It's just a question, designed to provoke a response that might be useful. Border officials the world over are like this. They have broad leeway to assume ever

It's just a question, designed to provoke a response that might be useful. Border officials the world over are like this. They have broad leeway to assume everyone is a threat, and to provoke, inconvenience, belittle and annoy them until they are satisfied. Obtuse, trollish rudeness is but one tool in the toolbox. -- Responding more generally rather than specifically to your point, if you'll forgive me: I am inclined to believe that while our British border officials are wholly embarrassing, the situation is no worse than it is in every single western democracy. Let us all not pretend that border police confiscating the journalists' possessions they don't really have the explicit right to confiscate is particularly unique to any country; it's absolutely not. This is an internationally common thing and it is very much a sign of the times. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-border-agent-journalist-propaganda-ben-watson-a9144306.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-border-... https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/journalists-detained-border-told-turn-over-devices-confidential-source-info https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/journ...