Sheffield is now a police state. The G8, on their way to Scotland from London, have stopped off in Sheffield for a reception tonight and a dinner tomorrow. I have seen more police officers here today than I have seen in all of England during the last year. There must be over 100 officers guarding the town hall/winter gardens area where the reception is taking place. There are 10 officers on horses, about 20 on motorcycles, 20 police vans, numerous cars, and metal blockades everywhere. In addition, there is a helicopter circling overhead, including my apartment. They have blockaded many of the roads in the center of town. The group of protesters is still quite small, but I imagine it might get larger. I am thinking about staging my own counter-protest: "G-8 is great!" I don't think that would make me very popular.

Still, I don't know whether I should feel scared or safe that there are so many police officers. Unlikely anything bad will happen, I guess. Probably a good time to rob a bank though.

I'm not totally clear what people are protesting. I tend to think the G-8 is probably one of the best international groups. After all, the UN includes every country, including the worst dictators and human rights violators. At least the G-8 are only democratic countries and prosperous enough to exact real change.