Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#1

Post by sp332 » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 4:01 AM UTC

Hackerspace raided in Sweden
forskningsavd.se

Re: Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#2

Post by ryanwaggoner » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 4:44 AM UTC

It is common in Sweden that the police never return computers once they have been raided. If they give it back, it will usually at least take some years, the computers will be old by then.

Ugh. Stuff like this makes me so angry.

Re: Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#3

Post by rick_2047 » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 4:54 AM UTC

It totally looks like the raids described in "Hacker Crackdown" the operation sundevil(citation needed). Even more like the raid of the illuminates game developers.They raid your office for no reason at all. Cant you sue them in anyway?

Re: Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#4

Post by st3fan » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 5:08 AM UTC

I think there is more to this story than people realize.

My Swedish is a little rusty, but from what I read in the media and the police press announcement, the following happened:

The Malmo hackerspace is located in a building that has roots in the squatter/anarchist collective scene. That group was organizing a party there where they were apparently selling alcohol without a proper license.

During the raid of that party, the police simply went through the whole building. Including the hacker space.

If this is what happened then the raid had probably completely nothing to do with the hackerspace and everything with their hosts.

Re: Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#5

Post by weaksauce » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 5:09 AM UTC

ryanwaggoner wrote: post #2

It is common in Sweden that the police never return computers once they have been raided. If they give it back, it will usually at least take some years, the computers will be old by then. Ugh. Stuff like this makes me so angry.

This happens in a lot of countries. It's unfortunate at best, malicious at worst.

Re: Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#6

Post by dbz » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 5:21 AM UTC

ryanwaggoner wrote: post #2

It is common in Sweden that the police never return computers once they have been raided. If they give it back, it will usually at least take some years, the computers will be old by then. Ugh. Stuff like this makes me so angry.

I agree. What will the police even do with the computers? There should be laws against that kind of thing. Seriously disgusting.

Re: Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#7

Post by wallflower » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 5:26 AM UTC

weaksauce wrote: post #5

ryanwaggoner wrote: post #2

It is common in Sweden that the police never return computers once they have been raided. If they give it back, it will usually at least take some years, the computers will be old by then. Ugh. Stuff like this makes me so angry.

This happens in a lot of countries. It's unfortunate at best, malicious at worst.

Example: 2009 April FBI raid on Core IP Dallas data center

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=546067

> [Core IP CEO] Simpson added that there were 50 businesses without access to email and data due to the raid. "If you run a datacenter, please be aware that in our great country, the FBI can come into your place of business at any time and take whatever they want, with no reason," he wrote.

Bruce Sterling foreshadows "Data Havens"

"A data haven is a computer or a network that holds data protected from government action by both technical means (encryption) and location in a country that has either no laws, or poorly-enforced laws restricting use of data and no extradition treaties."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_haven

Re: Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#8

Post by jordanb » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 5:45 AM UTC

st3fan wrote: post #4

I think there is more to this story than people realize. My Swedish is a little rusty, but from what I read in the media and the police press announcement, the following happened: The Malmo hackerspace is located in a building that has roots in the squatter/anarchist collective scene. That group was organizing a party there where they were apparently selling alcohol without a proper license. During the raid of that p…

So then the Police entered the building ostensibly to break up an illegal party, and then decided to confiscate the computers while they were there?

That sounds like a fishing expedition to me.

I don't know what the law is in Sweden, but in the US there are 4th amendment protections against that sort of thing.

Re: Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#9

Post by fnid » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 5:48 AM UTC

Why do they have cut away locks to practice lock picking and blank keys and stuff like that? Sounds kind of shady.

Re: Hackerspace raided in Sweden

#10

Post by rdtsc » Mon, Nov 30, 2009, 5:51 AM UTC

wallflower wrote: post #7

weaksauce wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This happens in a lot of countries. It's unfortunate at best, malicious at worst.

Example: 2009 April FBI raid on Core IP Dallas data center http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=546067 > [Core IP CEO] Simpson added that there were 50 businesses without access to email and data due to the raid. "If you run a datacenter, please be aware that in our great country, the FBI can come into your place of business at any time and take whatever they want, with no reason," he wrote. Bruce Sterling foreshadows…

In case of encrypted data, can't the US government legally force one to disclose passwords following a raid? In other words they might raid a company, they find encrypted hard drives so they ask for passwords. Then does revealing passwords fall under "self-incriminating" or not revealing them fall under "obstructing justice"?