From the Telegraph:
Council officials told to question adults in public park without children
“People out for a stroll or to walk their dog face being quizzed about their motives for being there and placed under suspicion of being a paedophile.
Senior officials at Telford and Wreckin Council said the policy was to protect children and the vulnerable, and they would only stop anyone acting suspiciously.
But their actions have been branded heavy handed and “draconian”.
The policy came to light after two environmental campaigners dressed as penguins were thrown out of Telford Town Park when caught handing out leaflets on climate change.
Rachel Whittaker and Neil Donaldson, of the Wrekin Stop War pressure group, were told they had to leave the park because they had not undergone Criminal Records Bureau checks or risk assessments before being allowed near children.”
—
This riles me up for several reasons. As a Pagan I like to go to parks. Communing with nature to Pagans is like going to church for Christians. Say I go to a park alone to chill with the trees and that might get me questioned? Irk #1.
Irk #2 is my childfree choice. My main reason for being childfree is that I don’t like children. Generally I avoid parks that families go to because of this. Some parks are secluded and quiet so I go to those instead. But getting harassed because a person isn’t a breeder with a child in tow? Grrr….
Irk #3 is the obvious political angle. People dressed as penguins handing out pamplets on climate change are doing activism. They’re not pedos who’ve created an elaborate disguise to grab the kiddies. If these two were handing out pro war pamphlets I’d bet they wouldn’t have gotten hassled.
Posted by Vixen as News at 10:58 PM CDT