Remixes of the paranoid London police "anti-terror"/suspect your neighbours posters

Yesterday's remix challenge -- to mock the ridiculous new "anti-terrorism" posters the London police have put up that tell you to spy on your neighbors -- was a smashing success. I've collected the 25 or so that came in to date below (sorry if I missed one or two -- I did it all by hand!) -- click through to see them all and prepare to laugh and weep and laugh and weep.

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/27128437@N07/3390008754/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27128437@N07/3389197167/
Anonymous

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37409123@N06/3440394259/

The average citizen in the UK is caught on CCTV cameras 300 times a day.

CCTV evidence in court is found to be inadmissible in at least 70% of cases.

Home Office research showed that crime rose by nearly 46% after CCTV cameras were installed.

Only 3% of crimes were solved by CCTV
adonai

The Mind Games posters (usually it’s Mind F**k) don’t actually have anything in them to make you shit bricks – it’s a minor trolling technique.
andygates

Oh lordy, there’s one of these pernicious things in Exeter.

“A bomb won’t go off *here* because Devon bombers are incompetent yokels.”
nraustinii

The juxtaposition of baby and garbage can was just too good to pass up: http://tr.im/hTzW
Anonymous

Terrorism is the commission of acts intended to inspire fear, in order to control or intimidate a population or government.
Can we call the hotline to report the police for putting up these posters?
codereduk

Fantastic job, every single one!

Keep ‘em coming!
arkizzle

“Instead of mocking government efforts to prevent terrorism, why not try “remixing” the ad into a more effective campaign??”

You seem to think there is an achievable compatibility.. But what better than to mock the security theatre the these posters imply?

What information about terrorism do you have, worth putting in poster form, that will aid the populace of the UK right now?
marthagrace

Speaking of NYC’s subway campaigns – I saw a tourist staring uncomprehendingly at a Metrocard vending machine one day. She was muttering “What the…” to herself, so I peeked over her shoulder. Scrolling across the screen, in lieu of any useful directions about ticket purchasing: If you see something, say something.
quiettrickster

Just heard the radio advert version – it’s not just Londoners they want to be paranoid, you know.

Strathclyde Police, on the other hand, want us to report hate crime. Hm, I wonder…
Anonymous

Instead of mocking government efforts to prevent terrorism, why not try “remixing” the ad into a more effective campaign??
Anonymous

“A bomb won’t go off here because all it would blow up is this stupid sign.”

Yeah, this seems rediculous. These signs’ [original] messages seem like they’re trying to PROMOTE terror.

@ the garbage one: “Whoops, you were just cleaning house? Our bad. Please don’t sue us for slander.”
BlackPanda

This isn’t just a London thing, I’m afraid.

The posters were spotted at Poole railway station in Dorset, this morning.
catastrophegirl

@#4 CHOLTEN99 – moo.com makes some great sticker packs for a reasonable price if you just upload your own images. i’d do it if i lived on that side of the pond.
but maybe i can make something appropriate to the US….. hrm….
oneplusi

Yet another police poster spotted in a street in Cambridge:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oneplusi/3388175790/
BenjieGillam

Brilliant, every one of them.
Anonymous

Dutch variation:

Netherlands against terrorism

and the parody

Netherlands against bad weather
apoxia

My favourite one is the one using probability to point out the extremely low likelihood of being killed in a terrorist attack. That one alone bascially sums the whole thing up.
Anonymous

Absolutely bloody brilliant…Well done everyone!
Faraz
Axx

What’s up with the Mind Games poster? Is something hidden in the image, or am I just being a dunce and not getting the joke?
yopino

@13strong: genious! can I print that on one of my T shirts and wear it at the G20?
Brett Burton

Someone needs to do these for NYC. I would love to see this type of thing swapped out for the “See something, say something” ads on the subway.
carlmorris

I just saw one near my house in Cardiff. I’ve seen it all now. This is Wales! Greetings!
nathanjm

Here’s mine,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/masseyrocks/3389441427/sizes/l/
Anonymous

a new message should be place prominantly in torbay by the bent torbay council and its chums at devon and cornwall police as follows:

you are being watched, yes we will make up as many fake statements as we can about you, and its got bugger all to do with anti-social behavour!

welcome to the new KGB its the british democracy system, we know your a terrorist.
TroofSeeker

Okey, kids, here’s mine (not sure if this will work):

http://pixpipeline.com/st/09b2bb888484.jpg/img/url
cory

@adonai 38: it’s particularly appropriate here. The whole goddamn original ad campaign is a major, government-organized trolling technique.
jarv75

Arggh, missed this. Did mine a few days ago…

http://s3.amazonaws.com/jarv75/public/stuff/btp_poster_1.jpg

http://s3.amazonaws.com/jarv75/public/stuff/btp_poster_2.jpg

http://s3.amazonaws.com/jarv75/public/stuff/btp_poster_3.jpg
Anonymous

Fantastic!! Well done guys!
Anonymous

My attempt…
http://www.kryogenix.org/code/metposter/?main=7+weeks+ago+a+family+of+American+tourists+made+a+quick+glance+at+the+CCTV+cameras.They%27re+dead+now.&extra=SUPPORT+THE+PARANOID+STATE&credit=Confidential+Anti-Neighbour+Hotlinewww.kryogenix.org%2Fcode%2Fmetposter&mimg=people.png
Anonymous

Funny & pointed – brilliant. Reminder: Hitler was democratically elected. Big Brother Brown worries me.
Anonymous

#10: There are some in Leicester too. Because Terrorists like targeting small countryside cities.
MrsBug

Frikkin’ genius!
Anonymous

Need same approach on the ‘what you say will be taken in evidence’ police posters we are seeing in Bristol. Someone?
Mindpowered

Please. Someone start to poster these over the met posters.

Any of them! All of them!

I’d do it too, if I lived there I’d be doing it too.

And sending them to irreputable media outlets.
Anonymous

My mother told me that during WWII the Nazi encourages children to spy on and renounce their parents who spoke against National Socialism and the war (but maybe that was propaganda too?!) Doh, now I’m confused.
cory

I don’t see anything suspicious in Mind Games either. Pretty sure that’s the point. ;-)
OP_TIMUS

Here’s one from Nottingham:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3404507622_6f07f4f1bf_b.jpg
richphill

Hi just checked out the Aussie sheet and was amazed to learn that Phase 3 would follow on from Phase 2 just shows how educated some gov. persons in this world can be!!
Anonymous

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/-FPM8tXgzLqrHan-DbwaBw?feat=directlink

is my effort
richphill

Hi again in the post from Nottingham the other advert should provoke more fear and will possibly cause more deaths in thelong run.
tonyb

@#19 Brett Burton
I just made one for New York’s posters :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyb2007/3387780687/

(The idea is that there is nothing there, see http://www.mta.info/mta/news/newsroom/images/high-res/seesomething_hi.jpg)
Anonymous

Here’s my attempt

http://www.kryogenix.org/code/metposter/?main=These+chemicals+won%27t+be+used+to+make+a+bomb+because+this+isn%27t+Fight+Club+and+your+neighbour+isn%27t+Brad+Pitt.&extra=Be+afraid+of+everything.They+want+you+to+be+scared.&credit=Confidential+Anti-Neighbour+Hotlinewww.kryogenix.org%2Fcode%2Fmetposter&mimg=bin.png
Anonymous

Can anyone tell me where’s there’s an outdoor version of these posters in London. So far I’ve only seen them on the tube. I’m working on an assignment for college and I’d love to photograph one of these ridiculous posters.

Anyway… Here’s my contribution… http://www.sheridanflynn.com/blog.html

Cheers,

S.
Anonymous

@27
I spotted that one yesterday in Peterborough too. Unfortunately, I might get arrested because I stopped to laugh at it.
James Holden

Make your own here:

http://jamesholden.net/billboard/
Anonymous

Can the people in the picture complain if they dont want their images used in this way?
I presume they are real people.
SilverBack

These were amazing! Someone needs to print a couple and hang them about. Being paranoid won’t solve anything…being knowledgeable helps. :)
Anonymous

Hilarious ! What a tonic. I didn’t realise they were so widespread until now. I’ve been silently seething thru the bus window at the (CCTV) one that’s been up in Luton for the last three weeks…
Anonymous

these are great! if only it was just a fraction of our society that saw terrorrism as the controlling government PR stunt that it is rather than the other way round.
Anonymous

Absolute genius, especially “Minesweeper”, “He’s dead now” and “…arrested for photographing CCTV camera”

These posters have also reached York. “A bomb won’t go off here…” is displayed at this location:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/db5avb

The billboard is the long grey shape in the middle, in case you were wondering. Now, call me complacent but I would suggest that a bomb won’t go off there because there’s *sod all to blow up*!

Anyone else seen these in completely inappropriate locations?
ColmR

Here’s another..

http://picasaweb.google.com/cfryan01/BoingBoing#5317556767975897650
newe1344

@ #2

thank you, I genuinely laughed out loud!
mrdavidcolin

……having glanced at a cctv camera today I think i’d better turn myself in………………better still why isnt there mass phone in to report me….?
13strong

This was my mash-up in response to the attack on the home of criminal banker Fred Goodwin:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3559/3385733606_e0c7d70fdc_o.jpg
13strong

Oh, and these are great. Well done peoples.
Anonymous

We’re way ahead of the Brits in Australia. Our National Security Hotline for the Terminally Paranoid was launched in 2002 and is still going strong with radio, TV, press and bus shelter ads advising us to report our neighbours for anything suspicious or acting ostentatiously normal

http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/agd/www/nationalsecurity.nsf/AllDocs/D1197555B9B04E9FCA256FAB00168903?OpenDocument

http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/agd/WWW/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(CFD7369FCAE9B8F32F341DBE097801FF)~l000PRESS+AD+Mojo+-+Press+FINAL+-+31+July+2007.PDF/$file/l000PRESS+AD+Mojo+-+Press+FINAL+-+31+July+2007.PDF
Anonymous

Another one here:

http://antagonise.blogspot.com/2009/03/if-you-suspect-it-report-it.html
hbl

I know I’m late to the party, but here’s my offering.
Anonymous

WeÂ´re probably all gonna be arrested for taking the piss and laughing about these. ;)

Regards,
Barbarella B.
vetnoir

Absolutely Brilliant. Particularly the BB one.
Philipp Lenssen

HUMOR IS CRIMETHINK
XtraXtra

and yet another one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36779121@N05/3388998905/
Anonymous

Excellent!

Now how do we get these on the side of every bus in town?
Anonymous

For how to post them around the city, use a projector.

no need to pay for media, just a good wall, in high traffic location, will work.
Anonymous

Don’t read too many paranoid posters!!
you could die laughing.
Anonymous

deluded…perceptive…optimistic, yet full of submissive fear…your notions carry nothing without the rationality and submissive self belief to mobilise a mindset which so begs for a figurehead who simultaneously embraces all thy notions yet in doing so with the vigour to enact, thereby destroys
cholten99

Now, if only someone were to sell packs of A5 stickers made up of these…

A good old flysheeting campaign never hurt…
hbl

Er, try again: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hbl/3388966957/sizes/l/
13strong

I’d like to flypost copies of the original posters behind CCTV cameras.

Then they could prosecute people for looking at their posters! Hurrah!
Micah

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to point out the non-white people (!!!) in the background of the “a bomb won’t go off” one. Fortunately, I was not disappointed.
Anonymous

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=1556tko&s=5
Jingles

That minesweeper poster is genius
edtoo

enemies of freedom the lot of you
Auto Parts for Brains

Some of these are really well thought out. Everything must truly be done in moderation. Anything in excess is evil. If the government do not exhibit care in all their actions to prevent terrorism, they might end up being the entity they are protecting people from.

This is just a guess, but in the eye of some of the people of the country we invaded and set war on- like, Iraq, we are the terrorists.
Daemon

Somebody needs to be making REAL posters along the same lines, and having them put up in all the same places the government ones are.

I’m surprised that I haven’t seen any referances to nazis or any other real-life facist regimes that recommended spying on your neighbors.
Trilby

@OnePlus #27

Actually, that poster is part of an ad campaign for the new “Police Pledge”. The point of it is that any complaints or feedback the public have will be listened to and acted upon to improve the police force. It’s using the familiar phrase to attract attention.

Not really something to get angry about, like the comments on Flickr.
Anonymous

this one is nice:
http://tinyurl.com/cmmgzb
Anonymous

they’ve even got these stupid posters up here in sunderland. they’re huge!
Anonymous

Just to let you know, these posters aren’t only in London. I spotted the CCTV one near my University Library in Sheffield (North England), because Yorkshire is obviously No.1 on the list of terrorist targets
greenormal

oh well we’ll probably be added to the ‘some thousands’ the ever acutely well informed MI5 report said were supporting terrorism
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7718240.stm

thanks to james h for making it such a synch and to several previous ones for making me almost piss myself laughing (eg @32)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_x7bhnRA7nIA/Sc2McZgOdjI/AAAAAAAABUE/yQEjckzpGD0/s1600-h/billboard.jpg
Anonymous

and another…
http://www.kryogenix.org/code/metposter/?main=These+chemicals+won%27t+be+used+to+make+a+bomb+because+this+isn%27t+Fight+Club+and+your+neighbour+isn%27t+Brad+Pitt.&extra=Be+afraid+of+everything.They+want+you+to+be+scared.&credit=Confidential+Anti-Neighbour+Hotlinewww.kryogenix.org%2Fcode%2Fmetposter&mimg=bin.png

Chris
nanuq

All the more reason to fight the UK anti-terror campaign before it gets proclaimed a “success” and copied in other countries, And it will.
Takuan

beginning of the end for another city

http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Olympics2010/2009/03/26/legal-requirement-street-cameras-2010/
Bugs

Some of those are awesome. What’s going on with the “Mind Games” one though? Is there actually something changed in the picture, or is it just a “terror posters” = “mind games” joke that I’ve completely sucked the humour out of with this question?
Anonymous

These are great!

Here’s my contribution

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34903158@N02/3410840815/
Anonymous

If you ever needed any proof that this campaign is about fearing and marginalizing dark-skinned people, you need to look closely at the CCTV photo.

Everyone in the foreground is light-skinned, and dark-skinned people lurk behind them.

It’s hard not to conclude that the campaign isn’t plainly appealing to racists.
TheCrawNotTheCraw

@10,

“because Yorkshire is obviously No.1 on the list of terrorist targets”

Because of the Pudding, right?
tonyb

I just made http://crap.tonybox.net/cctv.jpg :)
Anonymous

Too Tasteless?

http://f.imagehost.org/0587/g20-met.jpg
Anonymous

Great stuff!

My own contribution

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3647/3410840815_9ee6f81a1d_o.jpg
Anonymous

All brilliant. I wish I could be this creative!
Anonymous

Shtoopid G.Orwell was wrong by about 25 years!