Pointing to the Cameron government’s growing impatience over student protests, British officials have reportedly moved against 12-year-old Nicky Wishart, henceforth known as the Notorious Nicky of Oxfordshire, threatening him with arrest for threatening the public peace.
Nicky’s crime was to complain on Facebook about an upcoming plan to close his local youth centre, because “it’s a fantastic place to go and there isn’t much else for us to do round here,” and a plan to protest in front of his local MP’s office, which in this case is Prime Minister David Cameron’s office, sparked harsh police action.
Notorious Nicky was pulled from his class by police and warned that he was under investigation by the Anti-terrorist squad. He was repeatedly warned by the police that he ought not attend the protest and that police intended to hold him personally responsible for anything that happened at the protest. They also warned him that armed police would be on hand in case the protesters got out of hand. They also warned him that they would be monitoring his future Facebook postings.
Nicky’s mother was called by the school and told that police had “taken an interest in something Nicky’s posted on FB,” but was not allowed to be present at the police interrogation of her child.
The protest went off without a hitch, however, with a dozen students being watched menacingly by six police officers. Police insisted the “warning” to Nicky was appropriate and to “ensure his safety.” Nicky’s school said they are dealing with the matter “internally.”
