Something I missed

The file on New Labour authoritarianism is getting pretty fat, but this needs recording.

The government was accused tonight of giving itself draconian powers to clamp down on protests at the 2012 Olympics. Critics said the powers were so broad they would potentially give private contractors the right to forcibly enter people's homes and seize materials.

The London Olympic Games and Games Act 2006, Section 19(4) reads: "The regulations may apply in respect of advertising of any kind including in particular – (a) advertising of a non-commercial nature, and (b) announcements or notices of any kind." While Section 22 allows a "constable or enforcement officer" to "enter land or premises" where they believe (believe, the SO19 squad believed Jean Charles De Menezes was Hussain Osman, apparently) such an advert is being shown or produced. It allows for materials to be destroyed, and for the use of "reasonable force"... reasonable force.

Of course, what we really know is London will be locked down by 2012. People deemed to be insufficientl loyal will be rounded up and hung for various new crimes. Those crimes will include:

Failing to shop in a built up area.
Being under-25 in a built up area.
Holding an unlicenced opinion.
Attempting to convince a member of the public of an unlicenced opinion.
Knowing more about the law than a police officer.
Refusing to allow reasonable physical chastisement from a police officer.
Resusing to allow a police helicopter to fly up your arse.
Failure to salute the Home Secretary (who, by 2012, following the inorexable downward trend of Home Secretaries will either be [1] an open gangster [2] a xenomorph or [3] Prince Harry).
Defacing the barcode on your wrist.
Playing sport and/or games for the fun of it.
Failing to laugh at Little Britain.
Being a member of anything.
Going home by a different route.
Refusal to remember the good old days.
Unneccesary public mirth.
Walking in an unusual mannner.
Wondering where all the homeless people went.
Wondering how certain run of the mill atheletes suddenly improved six months before the games.
Telling jokes about the Olypmic logo (it does not look like Lisa Simpson giving head AND IT NEVER DID!)
Attempting to distract an athelete from training.
Refusing to give blood to an injured athelete.
Questioning the social value of an athelete's sport.
Glorifying the opposition.
Approaching the main stadium in an irreverent manner.

You get my drift...