'
"rail community officers"?
Did I miss a memo. Do we have plastic plods on the trains now?
What next, morons in Hi-Viz vests doing air traffic control?
"rail community officers" What Office do they hold? Clearly not that of Constable since that would be the Transport Police.
I suspect that like the Highway Agency Officers in their scary black uniforms and fancy 4X4s they probably have very limited powers in reality.
Just as well I don't travel by rail anymore.
"rail community officers"
Do they actually have the right to detain a member of the public, to remove a member of the public from a train? Do they have powers of arrest beyond those that we all have?
I wonder if they were committing an offence (false imprisonment?) in removing / detaining someone who clearly was NOT committing a crime?
"This concerns not commiting an offence and then getting stuck on datebase to track behaviours etc. Still more work for the unemployable I suppose."
Jesus!
That's the most insane (and sinister) thing I've heard in a long time...
"I'll give you a link."
Cheers! I'll be back to my normal lazy self before long... ;)
"I really don't understand what these people in reflective jackets are doing or even WHY?"
I'm afraid I do. Especially now I've seen Mud in the Blood's link...
"There was a clear demarcation between the Police and 'Guards'"
As there should be.
"What next, morons in Hi-Viz vests doing air traffic control?"
At this point, nothing would surprise me...
"I suspect that like the Highway Agency Officers in their scary black uniforms and fancy 4X4s they probably have very limited powers in reality."
And they rely on people not testing that. This needs to change.
"Do they actually have the right to detain a member of the public, to remove a member of the public from a train? Do they have powers of arrest beyond those that we all have?"
I doubt it, they'd probably hasve to summon a real cop to do thay, like PCSOs do.
But no-one ever seems to force the issue. We've grown too passive and too trusting of 'authority', in whatever guise it presents itself...
Surely it's time we all got hi viz vests and black overalls as travel attire.
If you can't beat them at least join them.
"There are less real Police Officers on the street and more of these quasi community support security guards."
or just any twat in a hi-vis jacket.
Think Soviet Union or Communicst China with street committee chairmen, or Soweto and kangaroo courts, or any socialist paradise where the law-abidng are easy targets for suspicion and rumour by these "official" bully-boys. Then ask yourself, is it really any different here?
Surely the words "what he was writing was ‘suspicious’" is the single worst aspect of this ridiculous story? If I found some goon looking over my shoulder watching what I was doing I would be filing charges against him/her.
We are constantly being reminded to be on our guard when carrying out financial transactions, why the hell should it be acceptable for some jobsworth to be looking at my work??
"We are constantly being reminded to be on our guard when carrying out financial transactions, why the hell should it be acceptable for some jobsworth to be looking at my work??"
A good point..
I think they should be forced to wear Viz vests - let's see them try to be officious in a Fat Slags or Sid the Sexist t-shirt.
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