Allow me to quote parts of this BBC article and comment on it.
An imitation Kalashnikov rifle and fireworks have been seized by police investigating alleged terrorism in connection with the G20 summit. A number of imitation weapons were seized in searches of several premises.
Three men aged 25, 19 and 16 and two women of 20, from the Plymouth area in Devon, were held after the 25 year old was seen allegedly spraying graffiti.
Thank frak for the British police, protecting us from graffiti artists and plastic toys in 2009.
Is this sort of stuff illegal now? How can you justify searcing someones house because of graffiti? Criminal offence or no, how do you get a search warrant for a house based on an arrest for graffiti? Of what possible relevance is it? Or is a single arrest carte blanche for property intrusion nowadays?
All five people are being held under the Terrorism Act.
Pretty standard when you've got nothing proper on somebody: just bring out the Terrorism Act! You can do pretty much anything you like with it.
The Guardian picked up on this, too.
Paul Netherton, Devon and Cornwall assistant chief constable, said imitation handguns and an imitation Kalashnikov, as well as devices made from fireworks, had been seized. The deactivated weapons were "not major" and "probably not even lethal".
A police source told the Guardian that initial inquiries indicate the five were "not planning a Guy Fawkes plot". "I think it was more designed to disrupt than injure or kill," the source said.
See, they weren't even dangerous. Still held under the Terrorism Act, though.
Of the arresting officer, Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton said "and also he found some politically sensitive material and things like that."
Why is this relevant or even noteworthy? "Politically sensitive material" is the sort of phrase you hear uttered by Chinese government officials, not British coppers.
Police searched the man's flat in Plymouth, and found imitation firearms, improvised explosives made of fireworks, and "material related to political ideology". Asked to clarify the nature of the material, Netherton said: "It's political, it relates to political organisations, it's not extreme but it's a different political view. It leads to motives and things like that."
Of course nowadays a different political view is treated by the establishment as suspicious. But the government thrives on suspicion. Remember these lovely posters, encouraging citizens to spy on each other?
And Assistant Chief Constable Sharon Taylor said: "I would reassure local people and residents of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly that they are not at any risk, and these arrests would appear to be isolated at this time. Those arrested people will remain in custody while further inquiries take place."
Look how paranoid the terr'ists have us? They've already won.
End of line.
