They're only thinking of the thousands of people who might otherwise get sunstroke in the scorching Scottish sunshine blockading Gleneagles.

Imagine being able to strip off and cool down after a hot sweaty day at the blockade.

Perfect.

Don't forget your soap.

unfortunately the record shows that police in various countries act as provocateurs, inciting the very violence that say they wish to avoid. what they need to understand and respect is the legitimacy of the protest and the well founded anger of people in the anti capitalist movement who oppose the G8. the law has been bought by the corporations. we work for a new order.

I was demonstrating against the US embassy in Brussels in March 2003 when I had some prior experience of the Belgian water cannons. When they turned the pressure way up I was actually knocked off my feet and slightly injured in the fall, and I am not exactly a bantamweight. So it's not going to be a question of gentle showers.

A good tactic could be to have a strong plastic banner at the front with many heavy
duty handles along the top, behind, for many people to brace against. spreads the
force out; makes it managable.

I've seen it work well once before against water cannon. It's possible that was
a relatively weak cannon, but I think the principle is pretty sound. In that instance
teargas became the problem instead!

Not such a bad idea.

What have we got in this country?

Cops with BIG STICKS, cs-spray, dogs, horses, plastic bullets.

All apart from the plastic bullets are for very close quarter use.

Might be useful for them to have something designed to keep people at a distance that isn't fucking plastic bullets - ouch.

Identical article run by the Daily Mail (apart from mentioning bbc as source):
 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=337578&in_page_id=1770

Water cannon on G8 standby
23:50pm 11th February 2005

Police could use water cannon against angry crowds during the G8 summit of world leaders at Gleneagles, it has emerged.

The practice is not unusual at G8 summits overseas but it would be the first time in Scotland.

Police sources say the Belgian authorities have been approached to secure up to four cannon for the Perthshire event in July.

Tayside Police Chief Constable John Vine said "no firm decisions" had yet been made and insisted no order for water cannon had yet been placed. But he said the use of "extreme measures" would be considered if intelligence suggested a need.

"In the course of preparing for the event, planning team members have looked at public order tactics employed at a number of significant events in the UK and elsewhere in Europe," he said. "We intend to deal with any large-scale public protest by using sufficient highly-trained police resources.

"There will be a number of exercises to ensure the officers we use are prepared, should any public order incidents arise."

Mr Vine said the force had been looking at contingency plans for the summit for more than a year.

He added: "The aim is to provide a measured response and to deal appropriately with situations as required."

Turkish police employed water cannon at a Nato summit last year and vehicle-mounted cannon have previously been used in Northern Ireland.

Deploying water cannon in Scotland would have to be approved by the country's most senior officers.