A couple of years ago we reported on Britain's draconian Firearms Act of 1997, which tightened that country's already-severe gun laws and virtually disarmed the population, making armed self-defense illegal.

Now the mainstream British media is reporting a massive new wave of crime, including gun crimes.

On January 18, BBC News Online reported "a huge surge in muggings": "The figures for recorded offences, a blow to the government's anti-crime crusade, show the first rise in England and Wales for six years. The number of robberies - most of them muggings - increased by 19% in the year to September 1999 compared with a fall of nearly 6% over the previous 12 months."

The headline for a January 16 London Times article was: "Killings Rise As 3 Million Illegal Guns Flood Britain." Total crime in London rose by 22% for the year September 1998-1999, and armed crime rose 10%. Gun prohibition has also created a massive new black market smuggling in powerful guns for criminals.

The January 14th Manchester Guardian reported that city is now being called "Gunchester." Police -- who are usually unarmed -- report some gangs are now armed with fully automatic weapons and that guns are "almost a fashion accessory" among young street criminals.

The June 20, 1999 Sunday Express reported: "In recent months there have been a frightening number of shootings in Britain's major cities, despite new laws banning gun ownership. Our investigation established that guns are available through means open to any criminally-minded individual." The government's response? Plans being discussed include: further increasing penalties for gun possession; cracking down on drugs; creating a national DNA database of both innocent and convicted citizens; and restricting knives and air guns.