Film: Phantom Parrot

Tonight, it was film - and I got enough of the film list done to come up with Phantom Parrot, a documentary about the unusual powers granted to UK Border Police. Q+A afterwards. Curzon Bloomsbury, of course - and already mostly booked out, so I booked. Funnily enough, although I'm still entitled to four free films, I couldn't see how to avail of that! so ended up just getting a discount instead. Will normally not be booking in advance, so should be less of an issue, with staff to help..

It rained a lot today, but sporadically - I escaped it until I alighted from the bus, and as I climbed the steps to the Brunswick Centre, I slipped several times: didn't fall, thankfully. The shoes I wore don't do well with slippery surfaces, you see, and what with the rain, and the smooth concrete of the Brunswick Centre, it was something of a lethal combination. But I survived.. I'd been aiming to eat beforehand, but unfortunately the traffic had been terrible, so I was running a bit late, decided to leave it to afterwards, and headed straight for the cinema. Where I ordered Sauvignon Blanc and chocolate-covered honeycomb bites, and when I gave my email address so I could get my member's discount, someone behind the bar asked whether the "U2" in the address corresponded to the band. "Why, yes".. and she mentioned how she'd been to see them once, and it was so amazing.. :-) I do love an excuse to talk about them..

I settled in the bar, and noted the podium at the top of the stairs, for greeting "Phantom Parrot Guests". In due course, I moved downstairs to the cinema, where there was more seating, and at a respectable time (having arrived early), I headed in. My seat was pretty central, pretty close to the screen - which didn't sell out, in the end. And after some trailers, and a short speech from someone involved with the film, we were into the feature.

One thing they couldn't get away without doing, of course, was to explain the title - which, it turns out, is derived from a piece of software that gleans information from mobile phones. Apparently this is one of the things that Edward Snowden first leaked, and he's name-checked in the film. Basically, UK Border Force - unlike other branches of UK law enforcement - have the power to force you to disclose, frankly, any information they want. To refuse to answer is to be in breach of Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act. (Interestingly, I'm finding it very hard to get the actual text of the schedule in a general search.) Specifically, as pointed out, what they seem interested in are your electronic passwords, phone PIN, stuff like that - and the film shows footage of a security training course in the States, with the instructor explaining to his class what can be done, and the rationale for getting this information.

In particular, the film follows the story of Muhammad Rabbani, director of Cage human rights organisation, who was passing through Heathrow when he was detained, and asked - under Schedule 7 - to reveal his phone PIN. Since his phone contains - as he says - sensitive information pertaining to others, he refused to get drawn into a warren of refusing to answer specific questions, by just refusing to offer any information at all. Whereupon - he was arrested. As a terrorist. At his trial, the judge apparently conceded that he was no threat whatsoever, but said her hands were tied - he was in obvious breach of Schedule 7, and he was found guilty. So now he's a convicted terrorist - who never, in his life, carried out a terrorist act.

Terrible, terrible implications for civil liberties, and for journalistic integrity here. Interestingly, his lawyer is Gareth Pierce! Yes, she who got the Guildford Four released, after 15 / 16 years of wrongful imprisonment. Seems she's now working on wrongful convictions in the Muslim community - that should take her a while.


An interesting Q+A afterwards saw Rabbani take the stage, along with the film's director, and a human rights lawyer (not Gareth Pierce, who was doubtless busy elsewhere). The lawyer made a striking point, when he said that the UK has powers that other countries envy. It was explained that what they are up to is the collection of data about a certain whole section of the population (Muslims, in this case). Rabbani pointed out that they have history - of collecting data about the Mujahideen in Afghanistan. "Ah yes", said the lawyer - "but you know they did it first in Northern Ireland.." Yes, and we know that collection of data about Northern Republicans led to its being leaked to Loyalist paramilitaries, and to killings of Catholics in the North. And that's a chilling example of the danger of large-scale data collection..

And so for food - I got to GBK at about 8.45, and by 9.15 they were tidying up around me - as it happened, I was (by a short margin) the last one out. Phew, I'd forgotten how filling their food is - I'm still stuffed! Better wine than at the cinema, I might add..

Tomorrow, The Hideout: Horror Sci-Fi Club London are off to see Hellraiser (yes, the remastered original) at the Prince Charles, heading to Clubhouse 5 after. Which prompted me to check out the film list - but you know, I simply couldn't see anything more fun on it! And it's about time I saw this, even if I don't like the book. So I'll be joining them. Film should be less scary than today's..

On Saturday, back at last with the London Classical Music and Theatre Group, for Mahler's Resurrection, at the Royal Festival Hall. My sometime companion from Up in the Cheap Seats wanted a suggestion for something for the afternoon, though - so now we're also off to an organ recital, at the same venue beforehand.

On Sunday, delighted to be with Buddies on a Budget in London - rarely do I get the chance - for the Pearly Kings & Queens Harvest Festival, at the Guildhall!

And on Monday, I'm with London Baroque Music Lovers for a chamber music concert at Wigmore Hall.

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