South London is not Iraq. Brixton is not Basra, nor is Peckham Fallujah. In those faraway places, the population is armed to the teeth. A war is in motion, and the whole world stares in amazement at the loss of life. In such conditions, one would expect random stops-and-searches of the local population in order to disarm attackers.

Yet it was here in England, only a few days ago, that the Prime Minister announced the police will now have the power to stop and search young black people for guns, at random. What he did not say was that these actions are already being carried out in south London.

On my way to work in central London a few weeks ago, I witnessed a number of policemen at the entrance to a south London train station, operating Iraqi-style. I waved my Freedom Pass and was allowed through their barricade. A portable scanner was prominent at the exit. And young black men were the targets of this operation.

I asked an officer a question or two and was informed that the police were searching passengers in order to discover those who were travelling without legitimate tickets.

It was a lie! Within days, at the same station, the identical operation was taking place. Officers had ordered three young black men to stand aside. This trio were spitting venom, and fury filled the air. Their anger provoked an older West Indian to express his objection. So did I. They were not checking tickets this time, one of the officers admitted: the search was for guns, drugs, knives and illegal immigrants.

Middle-ranking officers have declared a state of emergency in south London. Operation Swamp has returned with a vengeance.

Those of us who lived in Brixton 27 years ago experienced police oppression as never seen before on the streets of London. The "operation" was unleashed between 6 and 11 April 1981. The official edict read as follows: "The purpose of the operation is to flood identified areas on '' district to detect and arrest burglars and robbers. The essence of the exercise is therefore to ensure that all officers remain on the streets and success will depend on a concentrated effort of 'stops', based on powers of surveillance and suspicion, proceeded [sic] by persistent and astute questioning."

Only black people were searched. I was stopped several times that week. There was no surveillance, no basis for suspicion and the only words that were offered me were: "Fuck off, you black cunt."

Commander Brian Paddick, now the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London, and another retired policeman testified recently on television that they were young officers at the time and that all the stops-and-searches were illegal, executed with abuse and brute force. The police broke the law on a vast scale.

Black youngsters raised the flag of revolt and street fighting exploded throughout that weekend. It was fast, furious and hugely destructive. Perhaps Mr Brown, the Prime Minister, has already got plans in place for a repeat of this eventuality.

The police and their political leaders believe that our communities will accept such mass humiliation meekly and mildly because a handful of young black men are using guns to maim and kill other young black people. The anger bubbles beneath the surface as I write.

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