In an astonishing over-reaction, 12-year-old Nicky Wishart was warned he faced ARREST. "I couldn't believe it," he said.
And all of a sudden the fateful gate swings quickly open, and four white male hands, unaccustomed to physical labor but nonetheless strong and tenacious, grab us by the leg, arm, collar, cap, ear, and drag us in like a sack, and the gate behind us, the gate to our past life, is slammed shut once and for all.
That's all there is to it! You are arrested!
And you'll find nothing better to respond with than a lamblike bleat: "Me? What for?"
Glad the anti-terror police are finally focusing their efforts on the real root of the problem. posted by feistycakes at 1:58 PM on December 13, 2010 [5 favorites]
Wow. posted by delmoi at 2:01 PM on December 13, 2010
"I was taken out of class - and the policeman said, 'Are you aware that the anti-ter-rorist squad are looking at your Facebook account?' He said that if anything got out of hand, they would arrest people...
A spokesman said: "This was not to dissuade his protest but to obtain information to ensure his and others' safety."
Safety here sounds a bit like a protection racket so that "Nothing bad happens". Threatening arrest and then later saying you are not trying to dissuade protest is such dick move. posted by quin at 2:01 PM on December 13, 2010 [6 favorites]
I was half expecting some poorly chosen language on the group page or something like that, but it seems fine to me on a quick glance.
I have no idea how this action could possibly be justified by the police. posted by WinnipegDragon at 2:01 PM on December 13, 2010 [3 favorites]
I have no idea how this action could possibly be justified by the police.
I think it's pretty obvious that the police in most parts of the world no longer feel they need any justification to do whatever they want. posted by enn at 2:05 PM on December 13, 2010 [27 favorites]
WTF! posted by vidur at 2:07 PM on December 13, 2010
I have no idea how this action could possibly be justified by the police.
"I believe the children are the future... of terrorism!"
He should be glad he's only in Britain, the US would have called 23 extra officers for backup, tased him for about 20 minutes and possibly shot him in the back to prevent the hidden WMDs in his back from going off. posted by yeloson at 2:15 PM on December 13, 2010 [8 favorites]
Here's his Save All UK Youth Centres FB group. posted by telstar at 2:20 PM on December 13, 2010
Is the Mirror one of those UK tabloids that wildly misrepresents things all the time (à la the Daily Mail)? Not that it would surprise me to find that this story is 100% accurate... posted by twirlip at 2:25 PM on December 13, 2010
The good news is, if they close the Youth Centres, kids like Nicky will have a lot more free time to plan their terrorists strikes. posted by Joey Michaels at 2:29 PM on December 13, 2010 [4 favorites]
Yes. Yes it is. posted by i_cola at 2:29 PM on December 13, 2010
Kid should have just put on a breakdance show - after all, that is the ONLY way that you can save a Rec Center.
Is the Mirror one of those UK tabloids that wildly misrepresents things all the time (à la the Daily Mail)? Not that it would surprise me to find that this story is 100% accurate...
I have no idea how this action could possibly be justified by the police.
TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR.
More and more, I get the feeling that the anti- in "anti-terror" doesn't refer to ideological opposition so much as directional opposition, as in anti-clockwise; whereas "terror" is the psychological warfare of The Enemy upon The State, "anti-terror" is the psychological warfare of The State upon itself — a sort of national autoimmune disorder. posted by Sys Rq at 2:42 PM on December 13, 2010 [42 favorites]
"Dear young Tory voters. This is what happened the last time too. Thatcher was untouchable, there was rioting in the streets, everything in the public interest was privatised, the down at heel were kicked and the rich held up as a shining example no matter how they came by their wads of dosh. A modern fable that we all forgot. It's sickening, and I'm not even a socialist." posted by longsleeves at 2:43 PM on December 13, 2010 [15 favorites]
Another comment at the Whitney Gazette provides some context:
"Admittedly at first glance this seems ridiculously heavy handed but you only have to look at how things that are promoted on social networking sites often get out of control and are taken over by gangs of youths or rent-a-thugs. Not a week goes by without there being a story in the national media about a gatecrashed party wrecking someones home that was advertised on facebook."
Gatecrashed parties = terrorism. Not heavy handed at all. posted by vidur at 3:03 PM on December 13, 2010 [2 favorites]
Who wants the property that the youth centers occupy? Can't find out? Which private concerns have donated generously to the police and their charitable causes?
Gatecrashed parties = terrorism. Not heavy handed at all.
I'm flagging your comment as cyber-terrorism and mind-violence! posted by maxwelton at 3:14 PM on December 13, 2010 [5 favorites]
Sure, go ahead and mock, longsleeves, but it's true. Now in my mid 30s I no longer feel as comfortable in the local youth centre as I did 20 years ago because gangs of youths have completely taken it over. It is clear facebook and social networking are to blame. posted by Hoopo at 3:18 PM on December 13, 2010 [7 favorites]
Oh, come on. It's not like the police officer strapped a cage filled with rats to his face.
Jobsworth Police is jobsworth. However, it is from The Mirror, who report every other day on how immigrants bring a special form of cancer which reduces house prices and defames the memory of Princess Diana. posted by dougrayrankin at 3:39 PM on December 13, 2010
No, that's the Mail. The Mirror is a (very slightly) lefty paper. posted by communicator at 3:43 PM on December 13, 2010
The Mirror, who report every other day on how immigrants bring a special form of cancer which reduces house prices and defames the memory of Princess Diana
The Mirror is the only British tabloid of which this isn't true. posted by influx at 3:45 PM on December 13, 2010
Dang, I was only a few hours too late to make a Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo joke. posted by diogenes at 4:10 PM on December 13, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'm glad Wishart went through with his protest anyway. Never let 'em intimidate you. posted by Kevin Street at 4:17 PM on December 13, 2010 [5 favorites]
It is clear facebook and social networking are to blame.
And Redbull posted by the noob at 4:24 PM on December 13, 2010
Can you absolutely guarantee that he won't become a suicide bomber? Well then... posted by ob at 5:44 PM on December 13, 2010 [2 favorites]
This is the kind of shit that leads to the downfall of nations. posted by IvoShandor at 10:37 PM on December 13, 2010
My brother was telling me about this over the phone today. The conversation started like this
Him: "You'll never guess what I just saw in the Mirror"
The problem is that Youth Centers are places where kids can spend time and you really shouldn't spend time. You should invest it. posted by srboisvert at 6:34 AM on December 14, 2010
The problem is that Youth Centers are places where kids can spend time and you really shouldn't spend time. You should invest it.
