UK Politics

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If a blind protester in a wheelchair is considered a terrorist, anyone can be treated as a terrorist (www.councilestatemedia.uk)

submitted 4 days ago by geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml to c/uk_politics@feddit.uk

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Yesterday marked one of the most shameful days in the history of the Metropolitan Police as they arrested peaceful protesters including a blind man in a wheelchair, an 81-year-old woman with Parkinson's, a former British army officer, and a bunch of, um, Quakers. All of them were protesting against two things: the UK's ongoing participation in the Gaza genocide and the proscription of Palestine Action. All of them were arrested under the Terrorism Act.

Imagine being the police officer whose job it was to wheel this man away. You can see the shame in his face as he lowers his head. These officers must know history is not going to judge them kindly, but they must also know just following orders is not okay. If I was a police officer, I would not have made those arrests, even if it cost me my job. Doing the right thing is infinitely more important than just following orders.

Yesterday police made twice the number of counter-terrorism arrests than they did in all of 2023 and one-fifth of those arrested were over 70. One police officer was wearing a hat that suggested he came from a Welsh police force. Remember this when police say they can't send any officers out after you've been burgled. Police are dealing with the real criminals now, and the real criminals include quakers. Yes, quakers were arrested.

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[–] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 days ago

Indeed.

Having lived for over a decade in Britain, including the 2008 Crash and the Leave Vote and even having been involved in Politics there (in the Green Party), the only shocking element in this for me is the almost total removal of the velvet glove that was used to cover the iron fist (not total because they're doing the usual disguising of authoritarian oppression as "Rule Of Law" as if it wasn't them who put those Laws), since one of the most important things the British Upper Classes learn during their years in posh Public Schools is to manage appearances.

Maybe the dropping of the posh façade is due to the influence of America or maybe it's because they learned from the decade of Austerity after the 2008 Crash that in Britain the anger of the many is easily channeled against powerless minorities such as immigrants and the poor and there is a veritable bottomless pit amongst the "riff-raff" of people who will relentlessly defend the actions of "their betters".