The UK seems to be becoming allergic to protest. The extent to which freedom of expression is being curtailed is becoming quite scary.

A teenager is facing prosecution for using the word “cult” to describe the Church of Scientology.

The unnamed 15-year-old was served the summons by City of London police when he took part in a peaceful demonstration opposite the London headquarters of the controversial religion.

Officers confiscated a placard with the word “cult” on it from the youth, who is under 18, and a case file has been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.

A date has not yet been set for him to appear in court.

The decision to issue the summons has angered human rights activists and support groups for the victims of cults.

The incident happened during a protest against the Church of Scientology on May 10. Demonstrators from the anti-Scientology group, Anonymous, who were outside the church’s £23m headquarters near St Paul’s cathedral, were banned by police from describing Scientology as a cult by police because it was “abusive and insulting”.

Full story

Metroblogging Bangkok is a really interesting read. This guy’s moblogging the aftermath of the coup in Thailand.

Media clampdown in operation
Thailand could be facing serious media clampdowns in new rules proposed today.
Starting tomorrow, all media operators, including Internet media companies, will face immediate closure if they publish any news articles or comments which could be deemed a threat to Thailands national security and monarchy.
The Information Ministry invited all companies and operators to discuss cooperation methods in helping the government “to restrict, control, stop or destroy information deemed to affect the constitutional monarchy”.
Chief internet inspector Kritpong Rimcharonepak told reporters: “We seek their cooperation not to present articles, remarks, or information that will infringe the democratic reform under the constitutional monarchy. They can still present political comments on their media, but if anything goes wrong, the caretakers of those media must take responsibility.”

For more coverage, check out Christao’s Xanga, 19sep.blogspot.com, YouTube and the relevant Technorati tags.