The Labour MP for York Central says she is going to raise concerns about the policing of a pro-Palestine march in York (Saturday 23 May)
Rachael Maskell says some of the protesters feel really uncomfortable about being filmed by officers. A number of the people who attended the march, which started in St Helen’s Square, told YorkMix that they felt intimidated and worried about where the footage would end up.
Some said the actions of the police had prompted them to cover their faces although they accepted that there were also plenty of live CCTV cameras and lots of people taking pictures and video on their phones.
But they said the police openly taking video was another matter.
The MP said she would be asking North Yorkshire Police to explain why this was thought necessary: “I’ve never seen that before, and I do think it is overstretching what should happen.
“I mean, in York, we’re always peaceful and bringing out a message of unity, and I know that some of the protesters would feel really uncomfortable about that because ultimately people are standing up in our city together today, because they want to see that unity, and I think it is quite intrusive, the police doing that.
“There is no trouble, there are no problems, everybody is unified. So I just want to understand why they’ve chosen today, of all days, to come and film this protest,
“I’m going to ask the police when I get the opportunity, because I want to understand their operations.
“I know that they are using more technology, and of course now they’ve got things like facial recognition being used as well.
It’s always good to see the police on the streets of the city, because we know when the police are out, crime falls.
“But I would say they’re better deployed, probably elsewhere, focused on stopping things like retail crime, rather than focusing on a peaceful protest.”
Ms Maskell did ask to speak to the officer in charge of the operation but they were not available at that stage. So she says she will take it up with the police later on.
YorkMix is also in the process of asking for a comment too.
