AUT: EU monitors MAI activists (fwd)

["Harry M. Cleaver" <hmcleave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 07 Oct 1998 00:26:14 -0400
From: Bob Olsen <bobolsen@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: dbleakney@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: EU monitors MAI activists



 Forwarded message.........


Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 13:09:22 +0200 (CST)
From: Andreas Rockstein <anro0002@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Andreas Rockstein <anro0002@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: CEO: EU wants to shadow activists (fwd)

[from Olivier, Corporate Europe Observatory, Amsterdam]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 15:17:50 +0200
From: Olivier Hoedeman <paxaran@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: EU wants to shadow activists

I would be grateful to hear from you if the following disturbing story
(rough translation from a Dutch newspaper article) has been discussed in
your country and if there has been any political response.

Olivier Hoedeman
Towards a Different Europe



Parool, Saturday 26/9 1998

"Europe wants to shadow activists"

by our correspondent Remco de Jong

Brussels - The 15 member states of the European Union will start exchanging
information about members of environmental action groups, participants in
demonstrations and people going to pop concerts, which might pose a threath
to public order and security.

This was agreed on by the European ministers of internal affairs and
justice already in May. It was decided not to make the decision public.
The decision to monitor these groups follows from the cooperation between
the national polices forces to prevent hooliganism during the European
Championships in football in England in 1996. The starting point is that
member states inform each other when groups 'that can threathen the public
order and security' go abroad to visit concerts or manifestations. The
information has to be passed on as soon as possible, also if a member state
has not requested it.

According to the agreement the member states give each other information
through 'connecting officers', which are placed abroad. The information
contains the membership and character of the 'suspected group', the likely
travel route, the places where stops will be made on the way and 'all other
relevant information', that the police can use to prevent disturbances of
the public order.

A paper which the UK, chairing the EU in May, put together for experts in
public order at the time of the agreement, explains why the common action
against football hooligans has been broadened to new target groups.
"Football violence is symptomatic for a much bigger problem", wrote Jack
Straw, UK minister of internal affairs. "Hooligans often have crimes on
their consciousness, like violence and vandalism. They sometimes have
contacts with political demonstrators and action groups that have nothing
to do with football. So there is violence happening at all sorts of
gatherings, such as pop concerts, environmental protests and even at
national celebrations", according to Straw."
............................................




 Bob Olsen	Toronto		bobolsen@xxxxxxxxxxx   (:-)
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