An article in IndyMedia (’A network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues’) caught my eye:

ARE NETCU WASTING THEIR TIME? Report into political policing

I had to read it several times to get what I think is the gist; that the UK’s national police unit (NETCU) that coordinates control of domestic extremism, including animal rights extremism - and other such police activity around the world - has not stopped protests and attacks.

Well NETCU’s job is not to stop protest, as long as it’s legitmate. The provisions of UK’s Serious and Organised Crime Act that apply to animal right extremism are not there to stop legal protest. The law has to be broken for the Act to be used. As an example see what it covers in this video link.

NETCU’s job is to deal with illegal activities. This IndyMedia article euphemistically calls this

Actions by those who opt to work by night ....

So all this led me to ask what are IndyMedia editorial guidelines. They ‘hide’ posts that include:

Discrimination: posts using language, imagery, or other forms of communication promoting racism, fascism, xenophobia, sexism, homophobia or any other form of discrimination.

So it seems Indymedia thinks all these -isms are not OK, but it is OK to allow posts that implicity endorse serious intimidation and violence against people involved in biomedical research, as long as posts include, as this one had, statements such as:

Please note that this report is for reading purposes only and was not produced to encourage or incite anyone to break the law