[no2id-supporters] NO2ID Newsletter No.68

Thu Mar 29 17:32:43 BST 2007

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    NO2ID Supporters' Newsletter No. 68 - 29th March 2007

*Contacting us:* Call or email the office - 020-7793-4005 or 
(office at no2id.net). Please do not reply to this email. (The from address 
is the not a working email address)

      ID-DAY EXPOSES ID INTERROGATIONS WITH STILL A MONTH TO GO

Many thanks and congratulations to everyone who arranged or participated 
in ID-Day activities across the UK on Monday 26th and in the days 
leading up to it. Media coverage from Scotland to the South coast; 
public meetings, protests, street theatre, stalls, leafleting and even a 
comedy gig, all waking up even more of the public to the threat of the 
government's authoritarian ID scheme and network of interrogation centres.

ID-Day was a graphic demonstration that it's not only high-profile or 
London/Westminster-focussed events that get our message across - it is 
essential that we engage the public directly and through local media, 
reaching people where they live. Even one or two people can make a 
difference if they're willing to stand up and tell it like it is.

You may have already seen signs of Home Office spin in response - 
stories planted in the local press to try to defuse local dissent. A 
transparent attempt to justify interrogations by admitting to issuing an 
estimated 10,000 dodgy passports last year seriously backfired, leading 
to further condemnation and ridicule.

As public trust dissolves, now is the time to push even harder.

People can still "Show them you're not a number"* and we have to reach 
all those soon to become liable for interrogation so they can apply for 
a passport before it's too late.

Unsurprisingly, we learn that the Home Office schedule has slipped yet 
again. The first few interrogation centres (in Peterborough, Belfast, 
Glasgow and Newport) are now not expected to open for business until 
May. Please use this extra time to keep spreading the word - downloading 
and distributing our "Take a hike, Tony" factsheet from 
http://www.renewforfreedom.org and promoting NO2ID's "Show them you're 
not a number" photo protest [details below].

We've further actions for when the centres actually begin to open - but 
with a further onslaught of database state initiatives and legislation 
in the pipeline, we must ensure that our collective 'NO' rings out ever 
louder across the land.

--
* We'll be keeping the line open for people to send us their photos - 
details at http://www.no2id.net/id-day - for the next few weeks, at 
least until the first centres open their doors. Please note that NO 
identifying information (even the number of the phone from which the MMS 
was sent) is stored or linked to any image. 

      What's next?

        Local groups

We have groups all over the country and in 36 of the 69 locations of ID 
interrogation centres. If you can help to set up a local group in one of 
the remaining towns then please contact us at (office at no2id.net). A full 
list of local groups can be found at (www.no2id.net/localGroups)

        Home Affairs Committee seek contributions for surveillance
        society inquiry - but hurry!

This week the Home Affairs Committee launched an inquiry entitled "A 
Surveillance Society?". The inquiry will focus on the following areas: 
"Access by public agencies to private databases; Data-sharing between 
government departments and agencies; Existing safeguards for data use 
and whether they are strong enough; The monitoring of abuses; Potential 
abuse of private databases by criminals; The case for introducing 
privacy impact assessments; Privacy-enhancing technologies; Profiling". 
They are seeking written submissions of no more than 2,500 words by 
*Monday 23rd April*! So there's a little job for the Easter break. 
Further details are at: 
www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/home_affairs_committee/hacpn070327no18.cfm

        Saturdays 1pm - 3pm - NO2ID Edinburgh Campaign stall

After a short break during Christmas and Hogmanay NO2ID Edinburgh has 
resumed its regular Princes Street campaigning stall on Saturdays. We 
shall be at our usual location at the east end of Princes Street, 
opposite the Balmoral Hotel, from 1pm - 3pm. We use our stall to raise 
public awareness of the Identity Cards scheme, collect donations and 
entries for the NO2ID petition, and also to increase membership of our 
group.  Please do pop by for a chat if you happen to be around. We aim 
to have the stall up and running most Saturdays, and new volunteers are 
always very welcome. You can see photos of our stall and group contact 
details at: www.no2id-scotland.net/edinburgh/

        29th March - Chelmsford - 'Personal Privacy or Surveillance State?'

Thursday, 29th March 7.30 for 7.45, Local Green Lectures presents an 
open meeting and discussion evening on 'Personal Privacy or Surveillance 
State?' at Friends' Meeting House, 82 Rainsford Road, Chelmsford. 
Speakers: Tony Bunyan, Editor, Statewatch  - "The war on terrorism and 
the surveillance society", Guy Herbert, General Secretary, NO2ID - 
"Stuck in the middle: you and the database state". Free(Donations 
Welcome). Refreshments Available.

        30th March - Kensington & Chelsea NO2ID stall

Friday, 30th March at Portobello Green. Campaign stall where we will 
also be selling our NO2ID mugs (a bargain at £4 on the stall or 
Kensington & Chelsea will also do mail order + £3 pp. - contact 
kensington at no2id.net for more info).

        31st March & 1st April - Glasgow NO2ID stall

Saturday, 31st March & Sunday, 1st April - The NO2ID stall will be 
appearing in Buchanan Street from 2pm onwards. Volunteers are always 
welcome.

        2nd April - Highbury NO2ID March meeting(1st Monday of each month)

Monday, 2nd April 6.30 for a 7pm start at the Jorene Celeste pub, 153 
Upper Street, Islington.  All welcome for an informal meeting to discuss 
forthcoming events and related issues to NO2ID's campaign. All welcome. 
For further information please contact Caroline - highbury at no2id.net

        3rd April - Glasgow NO2ID meeting (and every other Tuesday
        thereafter)

Tuesday, 3rd April 8pm in Mono at 8pm. Note the slightly later time than 
previous meetings.

        1st Tuesday of the month - Hackney NO2ID monthly meetings (Next
        Meeting:  Tuesday 3rd April)

The Hackney local group covering London E8, E5, E9 & N16 areas meet on 
the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 in Cafe Bohemia by Hackney 
Central Station. New support very welcome to help raise awareness over 
the coming months

        7th April - NO2ID Cambridge Campaign stall

Cambridge NO2ID will be running Saturday street stalls outside Cambridge 
Guildhall from 10am onwards on Saturday 7th April and Saturday 28th 
April. Location Map: http://tinyurl.com/eo42r. Volunteers to help very 
welcome - contact Andrew Watson via cambridge at no2id.net, or on 07710 469624.

        19th May - NO2ID stall at Levellers' Day, Burford

Saturday, 19th May - Kensington & Chelsea NO2ID will have a stall in 
Burford with the help of Swindon and other local groups.

        2nd June - NO2ID Stall at Cambridge Strawberry Fair

Volunteers needed to man the stall for 2 hour shifts from 10am until 
10pm: please contact cambridge at no2id.net, or text/call Andrew Watson on 
07710 469624. We signed up 750 supporters last year - we'd like to 
double that number this year. (Strawberry Fair info: 
http://www.strawberry-fair.org.uk)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

      What just happened?

        Glasgow ID Day protest

On Monday morning campaigners gathered outside the new Glasgow 
Interrogation Centre to perform a terrorist act as part of the national 
ID Day protests. A uniformed official (East German Border Guard, if you 
are wondering) interrogated campaigners and passers-by and demanded that 
they jump through pointless bureaucratic hoops before adding their 
details to the Stasi-like National Identity Register and deciding 
whether to issue them with identity documents or tag them as criminals. 
Among those interrogated were campaigners acting as an old lady and a 
terrorist and some nearby clowns. Patrick Harvie MSP also turned up to 
join in the fun. Reporters turned up from BBC radio and Real radio but 
declined to be interrogated, instead insisting on interviewing us. A 
couple of jolly policemen stood by while all this was happening but did 
not interfere - even when the terrorist act was being performed! It was 
particularly gratifying to have civil servants working inside the 
building come out to sign our petition.
Scripts for two of the acts are available on Indymedia: 
http://scotland.indymedia.org/newswire/display/3913/index.php
Some photos from the day are available on Flickr: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7507098@N02/sets/72157600028857139/

        Edinburgh's ID Day robot protest

On ID Day Edinburgh NO2ID staged a two-hour demonstration outside Apex3, 
the anonymous office block just to the west of the city centre which is 
to be the site of the local ID interrogation centre. Eight members were 
dressed eye-catchingly as barcoded robots in white hooded overalls with 
featureless white masks. Other members held up the group's new placards 
or handed out leaflets. The robots stood on both sides of the main A8 
road, holding passports and pointing out the IPS office particularly to 
passengers on buses stopping nearby. Mark Ballard, MSP for the Green 
Party, also attended to lend support while the two policemen detailed to 
watch the protest had a very easy time. There was a gratifying response 
from a large number of passing drivers who sounded their horns and gave 
the thumbs up sign; indeed there was 100% support from the many refuse 
and recycling trucks going to a nearby depot. The only negative comment 
was from a passerby who thought that ID cards would help stem illegal 
immigration. The demonstration got good pre-publicity in the local press 
and on BBC On-line. The Daily Record carried a photograph and a short 
report in its printed version and there was coverage on two local radio 
stations.
Some photographs are at http://tinyurl.com/37bt6c.

        Glasgow comedy gig

Hundreds of people gathered in the Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow last 
Saturday evening to hear a fine selection of comedians performing for a 
NO2ID Comedy Gala benefit. The event was a success - fun seems to have 
been had by all and we will probably try something similar next year. 
Very special thanks must go to Tom and Fraser of You Owe Me Glue who had 
the original idea for this event and did so much to make it happen. Some 
photos from the comedy gala are available on Flickr: 
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=NO2ID&w=13326386%40N00

        Brighton's ID Day

Around 150 people gathered in Brighton on Monday to protest against the 
government's ID cards scheme. The event, which was part of our ID Day 
national day of action, was attended by several local councillors and a 
representative of UNISON. Labour councillor Roy Pennington spoke at the 
event, as did candidates for election Sue Bucknall (Lib Dem) and Martin 
Grimshaw (Green). All expressed their opposition to the government's plans.

        ID Day in Leicester

Leicester NO2ID marked ID Day by distributing leaflets and getting 
signatures for the national petition. The theme for their protest was 
'Last day of freedom in the UK'. Local co-ordinator Jon Cloke said: "We 
know that the government has deliberately played this down, but even so 
the number of people who haven't even heard of the ID card is quite 
worrying." Campaigners were also interviewed on a local TV channel.

        NO2ID get cross party support in Tunbridge Wells

On Saturday 17th March Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark (Con) and several 
opposing parliamentary candidates from the Greens, Lib Dems and UKIP all 
united against the government ID scheme by publicly signing the NO2ID 
petition. You can see a photo and details at Tunbridge Wells NO2ID new 
website:  http://www.tunbridgewells-no2id.org.uk/ . Tunbridge Wells 
NO2ID finally got an article and letters in the local press too, after 
many attempts - but not on the cross-party opposition!

        Blair claims ID cards are "only" solution to secure borders

Tony Blair ramped up the fear and racism agenda this week when he 
claimed that ID cards are the only solution to securing UK borders. 
Blair was speaking at a seminar with biometric and immigration 'experts' 
as the government published yet another new strategy, this time for 
securing the UK's borders. Blair stated: "Once people are here, ID cards 
are the only way of tracking them inside the UK."

        Royal Academy of Engineers enter the Surveillance State debate

This week the Royal Academy of Engineers produced a new report: 
'Dilemmas of Privacy and Surveillance - Challenges of Technological 
Change'. The report warns: "The state should remain the ultimate 
protector of citizen rights to privacy and should not garner new powers 
to invade the privacy or increase surveillance without strong 
justification and the explicit consent of citizens. The government of 
the day should only ever have temporary and revocable rights to affect 
or suspend rights, and their powers should be challengeable in the 
courts or by appeal to an ombudsman or similar agency."
Read the report at; 
www.raeng.org.uk/policy/reports/pdf/dilemmas_of_privacy_and_surveillance_report.pdf

        Frightening vision of the Big Brother State laid out in
        government policy review

This week the government released a policy review document entitled 
'Building on progress: Security, Crime and Justice report'. The report 
lays out a shockingly authoritarian government agenda in which ID cards 
are presented as the centre piece of their immigration strategy. The 
word privacy only appears once in the 105 page document just before they 
go on to say that "Citizens are asked to accept the gathering of greater 
levels of information and intelligence in the knowledge that this will 
facilitate improvements in public safety and law enforcement". Compare 
this to the Royal Academy of Engineers report on the surveillance state 
(detailed above) in which the word privacy appears 228 times.
Read the document at 
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/policy_review/documents/bop_crime.pdf
------------------------------------------------------------------------

      "ID" in the news

        Reid tightens up UK visa rules - The Guardian 28/3/07

The UK is to expand its border controls so that three quarters of the 
world's population will need biometric visas to visit the UK by the end 
of next year, it was announced today.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2044696,00.html

        ID cards for immigrants to strengthen UK security -
        politics.co.uk 28/3/07

Foreign nationals will be forced to carry ID cards, as part of new 
measures to strengthen border controls, the Home Office announced today. 
Immigration minister Liam Byrne said foreign nationals will need ID 
cards to work or claim benefits, restricting access to those qualified. 
The measure was announced as part of a raft of measures to tighten 
security, alongside new visa controls and the increased use of biometric 
data.
http://tinyurl.com/2dbna9

        Children face criminal checks from the cradle - The Daily
        Telegraph 28/3/07

Checks will be made on all children to identify potential criminals 
under an extension of the "surveillance state" announced by Tony Blair. 
Most crime is committed by a small number of offenders who could be 
identified almost from birth, ministers believe.
http://tinyurl.com/22q5yw

        Barcode demo at ID office - Daily Record 27/3/07

Protesters dressed as barcoded robots to demonstrate against ID cards 
yesterday. Dozens of campaigners gathered at Edinburgh's new passport 
interview centre to protest against plans to keep personal records on file.
http://tinyurl.com/255gau

        Blunkett is given job at identity card firm - The Observer 25/3/07

David Blunkett has taken a job advising a company interested in bidding 
to run Britain's controversial identity cards programme, a policy he was 
the architect of and championed in government.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/blunkett/story/0,,2042464,00.html

        RFID and care records could be linked - E-health Insider 21/3/07

A future in which data from hospital systems, including the Care Records 
Service (CRS), can be integrated with radio frequency identification 
(RFID) tags used to track patients and equipment in hospitals was 
spelled out at Healthcare Computing in Harrogate this week.
http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/item.cfm?ID=2557

(Please send me any items of interest you encounter - 
Editor(newsletter at no2id.net) )
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Publication details: © NO2ID 2007 - This document may be freely 
redistributed in one-to-one communications or physical copies as long as 
it is reproduced in its entirety including this notice. It may not be 
mass-mailed without the prior permission of NO2ID.

NO2ID, Box 412, 19-21 Crawford Street, LONDON W1H 1PJ
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