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# A Database on Dissent
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/a-database-on-dissent/
- Published: 2008-12-13T15:12:08.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:42:28.000Z
- Author: Tom Griffin
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:49

**Tom Griffin (London,** [**OK**](https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom)**)**:Disquiet about Metropolitan Police tactics towards political demonstrations has grown in recent months, not least in the wake of [events in London](http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23495390-details/Bush+demo+police+%27were+blood+hungry%27/article.do?ref=opendemocracy.net) during George Bush's visit in June and in [Kent](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7712396.stm?ref=opendemocracy.net) during the Climate Camp in August. The [latest revelation](http://fitwatch.blogspot.com/2008/12/fit-officer-admits-in-court-to.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) from campaign group FITWatch will only add to those concerns:

*A Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) officer this week admitted publicly that he entered data from FIT operations onto a centrally operated database. This is the first time the Met has publicly acknowledged the existence a database containing details of people involved in political protest.* 

The admission is significant because this database would hold a great deal of sensitive information about an individual’s political activity. The accumulation of information by the police on a person’s political affiliations or beliefs is a very sensitive area, and potentially a breach of the Human Rights Act.