'They haven't armed the traffic wardens with Uzis yet, but the way things are going, don't rule it out. Olympic preparations already in place include an aircraft carrier parked on the Thames, surveillance drones flittering in the skies and an 11-mile electrified fence around a "safe zone" reinforced with squads of special forces and 55 teams of attack dogs.

Add to this the ground-to-air missiles on the roofs of blocks of flats, sonic weapons that can disperse crowds by "spraying" head-splitting pain, Typhoon jets and Lynx helicopters revved up and ready for takeoff, teams of Marines on 24-hour standby and much else besides.

Beijing didn't have drones, or missiles, or a carrier afloat on the Yongding. Maybe China is that bit more relaxed and liberal than London these days--or just less in need of spooking its citizens into nervous surrender of basic rights.'

Read more: An Olympic-Sized Police State