Report urges Met to facilitate fair reporting

The recent Metropolitan Police Authority Civil Liberties Panel report in the aftermath of the April 2009 London G20 protests has many welcome recommendations. Its conclusions on police relations with journalists include the advice that "If containment is used, officers should be required to record when they prevent journalists from crossing containment cordons and the reasons for doing so". And the Panel wants "a more clearly auditable trail" kept by police of such incidents. The MPA also – after a minimal amount of research – was able to knock on the head suggestions often heard from front line coppers that Press Cards “might be forgeries”. There’s more here.