Leg-iron here. OH is otherwise occupied, as you see above. (picture pinched from Guido)
Today, every MP should have a copy of 1984. Every one of them should then look at this image and then read the book. Twice.
Old Holborn and around ten other people have been stopped and searched by PCSO’s. For walking. In fancy dress. In daylight.
There was no protest. No slogans, no chanting, just a walk. OH wondered if it was still legal to walk the streets dressed as he pleased, unmolested by authority. It seems not.
What threat do these PCSO’s imagine a small group in fancy dress would pose? Terrorism? Don’t they imagine for a moment that the last thing a terrorist would do when approaching a target is to look as conspicuous as possible?
No, it’s not about terrorism. It never was. PCSO’s do far more than ‘reassure the public by providing a uniformed presence’. They were always meant to. If there’s anyone left who doesn’t see this yet, look at that picture again. What exactly are these people being arrested for here?
It will come as no surprise to find that wearing a mask in public will be illegal very soon. That walking in a group of more than two will be illegal. It already is for teenagers in many towns. Since those on the walk were bloggers, Bleary Hazel will no doubt seize on this as evidence that all bloggers are crazed anarchists. Well, not all. Only those that don’t follow the party line with blind obedience. More new laws on petty things. And all for your own protection.
Next year, there might well be a lot more than ten present on this walk.