"...the form includes, names, aliases, addresses, phone numbers and, most worryingly, the ethnic background of the audience"
Policing Artists
A universal truth is becoming apparent to many people across Wales and the UK. We are inexorably sliding into a Totalitarian state. Many were beginning to wonder how and when the government would find the excuse to police artists, and finally the perfect opportunity has presented itself.
Wrapped in the disguise of ‘ensuring safer venues,’ the new 696 form, found at www.met.police.uk/events/forms/form_696.doc, is a piece of legislation that directly targets performers and their audiences.
At least fourteen days before an event, licensees must hand over to police a mass of information about promoters and performers. This includes, names, aliases, addresses, phone numbers and, most worryingly, the ethnic background of the audience.
Now obviously the Met are saying that this in no way means that they are discriminating against anybody because of their race. The Met would have us all believe that they are paragons of virtue who treat each member of society equally. This is interesting really when you consider the fact that it was only last summer Britain’s most senior Asian police officer, Tarique Ghaffur, launched a legal claim against the Metropolitan Police over allegations of racial discrimination. Mr Ghaffur has since settled out of court in November 2008 for a sum approximating £300,000, but I digress…
Form 696 is an eight-page piece of bureaucratic nonsense that has been devised by the Met to supposedly enable them to target venues and acts that ‘might cause trouble’, and this applies to any licensed premises where there is live entertainment. The legislation applies to the 21 London Boroughs policed by the Met and we can be sure that if it’s considered successful (and we all know that outcome) then it will be rolled out across England and Wales.
Artists must work to have this legislation revoked in the London Boroughs and ensure that this is not extended to cover the rest of England, Scotland and Wales. The Met have attempted to give assurances that, in reality, form 696 will apply only to performances likely to draw large crowds. So why give the police the power to enforce this upon anybody attempting to put on a live event? Especially when failure to comply could mean the loss of a license, a fine or even imprisonment. Overzealous rules and laws only lead to abuses of power, and it is the public that suffers.
This legislation will make putting on live bands next to impossible for most small venues, and it would be completely impractical to run an ‘open mic’ night. Professionals across all live entertainment sectors fear that if form 696 becomes an accepted part of putting on a gig it will be copied in other cities.
A campaign against form 696 is backed by a number of artists, including Feargal Sharkey, of Teenage Kicks fame, and a petition has been logged on the number 10 Downing Street website against 696. You can sign the petition online at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Scrapthe696.
This does though beg the question; ‘how long will it be before promoters have to give the police a list of everybody who attends a gig?’ This is just another example of the police state monitoring the population. Perhaps ‘those in charge’ would prefer it if we all remained in our houses after 8pm - and watched all events ‘Live on TV’.
posted: 18 Jan 09
Comments:
David White - 18th Feb 2009
This is already here! I have been in education for thirty years. The last 10 as a successful headteacher. I am also a keen photographer and now dare I say, a budding writer/poet. Recently a parent complained to the police about photographs on my website from my first solo photographic exhibition which was opened by our local MP, had media write up and raised over a thousand pounds for a local children's hospice. (plus I sold a few!) I was arrested and had my computer impounded. Happily no action was taken as there was deemed to be no substance to the complaint. However, the arrest is now recorded on my CRB disclosre and I was dismissed from my position as Headteacher! (though it was subject to employment tribunal settled in my favour before hearing!) However I have still lost my job and career and a blot on my CRB which is preventing me from obtaining more work. This is just another form of the same fascism!
