The Investigatory Power Act 2016, commonly known as Snooper’s Charter has been passed by both houses of British Parliament. This now allows UK intelligence and security services huge amounts of power and gives them the authority to hack computers and networks, collect meta-data and access to the web records of any citizen up to 12 months, the most sweeping monitoring powers in the western world, placing everyone in the UK under permanent mass surveillance.
48 UK Authorities have access to this data without needing a warrant.
Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta is based in an alternate history of Britain where full-scale nuclear war on other countries had severe consequences for the environment leading to anarchy within the nation.
From this madness came the ultra right-wing Norsefire regime who brought order back to the country through the iron grip of fascism, executing several ‘terrorist’ scapegoats while concentrating or removing all dissidents through the creation of a police state.
Why is this story important? Because it shows us what people are willing to sacrifice for their own safety. Right now, what threatens that security is Islamic violence, crime and extremism which has become more common over recent years, particularly with the rise and success of groups like The Islamic State and Boko Haram.
The Syrian Civil War, and consequent creation of the Islamic Caliphate has caused a major migrant crises which the bleeding hearts of Europe are more than happy to expose themselves to with nations such as Germany accepting up to 2.1 million migrants in 2015.
The ‘diversity’ pouring into Europe from conflicts in the Middle-East have not only brought extremism, but have vastly increased crime and taken advantage of and abused welfare states created by hard-working, native taxpayers.
This threat against Europe from an enemy which many Western leaders aren’t even willing to admit is at ideological war with. They refuse to publicly recognize that Islam poses a threat to not only Western values but the entire world.
While this is the public position, it is becoming more obvious to more people and it is clearly obvious to intelligence services in Europe who wish to implement the Investigatory Power Act 2016 in an effort to prevent these threats from becoming actions. However with this new power comes the possibility of abuse.
Sir Peter Fahy, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police said “If these issues [defining extremism] are left to securocrats then there is a danger of a drift into a police state” and “There is a danger of us being turned into a thought police”.
After the end of the Syrian Civil War and if stability is managed in the region, this should largely stem the flow of both migrants and the negatives they bring, however what will becoming of the Act at this point. Even when it is necessary to combat extremism, there is plenty of opportunity for abuse, but when it becomes unnescessary, who will be the next target to justify its necessity.
Article by Daniel – Contributor to Zero Filter
Arguably Britain is not even British anymore – but it is already a police state – even more so now.
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