h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3259005.stm

Is this justified in the name of security (after say, the Seattle riots at (I think) G8 summits) or a suspicious attempt to keep Dubya isolated from some of his most vocal critics?

The Ultimate Congestion Charge, perhaps?

It's par for the course really. The police have stopped folk protesting by obstructing their movements for ages - think back to the days of the cruise missile convoys of the 1980s.

What will be interesting is to see how the media plays this. If they counterpoint pictures of our grinning leaders grinning, with pictures of deserted closed off streets and traffic chaos outside of the exclusion zone. Then that will send quite a powerful message.

If it threatenss to become a real news issue, - I imagine that is quite a strong possibility.

The sight of thousands of people baying for Bush's hide, stuck behind a police cordon a half-mile away from where Bush breezes in by in perfect seclusion, will be quite a sight to behold.

I remember when the Chinese President came to Britain, they blocked off access to Downing Street/Houses of Parliament so that we would not offend him with our offence at his country's human rights record. Luckily a group of students and staff from Senate House found him coming to the British Museum by the back entrance to examine the Chinese collection and we had our banners and had a good boo hiss.

If I don't get to boo and hiss at George W. I will simply burst. My brother and I have taken to plotting ways and means of standing infront of Buck House with a ginormous poster disguised as an umbrella or something and unfurling at only the last second....

It was intersting again (I'll try not to repeat that word too often ) to hear Blair make mention of possible protests in his speech last night. Clearly he is fearing the worst.

What else do you expect?

If the broad majority aren't allowed to protest peacefully, you can be damn sure that the fanatical minority will find a way to protest violently, which will result in even tighter controls over protests and demonstrations, which I'm sure is what the American (and to a lesser extent the British) administration want. They will hear no dissent, they want no argument or discussion with their views and purposes. "If you're not with us you're against us, and therefore we're against you".

Divide and rule.

As with so much - I know it won't make a blind bit of difference. That fact I think more than anything depreses the hell out of me.

My mother said I ought to go see It while It is here... might be my only chance to see a president.

Had to restrain myself from an automatic retort.

And the irony of seeing the 'president' of my home country while I'm abroad did not escape me.

I left the country to get away from the ijit. And now he's coming here.

I am furious at him, I hope he just cancels. My friend who deals with palace security is also furious, as is everyone where she works, they are all utterly fed-up with him.

Furious is a good word for it.

I've been in a mood all night and I think it's thinking about this that has done it.

Conclusive proof Bush is bad for your Mental Health and Emotional Well-being!

I've said it before, I've never before know felt so politically disenfranchised, alienated and a-political.

And it makes me mad.

I'd go protest but I got lectures.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3260415.stm
re: paragraph #8


Is it Treasonous to advocate patience?

Don't know how many of you all are members of Liberty, but, you really want to check out their website

www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk

and check out the frankly scary "Terrrorism Act 2000" - which, notably, predates the September 11th 2001 attacks in America, and still erodes our civil liberties.