A British police force has apologised after an officer told a newsagent to hand over details of customers who purchased copies of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.



Wiltshire police confirmed that one of their officers visited a newsagent in Corsham, Wiltshire, to ask for the names of four customers who ordered the commemorative “survivors’ issue” of the magazine.

The incident came to light when Anne Keat, 77, who bought the special issue from that newsagent, wrote a letter to the Guardian to warn people that wearing badges emblazoned with je suis Charlie may attract police interest.

In the letter, which was published on Monday, Keat wrote: “Your offer of commemorative badges in support of journalistic freedom highlighting je suis Charlie prompts me to suggest a degree of caution following my experience. Tongue in cheek, I asked my helpful newsagents to obtain a copy of the edition of Charlie Hebdo issued after the dreadful massacre in Paris, if indeed a copy was ever available in north Wiltshire.

“To my surprise, a copy arrived last Wednesday week and although the standard of content in no way matches that of the Guardian I will cherish it. However, two days later a member of Her Majesty’s police service visited said newsagent, requesting the names of the four customers who had purchased Charlie Hebdo. So beware, your badges may attract police interest in your customers.”

In a statement, Wiltshire police apologised to “the members of the public who may be affected by this” and said they had deleted the details from their system.



A spokeswoman said: “Following the terrorism incident in Paris, France on 7 January 2015, Wiltshire police undertook an assessment of community tensions across the county. As part of this work, local sector policing teams were asked to be mindful of business premises, in particular newsagents who may be distributing the Charlie Hebdo magazine and to consider that these shops may be vulnerable.

“There was no specific threat nationally and nothing to suggest newsagents in particular would be vulnerable.”

She continued: “A police officer visited a local shop and post office in Corsham to make an assessment of community tensions and, if appropriate, encourage the newsagent’s owner to be vigilant. During this conversation the officer requested information about subscribers to the Charlie Hebdo magazine.

“Wiltshire police would like to apologise to the members of public who may be affected by this. Information relating to this specific incident has been permanently and securely disposed of.

“Wiltshire police are confident that the police officer’s intention was purely around enhancing public safety and ensuring that the newsagent was advised appropriately.”

It is understood that the officer involved has been given a “word of advice” but will not face disciplinary action. The force said it had received no complaints about the incident.

Angus Macpherson, the police and crime commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, described the incident as “unfortunate”. He added: “I would like to welcome the statement issued today by Wiltshire police.

“The public should be reassured that Wiltshire police tasked officers across the county to assess community tensions in the aftermath of the shootings in Paris.

“It is unfortunate that an officer – no doubt acting with the best of intentions – requested details from a newsagent of customers who had bought Charlie Hebdo magazine.

“I am reassured that the force have taken the right action and permanently and securely disposed of the information gathered.

“I am satisfied that there was no intention on the part of the force to seek to inhibit the circulation of Charlie Hebdo.”

Speaking to the Guardian on Monday, Keat said it was “ridiculous” that police officers had asked for her details, but she said she didn’t think it was a big deal.



“I think it was a non-event really. It’s nothing particularly exciting,” she said. “The reason I sent the letter to the Guardian was not so much the police – although that was an element of it – it was that on Saturday you advertised two badges to do with Charlie Hebdo. If the police visit because I bought Charlie Hebdo, what are they going to do if everyone starts buying these badges?”

Keat said that after sending the letter she feared she may have been the victim of a hoax, but she now believed the police visit was genuine. “I think they did turn up. The reason for that I can’t tell you, only they can tell you that,” she said.

“The thing I regret most is that I said the Guardian was much better. What I should have said was that Steve Bell is a much better satirist than Charlie Hebdo. He’s a much better satirist than the whole of Charlie Hebdo put together.”

A worker at the nearby newsagent Hawthorn Stores said she had been inundated with calls from the media all day and she was not prepared to comment on the police visit.