London Prepares to Water-Cannon Protesting Youth

Britain’s austerity government is expanding its means of subduing an increasingly discontented student population.

Steve Rushton writes at Occupy.com:

Looking ahead at the wave of student protests expected in 2014, proposals have been forwarded to allow water cannons on Britain’s streets – though these are falling under heavy public criticism. The plan is being pushed by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, the Metropolitan Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) – the last of which is a private company, rather than an official government body, though politicians and the media frequently elevate it to that position.

… [I]n a show of resistance, five out of six major police force commissioners have rejected receiving the weaponry, echoing strong public concerns about the violent consequences of employing water cannons – as depicted in this graphic image of a man protesting in Germany who had his eyeballs detached by the cannon.

… Mayor Johnson has come out strongly in favor of deploying the water cannons, and will share the decision on when, how and where the weaponry is deployed. Johnson is also in favor of the highly controversial and much protested plans to frack Britain – even calling for fracking under the City of London.

Read more here.

—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

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