Saving Youth Centres = Terrorism

December 13, 2010 1:43 PM

12-year-old Nicky Wishart wanted to save his youth centre from being shut down due to funding cuts. This gets him questioned and tracked on Facebook by British anti-terror police.
posted by divabat (44 comments total)

In an astonishing over-reaction, 12-year-old Nicky Wishart was warned he faced ARREST. "I couldn't believe it," he said.

And all of a sudden the fateful gate swings quickly open, and four white male hands, unaccustomed to physical labor but nonetheless strong and tenacious, grab us by the leg, arm, collar, cap, ear, and drag us in like a sack, and the gate behind us, the gate to our past life, is slammed shut once and for all.

That's all there is to it! You are arrested!

And you'll find nothing better to respond with than a lamblike bleat: "Me? What for?"

posted by Joe Beese at 1:56 PM on December 13, 2010 [6 favorites]

They won't track us here, ri
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 1:56 PM on December 13, 2010

Glad the anti-terror police are finally focusing their efforts on the real root of the problem.
posted by feistycakes at 1:58 PM on December 13, 2010 [5 favorites]

Wow.
posted by delmoi at 2:01 PM on December 13, 2010

"I was taken out of class - and the policeman said, 'Are you aware that the anti-ter-rorist squad are looking at your Facebook account?' He said that if anything got out of hand, they would arrest people...

A spokesman said: "This was not to dissuade his protest but to obtain information to ensure his and others' safety."

Safety here sounds a bit like a protection racket so that "Nothing bad happens". Threatening arrest and then later saying you are not trying to dissuade protest is such dick move.
posted by quin at 2:01 PM on December 13, 2010 [6 favorites]

I was half expecting some poorly chosen language on the group page or something like that, but it seems fine to me on a quick glance.

I have no idea how this action could possibly be justified by the police.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 2:01 PM on December 13, 2010 [3 favorites]

I have no idea how this action could possibly be justified by the police.

I think it's pretty obvious that the police in most parts of the world no longer feel they need any justification to do whatever they want.
posted by enn at 2:05 PM on December 13, 2010 [27 favorites]

WTF!
posted by vidur at 2:07 PM on December 13, 2010

I have no idea how this action could possibly be justified by the police.

"I believe the children are the future... of terrorism!"

He should be glad he's only in Britain, the US would have called 23 extra officers for backup, tased him for about 20 minutes and possibly shot him in the back to prevent the hidden WMDs in his back from going off.
posted by yeloson at 2:15 PM on December 13, 2010 [7 favorites]

Here's his Save All UK Youth Centres FB group.
posted by telstar at 2:20 PM on December 13, 2010

Is the Mirror one of those UK tabloids that wildly misrepresents things all the time (à la the Daily Mail)? Not that it would surprise me to find that this story is 100% accurate...
posted by twirlip at 2:25 PM on December 13, 2010

The good news is, if they close the Youth Centres, kids like Nicky will have a lot more free time to plan their terrorists strikes.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:29 PM on December 13, 2010 [4 favorites]

Yes. Yes it is.
posted by i_cola at 2:29 PM on December 13, 2010

Kid should have just put on a breakdance show - after all, that is the ONLY way that you can save a Rec Center.

Unless movies and TV have lied to me all these years.
posted by cerulgalactus at 2:32 PM on December 13, 2010 [10 favorites]

Is the Mirror one of those UK tabloids that wildly misrepresents things all the time (à la the Daily Mail)? Not that it would surprise me to find that this story is 100% accurate...

Yes.
posted by Infinite Jest at 2:35 PM on December 13, 2010

I have no idea how this action could possibly be justified by the police.

TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR TERROR.

Same as in town.
posted by reynir at 2:35 PM on December 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

Guardian coverage of the story.
posted by reynir at 2:38 PM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]

enn: I think it's pretty obvious that the police in most parts of the world no longer feel they need any justification to do whatever they want.

You assume they ever did.
posted by jabberjaw at 2:39 PM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]

More and more, I get the feeling that the anti- in "anti-terror" doesn't refer to ideological opposition so much as directional opposition, as in anti-clockwise; whereas "terror" is the psychological warfare of The Enemy upon The State, "anti-terror" is the psychological warfare of The State upon itself — a sort of national autoimmune disorder.
posted by Sys Rq at 2:42 PM on December 13, 2010 [42 favorites]

From the comments left at the Whitney Gazette:

"Dear young Tory voters. This is what happened the last time too. Thatcher was untouchable, there was rioting in the streets, everything in the public interest was privatised, the down at heel were kicked and the rich held up as a shining example no matter how they came by their wads of dosh. A modern fable that we all forgot. It's sickening, and I'm not even a socialist."
posted by longsleeves at 2:43 PM on December 13, 2010 [15 favorites]

Another comment at the Whitney Gazette provides some context:

"Admittedly at first glance this seems ridiculously heavy handed but you only have to look at how things that are promoted on social networking sites often get out of control and are taken over by gangs of youths or rent-a-thugs. Not a week goes by without there being a story in the national media about a gatecrashed party wrecking someones home that was advertised on facebook."

Gatecrashed parties = terrorism. Not heavy handed at all.
posted by vidur at 3:03 PM on December 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

Who wants the property that the youth centers occupy? Can't find out? Which private concerns have donated generously to the police and their charitable causes?

Follow the money, if you can.
posted by clarknova at 3:12 PM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]

Gatecrashed parties = terrorism. Not heavy handed at all.

I'm flagging your comment as cyber-terrorism and mind-violence!
posted by maxwelton at 3:14 PM on December 13, 2010 [5 favorites]

Sure, go ahead and mock, longsleeves, but it's true. Now in my mid 30s I no longer feel as comfortable in the local youth centre as I did 20 years ago because gangs of youths have completely taken it over. It is clear facebook and social networking are to blame.
posted by Hoopo at 3:18 PM on December 13, 2010 [7 favorites]

Oh, come on. It's not like the police officer strapped a cage filled with rats to his face.

Not with the head teacher watching.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 3:20 PM on December 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

turn and face the wall, thuh thuh thoughtcrime
don't wanna be a terror man
posted by tehloki at 3:21 PM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]

Safety Government here sounds a bit like a protection racket.

FTFY.
posted by ryanshepard at 3:24 PM on December 13, 2010

0h for fuck's sake.
posted by peterkins at 3:28 PM on December 13, 2010

yeloson: "I believe the children are the future... of terrorism!"

longsleeves: From the comments left at the Whitney Gazette:

I will always love this.
posted by biffa at 3:32 PM on December 13, 2010 [3 favorites]

Jobsworth Police is jobsworth. However, it is from The Mirror, who report every other day on how immigrants bring a special form of cancer which reduces house prices and defames the memory of Princess Diana.
posted by dougrayrankin at 3:39 PM on December 13, 2010

No, that's the Mail. The Mirror is a (very slightly) lefty paper.
posted by communicator at 3:43 PM on December 13, 2010

The Mirror, who report every other day on how immigrants bring a special form of cancer which reduces house prices and defames the memory of Princess Diana

The Mirror is the only British tabloid of which this isn't true.
posted by influx at 3:45 PM on December 13, 2010

Stay classy, War on Terror.
posted by sunshinesky at 3:57 PM on December 13, 2010 [3 favorites]

Dang, I was only a few hours too late to make a Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo joke.
posted by diogenes at 4:10 PM on December 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

I'm glad Wishart went through with his protest anyway. Never let 'em intimidate you.
posted by Kevin Street at 4:17 PM on December 13, 2010 [5 favorites]

It is clear facebook and social networking are to blame.

And Redbull
posted by the noob at 4:24 PM on December 13, 2010

Can you absolutely guarantee that he won't become a suicide bomber? Well then...
posted by ob at 5:44 PM on December 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

This is the kind of shit that leads to the downfall of nations.
posted by IvoShandor at 10:37 PM on December 13, 2010

My brother was telling me about this over the phone today. The conversation started like this

Him: "You'll never guess what I just saw in the Mirror"

Me: "Yourself?"
posted by alltomorrowsparties at 2:51 AM on December 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

I hope the Facebook police don't come get him for violating ordinance 4.5
posted by humanfont at 3:30 AM on December 14, 2010

The problem is that Youth Centers are places where kids can spend time and you really shouldn't spend time. You should invest it.
posted by srboisvert at 6:34 AM on December 14, 2010

The problem is that Youth Centers are places where kids can spend time and you really shouldn't spend time. You should invest it.

"Save our workhouse!"
posted by Sys Rq at 7:36 AM on December 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Needs more walmart.
posted by Debaser626 at 8:18 AM on December 14, 2010

The problem is that Youth Centers are places where kids can spend time and you really shouldn't spend time. You should invest it.

Yes, that's the problem here.
posted by Summer at 8:25 AM on December 14, 2010