How to avert a peasant uprising.

Today the police asked the Home Secretary in the UK for funds to purchase water canons to use against future protesters. This is what I wrote to Ms May (mayt@parliament.uk). Please consider writing yourself.  

Dear Ms May:

I write to register my opposition to the purchase of water canons by the Met for use against protesters.

I am sure you agree with me that the right to speak against the government and the right to assemble are cornerstones of democracy. I am sure you would further agree that the police track record on permitting people to exercise those rights is spotty at best.  The undercover operations geared at destroying the lives of protesters is insidious and uncontrolled. I am concerned that insidious and uncontrolled would be adjectives applicable to the Met’s use of the canons.

The UK looks like a backwards third world nation when police abuse takes ten years to resolve through the courts and the body that is supposed to be governing the police, the IPCC, is toothless and moreover is a paid advocate defending the police rather than a neutral body assessing them.

If you want to avert a peasant uprising, you would do well to strengthen the rule of law rather than the brute force available for oppression.

I am a 46 year old in-house attorney kettled and abused by police in peaceful protest. You have almost crushed peaceful protest completely in the UK.  Please remember what Kennedy said about crushing peaceful protest and have a wonderful day.

Rachel Mariner