...

[gothwalk]

About the Bush UK visit:

Mr Bush will also be protected by hundreds of armed guards from the US... They will not be granted diplomatic immunity, and will face courts if they shoot anybody, the Home Office has promised.

The fact that the Home Office had to make any such assurance, even the possibility that they might shoot someone, is wholly fucking ridiculous, no? Bush is entering the UK with a small bloody invasion force. You'd think the tens of thousands of people preparing to attend protests would send a "You're not welcome" message...

Comments

[sciamachy.livejournal.com]

I wonder why El Presidente has no confidence in the ability of Special Branch and the SAS to protect diplomats, and must insist on having his own people there? I mean, the SAS are regularly sent over to the US to teach them how to rescue hostages...

And given that it's currently illegal for a civilian in the UK to posess a firearm, and that these guys aren't British citizens, nor are they members of our police and armed forces, what gives them the right to bear arms in our country anyway?

[(Anonymous)]

given that it's currently illegal for a civilian in the UK to posess a firearm

Not strictly true...

these guys aren't British citizens, nor are they members of our police and armed forces, what gives them the right to bear arms in our country anyway?

1968 Firearms Act, I believe; any Chief Constable can issue a temporary vistor's permit. However, it appears to be a murky area. Some countries (eg Australia) ban foreign bodyguards' firearms completely, some (eg Canada) tell them that they can't bring firearms in, but diplomatically not actually search them, others have been known to swear them in temporarily as local police.