FIT watch website offering student advice closed down

[TonyGosling]

two Guardian articles on this story

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/16/fitwatch-website-c losed-police
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/16/student-anti-police-websit e-closed

The Fitwatch blogpost, which last night had reappeared on several other websites, recommended that students "get rid" of clothes they wore at the demonstration and change their appearance.

"Perhaps now is a good time for a makeover," said the post. "Get a haircut and colour, grow a beard, wear glasses. It isn't a guarantee, but may help throw them off the scent."

Hours later, the Met's "e-crime unit" informed Fitwatch's website hosting service – JustHost.com – that the blog was being used to attempt to pervert the course of justice by providing guidance to "offenders".

"We hereby request [you] de-host this website for a minimum period of 12 months," it said in a letter seen by the Guardian. "The website is providing explicit advice to offenders following a major demonstration in central London.

"The demonstration was marred by violence and several subjects have already been arrested, with a major police operation under way to identify and arrest further offenders."

The letter stated that authority to close "the website and IP address" had been given by Will Hodgeson, an acting detective inspector at C011.