What Ever Happened to People Power?

Episode image for What Ever Happened to People Power?

Duration: 30 minutes

When we want to fight plans to build a waste dump in our back yard, we take to the streets in protest. But what if that results in the police filming and searching us, noting down our car registrations and keeping our details on file for up to seven years?

Panorama asks if police tactics aimed at preventing troublemakers taking over demonstrations are eroding the freedom to protest for all but the most hardened activists.

Last on

Wed 15 Jul 2009 01:20 BBC One only on Wales

See all previous episodes for Panorama

  • Whatever Happened to People Power

    Panorama examines how powers granted to police with the intention of halting terrorists are being used instead to curb legitimate forms of protests.

    Read more about Whatever Happened to People Power

  • Protesters and the police

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    Panorama meets two very different protesters who share their experiences of police tactics in Britain today

  • Map of the UK's protest hotspots

    Panorama maps some of the key areas of where police and protesters have clashed in recent years.

    Explore the protest hotspot map

  • The fight for the right to object

    Panorama looks at some of the laws that are being used to reign in the right to legal, peaceful protest in Britain.

    Read about some of the laws

  • Archive: A policeman's lot

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    Criticism of the police is nothing new. Panorama spoke to both police and the public in Liverpool in February 1960 and found suspicion and misunderstanding on both sides.

  • Whatever Happened to People Power?

    Read reporter Raphael Rowe’s blog

  • Your comments

    Read a selection of your comments to the programme

  • Panorama 2000 to present

    If you'd like to know more about Panorama programmes dating back to 2000, including features, transcripts, video content and more, please click on the link below.

    Browse the Panorama archive

Credits

Presenter
Jeremy Vine
Participant
Raphael Rowe
Producer
Judith Ahern

Broadcasts

See all broadcasts of What Ever Happened to People Power? (5)

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