Section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act of 2006 - A worrying development?

Abuse of power - doubt it. More like sensationalist rubbish quoting one or two examples which probably represent only a fraction of a percent of the amount of fans that travel round the country each weekend to support their team. Still, any excuse to have a pop at the rozzers, eh?

Not an abuse IMO. Those that are targetted are normally targetted for a good reason.

Police have too much power and it seems to go there head.

You should of seen them at Aldershot Ant, following us lot back to Hant's Reds house and searching our van. Anyone would of thought it was Millwall v Leeds.

"Watching football is not a crime"

Anything that gives the police the power to act without any evidence, crime having been committed or justification is a very bad thing and is open to abuse.

I've always thought the police look like they would rather be on the other side causing the mayhem. But I suppose they are happy that they get paid for what they do.

Antony Moxey said:

Abuse of power - doubt it.

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What is it if not an abuse of power? Liberty certainly seem to think so and are helping fnd the judicial review application.

I very much doubt Parliament intended this section to be used to round up fans (who seemingly had done no wrong whatsoever) by the score and escprt them out of a county.

Perhaps you might form a different opinion if you read about The Stoke fans in question?

http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/Policing-of-Stoke-fans-raises-serious-concerns.php

And:

http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2008/11/fsf-how-not-to.html

Granted we only have one side of the argument but the Police are normally loud when they feel they have done no wrong and silent when they realise they might have over-stepped the mark. No comment on this one.

Strongbow said:

Anything that gives the police the power to act without any evidence, crime having been committed or justification is a very bad thing and is open to abuse.

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Yes.I'm with you on that one...

A very worrying development in any democratic country......The totalitarian state has got a step closer in the UK...

I hate scuffers, FACT !

Section 27 is just another example of the death of policing by consent and is useful training for the grief we have got to come when people realise how badly they have been mugged.

New Labour's lasting legacy will be one prolonged assault on the civil liberties we all used to take for granted. By and large the mindless public smile gormlessly, clap, buy the Mail, go home and mutter about Asylum seekers. While the government use the excuse of crime and terrorism to pass ever more draconian legislation.

Detention for up to 28 days without charge, control orders, ID cards, various terrorism acts, the removal of Jury trial in some instances, greater sentencing powers to barely trained magistrates while restricting the freedom of sentencing given to the trained Judiciary, on the spot fines without any due process, ASBOS - it says alot when the Tories are howling at Labour over their civil liberties record.

All of the above will destroy the British way of life far more effectively than a bomb or knife crime. What is worse is that it is only the beginning - few governments hand back liberties and freedoms they have taken away.