layz

It shouldn't slow anyone down. The police know ID is optional and should have a way for dealing with it. Easiest way is to ensure that those without ID move to the side and are dealt with by someone else and another officer deals with those with ID as they're quicker to process.

Whether the person genuinely has ID or not shouldn't matter. They should be processed the same and the police should be able to process them in the same manner.

It's funny that we get people who whine if a lounge asks for your FF card, which technically they're allowed to do but expect people to carry and show ID to an officer of the law that you don't legally have to own, never mind have in your possession.

I have nothing against the police using it to expedite their checks if there's a legitimate reason but I don't want the need to carry ID become de facto compulsory and those without ID get treated as criminals.

gcuk

I don't have any issue with showing a law enforcement officer in uniform my passport if he or she requests to see it. I'm happy to work on the assumption they are there and making the request for a good reason. Maybe I'm naive, even guilty of supporting the regime in the destruction of civil liberties but it really doesnt fuss me to show my passport if requested to do so. (And for once in my life, I have a passport photo I don't mind showing people )

fripperies

I don't see expediting a disembarcation as the issue here. That's the concern of the airline not the OP.

Arguing the toss? That's a loaded expression if ever I saw one. The neutral way to phrase it is 'exercising his right not to comply'.

Standing by one's rights may have inconvenient effects but that's never a good argument for waiving them.

Of course the firmness of one's stance and its effects should be proportionate to the principle. In this case the principle is the right to go about one's business without unlawful interference from officialdom. In law there's no requirement to possess photo ID. If police insist on it without reasonable grounds for suspicion, that's unlawful detention. In my book that's an important principle and outweighs the negligible effect of slowing down the disembarcation.

golfmad

I'm sure many of the 'liberals' on here will deem this to be less than relevant but perhaps the police were looking for someone specifically in relation to a potential terrorist alert. Do we really want to obstruct the police in their efforts to secure an airport?

Of course, I don't know whether this was the case or not but neither did the OP.

If asked for a photo ID I would be quite happy to produce one in the same manner that I'd be happy to undergo a random additional security check at an airport. If I didn't have a photo ID I would tell them but I wouldn't make it up just to avoid assisting the police which - to me - would seem pretty irresponsible.

HIDDY

I would just have said "sorry officer I don't have any photo ID.....will my Black Brazilian card do?" and be on my way in seconds.

chris1979

crickey.

as much as I am prone to enjoying making a point (I now have great banter with the lady at WH Smith in LCY who knows that I won't show her my BP), I am very glad that I live in a different London and UK from the one you seem to live in!

DELLAS

I think its a British thing that some still hold as part of their rights as a citizen. Many are against ID cards too where as in other countries you can't buy a SIM card for a mobile phone without one.

PeasantGate

xxxxx

camsean

Well done op. There are few countries where citizens have the right to refuse arbitrary demands to see id.

Those of us that are lucky enough to have the right should use it when ever possible.

raikje

One might suggest that, if the police are "securing an airport" by checking ID of pax disembarking an aircraft that has already cleared UK security, then someone is doing something wrong...

HIDDY

Yes I think that's fair enough but only when when you don't disrupt others when doing so.

The only thing worse than having to go through an extra security check is being held up by someone trying to make a point. I suggest all children of the revolution let those wishing to comply go through first then you can argue the toss all you want.

catandmouse

Well I got in a stonking argument at MUC where the store insisted not only on seeing ID but scanning it, which I refused. The grounds given were that it allowed the German tax authorities to determine whether VAT was payable or not on the item. I pointed out that an ID document says absolutely nothing about the residence of its holder, and therefore nothing about the tax position, and secondly the store in question made no distinction between tax paid and non-tax paid prices and that the exercise was therefore totally irrelevant. I then grabbed my ID from the scanner and walked out of the shop. I certainly don't want my ID scanned in a private shop where no-one can guarantee what's going to happen to the information, particularly as the whole exercise was pointless from a tax perspective.
I'm not sure I would want even a police officer to see ID unless there is a reason (a real legal one) for doing so.

Tim1975

When the police overstep the mark and behave badly (lying about the Aviation Security Act for example) that leads to a breakdown in trust between the people and the police and THAT itself puts us all at greater risk of terrorist attack. There is a real and significant terrorist risk in this country caused by a breakdown of trust in the police among members of certain religious and ethnic communities. That lack of trust means that people of good-will in those communities are less inclined to report matters of concern to the police and that puts us all at risk. It would be at great detriment to the security of all of us if that distrust deepened and spread to the general population. And yet every time a police officer misleads (as here), lies (as in the Plebgate affair), or otherwise abuses their power that trust breaks down just a little bit more.

Tim1975

Agree Hiddy. Wishing to make a valid point about ones rights doesn't have to entail forgetting to be polite.

HilFly

+1