'But a tranquil spring in southern Iraq has given way to a midsummer of violence that reached an alarming climax when a mob set British troops ablaze and a rogue police unit with suspected insurgent ties abducted two undercover soldiers.'

 http://telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/09/28/wirq28.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/09/28/ixnewstop.html

the 'mob' were people of Basra, and the police were doing their legal business.

But as we know Iraq is an occupie country masquerading as a democracy:

'The official explanation is that the army is now instructed to treat the local police force as part of the insurgency, because it is so infiltrated by militia groups. This was also the army’s attitude when it mounted a rescue operation of the two officers from the local police facility. Some 10 armoured personnel vehicles and a helicopter were used to storm the building and attack around a thousand demonstrators, incensed by the discovery of the SAS’s activities. The British Army used live fire and baton rounds in its assault, killing several people and injuring many more.

In the immediate aftermath of September 19, British control of Basra is facing mounting popular opposition. There are widespread reports of demonstrations against the British. Local authorities have withdrawn cooperation with the occupation forces and the city’s anti-terrorist judge has issued an arrest warrant for the two SAS officers.

Britain has rejected the legality of the arrest warrant and refused a compensation demand for the victims of the assault on the police facility. Instead, Defence Minister John Reid has said he intends to scrap the 25,000-strong police force in southern Iraq and “replace it with a new military-style unit capable of maintaining law and order.”
 http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/sep2005/basr-s28.shtml

that last statement refers to the imposition of military rule by a foreign power....the UK is now set to behave dictatorially in the sovereign country of Iraq.