My life in serious organised crime

BBC Radio Four
Mark Thomas: my life in serious organised crime

Absolute hysteria.

One of my favorite comedians, Mark Thomas [World Record Holder, slogan: 'If you're not pissed off, you're not paying attention'] taking the right old piss-a-roonie out of the kafka-esque law that requires you to get permission from the police to demonstrate in Parliament Square (or anywhere within a Km).

Wearing the wrong badge and standing for more than a minute outside Parliament is an offence!

The police seem to get the joke - 'specially the bit where he's asking for permission for a demonstration calling for the dismissal of the boss of the policeman he's dealing with - at one point they cheer him and another he's escorted by police to protect him from arrest!

Policeman: "why, profanity is subjective!"

He applys to wear a red Nose on red Nose day (in Parliament Square) and much more. I liked the explanation of the terrible threat to surrealism.

Here's the show on BBC Radio 4:

Part One:

Part two:

Part three:

• Radio Four page
• YouTube: Mark Thomas
• Mark Thomas' website
  
• Photos: 21 demos in a day
  
• The official site of Brian Haw, the permanent peace protestor of Parliament Square, London
• Wikipedia: Brian Haw
• Thomas debating the law on BBC News 24 with a Tory