Neil BrownMay 6, 2023
As one can now be arrested for the offence of "being equipped for locking on", the only difference between arresting protestors today, and arresting me every time I go out on my bike, carrying two locks, is whether the police officers around at the time have formed a negative view about my intent.
Show threadPierricMay 6, 2023
@neil well done UK! I thought France was so far ahead in the authoritarian race, but we've got some nice competition there.
Recently it was made illegal in a region of France to be out on the street with devices susceptible to be used for noise, like pots and pans for example (because people do protest by banging on them)
Show threadBritish Tech GuruMay 6, 2023
@PierricD @neil phones, voices, hobnail boots - they all make noise
Show threadPierric
@britishtechguru @neil exactly! So basically anyone can be arbitrarily detained.
May 6, 2023 at 2:36pmWeb
Show threadBritish Tech GuruMay 6, 2023
@PierricD @neil That's the way the world seems to be going these days - it doesn't matter the country. Arbitrary detention seems to be the in thing. Now the Soviet Union is gone, there's no example that the world has to avoid. Look at what the Soviet KGB did that we said was evil but which we now do....
Mass surveillance
Arbitrary detention
Imprisonment without conviction
Nullifying not-guilty verdicts and demanding new trials because they're not happy with the result