[CTC] TPP: Police undertake riot training

[Arthur Stamoulis]

New Zealand and Malaysian police preparing to crack our comrades' heads…


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11578174 <http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11578174>
TPP: Police undertake riot training

New Zealand Police have been undertaking mass riot training ahead of the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in Auckland next month.

The trade agreement, that has sparked widespread controversy due to its closed-door negotiations, will be signed by international diplomats on February 4.

Dozens of large-scale protests have been held across the country as the five years of negotiations for the deal came to a close in the US last year.

The Herald understands that increased riot training - officially known as public order training - has been taking place ahead of the signing, as police prepare for more possible civil unrest.

Police Association vice-president Senior Sergeant Luke Shadbolt said that the TPP signing was the focus of annual public order training.

The Herald understands that the training goes over and above previous annual training, and involved more staff on a "mass" scale.

Police National Manager of Response and Operations, Chris Scahill, said police were responsible for all security aspects of the event.

He would not be drawn on any operational details for the event - including staff numbers.

"We can however say that we plan for every eventuality which can be anticipated, and the measures we take will be appropriate and thorough.”

The police operation will be overseen by Police National Headquarters, and will involve staff from a number of police districts."Under the 12-nation TPP trade deal, New Zealand joins a club that accounts for 40 per cent of the world economy.

The TPP will eliminate tariffs on 93 per cent of New Zealand's exports to the United States, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and Peru.The Government estimates the agreement will be worth at least $2.7 billion a year by 2030 for New Zealand.


Cops vow action against troublemakers at anti-TPP rally
Malay Mail
January 20, 2016
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/cops-vow-action-against-troublemakers-at-anti-tpp-rally#sthash.3G4r0ecN.dpuf <http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/cops-vow-action-against-troublemakers-at-anti-tpp-rally#sthash.3G4r0ecN.dpuf>
 
Those who disturb public peace and violate provisions in the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012 during this Saturday’s protest against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement will face action, Dang Wangi police warned today.
 
District chief Asst Comm Zainol Samah said rally organisers submitted their notice on the event to the police last Tuesday but this did not contain the required permission from City Hall (DBKL), which is the owner of the chosen venue at Dataran Merdeka. 
 
Since then, he said, the organisers have yet to submit a fresh application. “Right now I haven’t got the notice. Previously it didn’t meet the requirements so I haven’t got the completed notice. They need to include a permission letter from DBKL,” he told reporters today.
 
“I urge them that if they want to cause a ruckus to stop it as police will not tolerate it. We will take action if they break any laws under the PAA,” he said. He added that the organisers plan to hold the rally at several locations around Kuala Lumpur, including the PAS headquarters at Jalan Raja Laut and at Masjid Jamek, before making their way to Dataran Merdeka. The organisers have assured the police, however, that they will not march to Dataran Merdeka but instead will take public transportation. 
 
Zainol also said that the organisers were asked to move their rally to Padang Merbok instead but the suggestion was turned down as the suggested location purportedly did not fulfil their needs. “They said to me the place doesn’t help them achieve their goals; they want a place where people are already there. So we police will take that into account,” he said. Police have already begun preparations ahead of this Saturday’s rally to ensure that public order remains intact, he added. 
 
“Police have detailed preparations and a plan outlined. We have a sufficient number of police officers and police will do patrols there to ensure public safety is maintained and I was also informed that the organiser also have their own security team,” he said. According to Zainol, the event’s organisers, which includes a large battalion of about 300 NGOs, are expecting a turnout in excess of 20,000. 
 
Organisers of the “Bantah TPPA” movement confirmed their intention to rally this Saturday after the High Court last Tuesday rejected the judicial review application against the TPP that was filed last year by Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim), Urusetia Menangani Gejala Sosial (Unggas) and Persatuan Teras Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Malaysia (Teras). Islamic party PAS and its splinter group Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) will also be participating in the rally. 
 
In their application, the groups also sought a stay order from the High Court to stop the government from signing the TPP until the disposal of the merits of the judicial review. Twelve countries, namely Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US, Vietnam and Malaysia, concluded the TPP negotiations in Atlanta on October 5 last year. The TPP is a free trade agreement that has been negotiated by the US, Malaysia and ten other nations as part of the larger Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership since 2010.

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