To Subevrt or Not to Subvert That is the Question

gloucs | policing | news report Friday April 04, 2008 10:39 by Madboy vggang at hotmail dot com

I was arrested for subverting a billboard on the 3rd of April. This is an outline f what happened and the issues it raises.

My heinous crime

"Advertising often works by making us feel unhappy with our lives, anxious and dissatisfied. The messages are that you are not OK unless you buy this, wear that brand, wash your hair with, and look like that very slim model. It attacks our self esteem."

www.youngmedia.org.au

So there I was driving home down the Bristol road in Gloucester being bombarded by adverts invading my public space, buy a phone, buy a house buy a car I'm being told along with the 1000's of people who drive down the same road everyday.

So this invasion of my space annoys me, the average person is bombarded with loads images everyday that they have no control over.

So I get out me car with my can of spraypaint and then decide to adjust or subvert as it's called a few of the old mind controls myself. So there I am adding to the beauty of a certain mobile phone billboard. When I am literally apprehended by the law after a short chase which, involved said member of the law revealing his distinct lack of unfitness. So I am arrested for criminal damage for spraying disconnecting people, two words that is, on to a poster. I am searched and my Nokia phone taken off me, possibly doing me a favour of which the officer states gleefully 'Oh you’ve got a phone' to which I reply 'It's an ironic world we live in isn't it'. Thinking to myself you’re a policeman, aren’t you meant to be protecting the public.

As I am obviously an extremely dangerous criminal they handcuff me so that I am in pain, and then call for another 2 police to bring the riot van to take me away to be punished for my misdemeanor. I am then taken to Cheltenham police station whilst still handcuffed, in pain, in a riot van, as my requests to loosen the handcuffs are ignored.

So I get banged up for a couple of hours to reflect on my serious wrongdoings. I am then interviewed about my heinous crime of subverting a billboard which, in my eyes was only an improvement to the vision of the good people of Gloucester. I explain that I do not class it as criminal damage, as I have not caused any permanent damage to the billboard, and that it is subjective whether the advert has been damaged or improved. I personally think subverting it has improved the advert, as it educates people about advertising. (A case of public service methinks, should be paid for it not arrested)

I am then told that it could have been much more serious, as I could have been charged with a Public Order offence. Apparently if a couple of people had walked past and felt offended by what I had done then I could be in deepo shito. I replied well this advertising offends me, so can I report public order offence against these advertisers, to which he smiled and said doesn’t really work like that. So I get my caution because I sort of admit it although state that I don’t class it as criminal damage and don't fancy having to go to court.

Then I am told that I have to give fingerprints and a DNA sample. Well I'm not very happy about this. I stated that’s theft of the most personal nature. I have to see the constable who basically informs me that if I do not give a sample then they will hold me down and remove my hair by force, great a free haircut methinks. I ask a solicitor his opinion he states that since 2003 New Labour has introduced this law that you must give a sample and that if you refuse they can take it by force. Scary shit. So I have no choice but to do this and consequently have now become an indefinite fixture on the DNA database for my public service.

This takes about an hour; let's tally up this constructive use of police time shall we.

2 police officers and one car arrest me around (30 minutes)
They then call a riot van with another two police to take me to Cheltenham (45 minutes)
Waiting with officer to be booked in (15 minutes)
Desk officer takes my details and belongings (10 minutes)
Placed in a cell (60 minutes)
Constable speaks to me (5 minutes)
Officer does paperwork and interviews (15 minutes)
Two other people take my DNA and fingerprints (15 minutes)
Another constable issues a caution. (10 minutes)

Plus other random bits of time it all adds up to about five hours of police time.

God knows how much this cost.

5 hours later I am let out, now part of a DNA & Fingerprint record, with a caution on my criminal record.

Now some of you might think I deserve this, that’s your point of view, but Think about my story and what it means.

What property is private?
Who decides the images we see everyday and why should the police protect them?
What is criminal damage?
What has happened to my liberty?
What was the financial cost?
Who is a criminal?
What is the role of the police?
Where's my DNA gone?