The overuse of SWAT teams in the US is something that’s been well documented by bloggers like Radley Balko. Well, over in the UK, they are called Armed Response Units, and it would appear recently that one was used to break up a 30th birthday party that police officials claim was a rave. Well, it could have been a rave. The guy invited his friends on Facebook, and at any minute that could have turned into a rave. But I don’t see why you need an police with riot gear to break up a rave, even. Aren’t most ravers typically too stoned out of their minds to put up much of a fight?
4 thoughts on “SWAT Overuse Not Native to America”
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I think the appropriate term for ravers is “Whacked out on goofballs”.
I didn’t know that there were raves anymore – even in the UK.
I am so very glad that SWAT wasn’t called on my birthday this year – having the door to the room at the Hampton Inn kicked in would have been quite traumatic. Although I did not create a Facebook event for “me sitting quietly in my underwear reading gunblogs”
Re: post title — think you mean “… Not Unique to America.”
No. Not native is the correct title. A lot of situations are ( and used to be) better dealt with by a couple of good old fashioned LEO’s in the Barny Fife outfits.
Facebook only posts your status updates and such to folks on your “friends” list. It isn’t wide open for all to see like posting something on a blog or a message board.
If the subjects of (formerly) Great Britain were paying attention, the real story here is that the jackbooted thugs masquerading as police over there intercepted a supposedly private invite to 17 people for a birthday party on private property, disapproved that the invite (that they had no business seeing in the first place) said that the party may take place all night, and then responded with a paramilitary show of force. And then, after anyone with two brain cells to rub together would notice that it wasn’t a damn rave, dispersed this man’s guests. From private property. When no laws had been broken.
Big Brother is watching. Don’t do anything Big Brother might frown upon, or he may have to chastise you.
For your own good.