Service Interruption

The Police have confiscated my computer, so I am using that of my solicitor to make this post. I have had to make some changes to prevous posts and delete one in order to satisfy the protectors of property and power. (Almost) normal service will be resumed as soon as they return my computer. Incidentally they have not given me an inventory of siezed items. For what it's worth, it really is quite humiliating to have all your shoes taken away and be given a pair of oversize plimsoles to get you home in the rain.
If they wanted to, they could copy the entire contents of my hard drive to another machine and return my computer. What are the chances of that happening?

We are A Lesser Class of Person

I want to contrast the police treatment meted out to residents with the free licence given to "students" to wreak havoc on Halloween or for that matter any other day of the year.
The police drove around in large numbers on Halloween, often with cameras mounted on their armoured landrovers. They took no meaningful action in the face of rampant criminality. The streets were filled with drunk and disorderly behaviour. The police stood by and watched. Residents homes were targetted with fireworks. The police did nothing. Till 6am we had mob rule. The police legitimised it.
Compare this with my own experience during the week. I was, as usual, chopping wood in the entry. A police van pulled up.
"What are you doing?"
"Chopping wood"
"We've had a complaint from long term residents about the banging"
No residents complained. It was students
"Where did you get that sheet of board?"
"In a skip."
"Well that stuff's worth £40 a sheet"
It was worth £20, but I wasn't going to argue the point
"I've talked to you before about taking stuff out of skips"
Indeed he had. He'd told me I wasn't going to get arrested for it.
"Well officer I know it's technically illegal, but-"
"It's not technically illegal . It's theft."
"If it's in the skip and it's covered in rubbish I don't think they want it"
He wasn't going to surrender the point.
"Show me where the rest of this is"
I show him my yard full of wood.
"You're stocking up"
"Winter's coming"
" If we're called out again about this we'll be taking action. Do you understand?"
"Yes"
" And I want all that mess cleared up"
" OK"
"What's your name again?"
I tell him. His partner wants in on the act. She's getting out her notebook.
"No", he tells her, "leave it".
They go, then park their car in the next entry and watch me shovel the rest of the wood into a bag for later use.
Could you possibly imagine them treating a "student" like this? You've got to be fucking joking.
Ever since Robert Peel the police have existed to keep the "lesser class of person" in their place while protecting the prerogatives of the "better class of person" (You know who I mean. Think money.) to do whatever the fuck they want, especially when it means stamping on the little people.
Last night a police car pulled up alongside me.
"Yes, It's firewood"
"Where did you get it?"
"Skip"
There's a pause while I glare at them, then,
"That's OK"
I walk on knowing that no "student" carrying fencing from roadworks, or a yard door, or a garden railing or a bollard will ever be stopped.