Just in case we lose sight of what is being done to us and on our behalf - here are some of the salient points from the article:
"Detailed information about the political activities of campaigners is being stored on a number of overlapping IT systems, even if they have not committed a crime."
"Senior officers say domestic extremism, a term coined by police that has no legal basis, can include activists suspected of minor public order offences such as peaceful direct action and civil disobedience."
".....routinely deploy surveillance teams at protests, rallies and public meetings. The NPOIU contains detailed files on individual protesters who are searchable by name."
"One man, who has no criminal record, was stopped more than 25 times in less than three years after a "protest" marker was placed against his car after he attended a small protest against duck and pheasant shooting. "
"Police surveillance....... record footage and take photographs of campaigners as they enter and leave openly advertised public meetings."
"Denis O'Connor, the chief inspector of constabulary, will next month release the findings of his national review of policing of protests. He has already signalled he anticipates wide scale change. His inspectors, who were asked to review tactics in the wake of the Metropolitan police's controversial handling of the G20 protests, are considering a complete overhaul of the three Acpo units, which they have been told lack statutory accountability."
Acpo's national infrastructure for dealing with domestic extremism was set up with the backing of the Home Office in an attempt to combat animal rights activists who were committing serious crimes. Senior officers concede the criminal activity associated with these groups has receded, but the units dealing with domestic extremism have expanded their remit to incorporate campaign groups across the political spectrum, including anti-war and environmental groups that have only ever engaged in peaceful direct action."
Is all this really the equivilent to the information carried on my passport? No, of course it isn't, but it does have the makings of an excellent police state.

"you will find Jim Carroll's posts leaping to his friends defence."
Quote please
To make the picture quite clear, - I knew Bryn briefly 40 years ago through a singing workshop we were both involved in and have had no contact with him since apart from a few public exchanges on Mudcat. I find the maiming of animals (and human beings) deeply offensive and doubt very much if somebody who has genuinely indulged in such practices would admit publicly to having done so - look at the efforts Mrs Thatcher's friend made to avoid coming to trial for such behaviour.
As I said - smear.
Jim Carroll