No Token Gesture

This story caught my eye yesterday: footballer investigated by the police because he allegedly made a gesture to the crowd. And it left me thinking: have the police (and presumably, potentially the courts, the Probations Service and God knows who else) really not got better things to do ?

Since when, in any case, was it illegal to give someone a V-sign (or equivilent) ? Have we really reached the state in this country when you can't even make a gesture without landing yourself in trouble with the authorities ? Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning what the guy's alleged to have done and if his club or the FA want to discipline him that's fine by me. Need to make sure our players (many of whom need taking down a few pegs anyway) set the right example to kids etc.. But the police ? Seriously ?

Perhaps the time has come to re-write the entire statute book. Instead of listing everything that's illegal, just write down the things we're still allowed to do without the State interfering. Shouldn't take long.