September 2021
Monday Sept. 13
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Pretty scary stuff happening at the moment, at least down in London. Riots reported around Westminster and police turned out with tear gas and water cannons. The Home Secretary - a woman called Florence Daniels — has called an emergency meeting of COBRA - the Government's security committee — and everyone is expecting a heavy crackdown. Johannson has spoken out against people trying to ‟defy the legitimate mandate given to the Government at the General Election" and Florence Daniels doesn't want to be seen as soft on objectors. I suppose I can't blame her. If I was sitting in her chair in the Home Office, I think I'd feel the same.
The BBC broadcast some of the discussions in Parliament about it. The surprising thing was how much agreement there was. Not like during the Brexit discussions when you'd get five points of view from three different politicians.
Tuesday Sept. 14
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Well, Daniels certainly can't be accused of being soft. She's announced a national male curfew from eight each evening until six the next morning and prohibitions on any male-only assembly of more than six men. There's howls of protests from civil liberty groups, of course, but what did they expect? It won't cause too much trouble around the village - I can't remember when there were six men in the pub last.
Plenty of discussion in the coffee room at work about all this. All the women reckon the police should crack down harder on protestors. ‟Can't they just accept that there's an elected government that's doing things a new way?" was one remark and plenty others were saying that protestors ought to face up to the fact that New Order polled 16 million votes for and about 9 million against for all the other parties combined. The interesting thing is that I'd have thought most of those talking were pretty liberal sorts normally. Now, though, it sounds like they are ready for the Government to take almost any sort of repressive step to push its agenda through.
Lucy wasn't in today, so I didn't get the benefit of what she thought about it. I reckon I can guess though.
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Stuck into the fold of the journal is the following press cutting from the Times of Sept 14
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. ...
Prime Minister Condemns Disorder.
Speaking on television last night Prime Minister Johannson emphasised the importance of national unity in response to the latest instances of civil disobedience.
‟I am talking to you tonight in the interests of ensuring the whole country can come together and unite in the face of the events of the last few days. No responsible Government can allow the degree of unrest on the streets that we have seen. While we can all understand that some may feel disadvantaged by changes in our society, everyone should be clear that civil disorder will not be tolerated. The Home Secretary has announced measures which have my personal support and the full backing of the Cabinet. The measures will stay in place until we are convinced that the threat of further disorder has gone. We will not hesitate to extend those measures if we feel it is needed. To reassure the public, the Police Commissioner for London advises me that the offices of twenty so-called male-interest-defence groups were raided last night. These organisations are now classed as prohibited. Membership of them is illegal. I am informed by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police that one hundred and fifty men have been arrested and charged with affray and conspiracy following the riots. Further arrests are expected to follow. ‟
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