[hackerspaces] Metalab supports Forskningsavdelningen, you should too!

[quemener.yves at free.fr]

Funny that I receive this email simulataneously with this news :

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbevw8_deux-policiers-filmes-en-flagrant-d_news

Pretexting an ID control, policemen fill a bag of items taken in the shop. I am unsure whether the issue at forskningsavdelningen is specific to the hackerspaces or if it is not an habit from policemen to just seize any thingie that looks valuable. Lockpicking tools make a very good excuse to take all the rest.

I don't want to raise an overtly political flaming debate here, but I wonder if the issue is really education about hackerspaces instead of respect of the law by policemen. I am not an expert of the Swedish judicial system but I think that arbitrary seizure of property is illegal and may be even unconstitutional there. The fact that policemen still do it is a much wider problem.

I think that the issue is bigger than the hacker's community and that trying to address it is a reeeeeally heavy political issue that can drain a lot of resources. 

My (cowardly) opinion on that is : document it, publish it, and live on. This fight can not be won. On the next elections in your country remind this episode to as many voters as possible. But if you intend on fighting in order to get back your tools, and seized hardware, you will just waste more resources on judicial and political procedures than on hacks. This is a really unfair drawback, but one has to move on.

This raises an interesting issue : Could hackerspaces backup each others' data ? That would make the loss of a server less critical. Are there plans to do it already ?

----- "fin fin" <fin at hackerspaces.org> a écrit :

> Hello everyone,
> 
> after a week of internal discussion, fact-checking and
> information-gathering, Metalab has published an open letter in
> support
> of Forskningsavdelningen, the Malmoe hackerspace that was raided by
> police in late November.
> 
> --> http://metalab.at/medien/forskningsavdelningen/
> 
> We think it is imperative to show worldwide support, so please
> consider joining our effort!
> 
> Thank you
> 
> -fin
> ^metalab.at
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