Outcry as police order local newsagents to name customers who bought Charlie Hebdo
POLICE have caused fury after they requested the names of British customers who bought copies of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Officers asked at least three newsagents for people’s details in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.
Yesterday, Wiltshire Police apologised after admitting an officer had taken down the names of four people in the town of Corsham who bought the magazine featuring a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed on the front.
Two further newsagents in South Wales were reportedly called by a community officer asking for the names of customers who had bought the post-attack issue.
David Jones, 63, was told by his local shop in Beddau, Pontypridd, that an officer had asked for his name after he bought a copy for his 21-yearold son, who studied French at university.
He said: ‘I am astounded that this intrusion has occurred and wonder what right the police have to check up on what I and others are reading. Surely their time would be better spent hunting deranged people who want to behead citizens on our streets.’
He said his newsagent told him that anther stockist in a nearby town had also been asked about Charlie Hebdo customers.
‘I cannot fathom out what link they think exists between a local person in a small town in South Wales, a satirical French magazine and some terrorists,’ he said.
‘Trust in the police is low and this type of official or unofficial snooping on private individuals will not improve the situation. They are acting like the Stasi.’
Grandmother Ann Keat, 77, was also told by her newsagent in Corsham that police had asked for her name, and the names of others who had ordered Charlie Hebdo.
The retired nurse said: ‘I was cross – what’s wrong with me wanting to buy it? It’s an intrusion, and in terms of free speech it’s worrying really.’ Hundreds of Britons queued for a copy of the £3.50 souvenir edition of the magazine, published following last month’s attack by Islamic extremists on its offices which left 12 people dead. Emma Carr, director of Big Brother Watch, said: ‘The Charlie Hebdo attack brought millions of people worldwide together to condemn those who seek to silence free speech.
‘It is therefore alarming that overzealous police officers are attempting to find out who has bought a perfectly legal publication. We have to hope that these are isolated cases.’
Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights organisation Liberty, said the officers ‘may have had good intentions, but the road to oppression is paved that way’.
Wiltshire Police said it had carried out an ‘assessment of community tensions’ after the Paris attacks. As part of this, officers were asked to be ‘mindful’ of newsagents that were stocking the magazine.
A spokesman said: ‘A police officer visited a local shop and post office in Corsham to make an assessment of community tensions ... during this conversation the officer requested information about subscribers to the Charlie Hebdo magazine.
‘Wiltshire Police would like to apologise to the members of public who may be affected. [This information] has been permanently and securely disposed of.’
A spokesman for South Wales Police said they were ‘not currently aware of anything regarding the incident’.
‘They are acting
like the Stasi’