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Intentional Contamination

Yithian

Parish Watch
Staff member
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Messages
36,365
Location
East of Suez
It's perhaps difficult to extract logic when we could be dealing with the symptoms of mental health problems, but I've always been curious about what drives those who contaminate food in the hope of harming perfect strangers. It puts me in mind of the repeated baby-stabbing attacks on schools and kindergarten in China: an attack on society at large—literal terrorism, but with an unclear aim.

This rather unsatifying example cropped up today:

Emergency Alert

@metpoliceuk have arrested a man this evening on suspicion of contaminating food at 3 supermarkets in Fulham Palace Road.

The supermarkets - Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury's - have closed and crime scenes are in place. Officers were called at around 19:40 after a man was reported to be shouting abuse at people in the street.

The man is alleged to have visited three supermarkets in Fulham Palace Road SW6 and injected foodstuffs using a number of syringes. He has been taken into police custody.

Members of the public are advised as a precaution to dispose of any food items bought from these supermarkets this evening.H&F Council's Environmental Health team are now working with the supermarket branches affected.

The food items affected are believed to be processed meat and microwaveable products. It is currently unknown as to how many items have been contaminated, or what with substance.


Source:
https://threader.app/thread/1430648160498733059
 
The offence in the UK, by the way, is against s.38 Public Order Act 1986:

“38 Contamination of or interference with goods with intention of causing public alarm or anxiety, etc.

(1) It is an offence for a person, with the intention—

(a) of causing public alarm or anxiety, or
(b) of causing injury to members of the public consuming or using the goods, or
(c) of causing economic loss to any person by reason of the goods being shunned by members of the public, or
(d) of causing economic loss to any person by reason of steps taken to avoid any such alarm or anxiety, injury or loss,

- to contaminate or interfere with goods, or make it appear that goods have been contaminated or interfered with, or to place goods which have been contaminated or interfered with, or which appear to have been contaminated or interfered with, in a place where goods of that description are consumed, used, sold or otherwise supplied.”

Etc.

maximus otter
 
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