Ten Illegal Things To Do In London

Tom ScottMatt Grayobscure lawsBritish lawscomedychallengelawbreakingUKLondonsilly lawsmontage

YouTubers Tom Scott and Matt Gray attempt to break a series of obscure and silly British laws that are still technically in effect. Their self-imposed rules are that the laws must be enforceable and absurd, not genuinely harmful. The video is a fast-paced montage of them committing these minor infractions, such as carrying a plank on a pavement, flying a kite in a public place, and handling salmon under suspicious circumstances, with each law and its potential penalty displayed on screen.

Transcription

Hi, I'm Tom. And I'm Matt. And today we're trying to break as many laws as possible. Now, there are two rules. Number one, the laws have to actually be in force. None of this ridiculous shooting a Welshman with a crossbow in the bounds of York nonsense. And rule two, they have to be silly. I see you driving 'round town with the girl I love and I'm like... Hey! 192, 193, 194... Tom, this is a pretty reasonable law. I don't want my house blown up by a cannon. Legal. Legal. Legal. Illegal. Illegal. Illegal. For this to count, the salmon needs to be used in the commission of a crime. Ah! What the... What's that? Assault and battery. What do we do now? Handle it. That's not nice.

Visual Timeline

0:01
full screen eye-level introductory

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#1: Carrying a plank along a pavement.", "Illegal under the Metropolitan Police Act 1839, §54 Maximum penalty: £500"

Colors:black, white
0:03
extreme close-up low angle, fisheye energetic

A young man peeks his head over a large wooden plank he is carrying, speaking to a camera mounted on the plank.

"Hi, I'm Tom."

Setting: London street sidewalk — overcast daylight

People (1):

• peeking over a plank, wearing grey hoodie over a black jacket and not visible, short, light brown, messy from wind hair — animated, speaking, wide-eyed

wooden plank (tan)
Colors:tan, grey, black, red, brown
0:05
extreme close-up low angle, fisheye playful

A second young man peeks his head over the wooden plank, smiling and speaking to the camera.

"And I'm Matt. And today we're trying to break as many laws as possible."

Setting: London street sidewalk — overcast daylight

People (1):

• peeking over a plank, wearing purple hoodie and not visible, short, dark, curly hair — smiling, speaking

wooden plank (tan)
Colors:tan, grey, black, green, brown
0:09
extreme close-up low angle, fisheye explanatory

The first man, Tom, peeks back over the plank to explain the rules of their challenge.

"Now, there are two rules. Number one, the laws have to actually be in force."

Setting: London street sidewalk — overcast daylight

People (1):

• peeking over a plank, wearing grey hoodie over a black jacket and not visible, short, light brown, messy from wind hair — serious, speaking directly to camera

wooden plank (tan)

Text: "For our references, see tomscott.com/law"

Colors:tan, grey, black, green, brown
0:13
extreme close-up low angle, fisheye emphatic

Tom continues his explanation, gesturing slightly with his head for emphasis.

"None of this ridiculous shooting a Welshman with a crossbow in the bounds of York nonsense."

Setting: London street sidewalk — overcast daylight

People (1):

• peeking over a plank, wearing grey hoodie and not visible, light brown, messy hair — speaking with emphasis, slight frown

wooden plank (tan)

Text: "For our references, see tomscott.com/law"

Colors:tan, grey, black, brown, silver
0:18
extreme close-up low angle, fisheye cheerful

The second man, Matt, pops up again, smiling and holding up a two-fingered peace sign.

"And rule two, they have to be silly."

Setting: London street sidewalk — overcast daylight

People (1):

• peeking over a plank, wearing purple hoodie and not visible, short, dark, curly hair — smiling, speaking

wooden plank (tan)
Colors:tan, purple, grey, black, brown
0:22
full screen eye-level transitional

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#2: Singing profane songs in the street.", "Illegal under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, §28 Maximum penalty: £1,000 or 14 days in jail"

Colors:black, white
0:24
medium close-up low angle, fisheye boisterous

Tom and Matt walk down a sidewalk, holding the camera in a selfie-style, singing loudly and gesturing with their arms.

"I see you driving 'round town with the girl I love and I'm like..."

Setting: London residential street — bright, overcast daylight

People (2):

• walking and singing, wearing grey hoodie and not visible, light brown hair — singing loudly, mouth open

• walking and singing, wearing purple hoodie with orange logo and not visible, dark, curly hair — singing loudly, mouth open, pointing finger up

Colors:grey, purple, white, green, brown
0:30
full screen eye-level transitional

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#3: Sliding on ice or snow.", "Illegal under the Metropolitan Police Act 1839, §54 Maximum penalty: £500"

Colors:black, white
0:32
medium shot extreme low angle (worm's-eye view) playful

A man slides on his back in the snow towards the camera.

Setting: snowy field or park — flat, bright daylight

People (1):

• lying on back, sliding feet-first, wearing dark hooded jacket and blue jeans, light brown hair — smiling, looking at camera

Text: "(Filmed two weeks earlier, when we had snow.)"

Colors:white, grey, black, blue
0:35
close-up extreme low angle chaotic

A person wearing black boots walks through deep snow, kicking it up towards the camera.

Setting: snowy field or park — flat, bright daylight

People (1):

• walking/sliding, wearing dark jacket and blue jeans, not visible hair — not visible

Text: "(Filmed two weeks earlier, when we had snow.)"

Colors:white, black, grey
0:39
full screen eye-level transitional

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#4: Being drunk in a pub.", "Illegal under the Licensing Act 1872, §12 Maximum penalty: £200"

Colors:black, white
0:40
medium close-up eye-level jovial

Matt sits on a leather couch in a pub, laughs boisterously, and raises a glass of beer in a toast.

"Hey!"

Setting: pub or bar — warm, soft indoor lighting

People (1):

• sitting, leaning back, wearing black t-shirt with a pink and white pixelated graphic and not visible, dark, curly, messy hair — laughing heartily, mouth open, eyes crinkled

glass of beer (clear/amber)
Colors:brown, beige, black, amber, white
0:43
full screen eye-level transitional

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#5: Defacing money.", "Illegal under the Currency and Banknote Acts 1928, §12 Maximum penalty: £200"

Colors:black, white
0:45
extreme close-up overhead mischievous

A person uses a black marker to draw a mustache and goatee on the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on a British ten-pound note.

Setting: indoors — direct, bright indoor light

People (1):

• drawing, not visible hair — not visible

ten-pound note (beige/multi)marker pen (black)
Colors:beige, black, brown, grey, skin-tone
0:50
full screen eye-level transitional

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#6: Flying a kite in a public place.", "Illegal under the Metropolitan Police Act 1839, §54 Maximum penalty: £200"

Colors:black, white
0:52
wide shot eye-level calm

A man stands in a large grassy field preparing to launch a purple kite.

Setting: a public park or field — overcast daylight

People (1):

• standing, preparing to fly kite, wearing purple hoodie and blue jeans, dark hair — not visible

kite (purple)
Colors:green, blue, white, brown, purple
0:55
medium shot low angle triumphant

The man successfully launches the kite, which flies up into the cloudy sky.

Setting: a public park or field — daylight

People (1):

• standing, leaning back slightly, wearing purple hoodie and blue jeans, dark, curly hair — in profile, looking up at kite

kite (purple)kite handle/bar (black)
Colors:blue, white, green, purple, brown
1:00
full screen eye-level transitional

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#7: Firing a cannon within 300 yards of a house.", "Illegal under the Metropolitan Police Act 1839, §55 Maximum penalty: £200"

Colors:black, white
1:02
wide shot eye-level methodical

Matt walks backwards across a large lawn in a park, counting his paces.

"192, 193, 194..."

Setting: a London park — bright daylight

People (1):

• walking backwards, counting, wearing purple hoodie and blue jeans, dark, curly hair — concentrating, looking over his shoulder

Colors:green, brown, white, grey, purple
1:06
medium shot eye-level exasperated

Matt stops walking, turns to the camera, and speaks with a pleading expression, gesturing with his hands.

"Tom, this is a pretty reasonable law. I don't want my house blown up by a cannon."

Setting: a London park — bright daylight

People (1):

• standing, facing camera, wearing purple hoodie and blue jeans, dark, curly hair — speaking earnestly, slight frown

Colors:green, brown, white, grey, purple
1:10
wide shot low angle, panning up anticlimactic

The camera pans up a grassy hill to reveal a small, toy-sized cannon sitting at the top.

Setting: a London park (Primrose Hill) — overcast daylight

toy cannon (brown/bronze)lamppost (black)
Colors:green, grey, white, brown, blue
1:14
full screen eye-level transitional

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#8: Playing knock-down-ginger.", "(US viewers: "ding-dong ditch") Illegal under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, §28 Maximum penalty: £1,000 or 14 days in jail"

Colors:black, white
1:17
close-up on door eye-level, POV suspenseful

A shaky, first-person camera runs up to a door at night, knocks loudly, and then runs away.

Setting: residential street at night — very dark, ambient street light

door (dark brown)
Colors:black, dark brown, yellow, grey
1:21
medium shot low angle tense

The camera, now hiding across the street, looks up at an illuminated window where a silhouette appears.

Setting: residential street at night — dark, with light coming from the window

People (1):

• standing in window, silhouette hair — silhouette

window (warm yellow)
Colors:black, warm yellow, grey
1:25
full screen eye-level transitional

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#9: Shake a doormat in the street after 8am.", "Illegal under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, §28 Maximum penalty: £1,000 or 14 days in jail"

Colors:black, white
1:28
medium shot eye-level anticipatory

Matt vigorously shakes a doormat in a dark alleyway. A digital timer on screen counts up to 8:00:00.

"Legal. Legal. Legal."

Setting: alleyway — dim, pre-dawn light

People (1):

• standing, shaking a mat, wearing dark hoodie and not visible, dark, curly hair — focused, looking down

doormat (beige)

Text: "07:59:59"

Colors:dark brown, black, grey, beige, white
1:30
medium shot eye-level triumphant

The timer ticks over to 8:00:01. Matt throws his head back and yells triumphantly while continuing to shake the doormat.

"Illegal. Illegal. Illegal."

Setting: alleyway — dim, pre-dawn light

People (1):

• standing, shaking a mat, wearing dark hoodie and not visible, dark, curly hair — yelling, mouth open, triumphant expression

doormat (beige)

Text: "08:00:01"

Colors:dark brown, black, grey, beige, white
1:34
full screen eye-level transitional

A title card appears on a black screen.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "#10: Handling salmon in suspicious circumstances.", "Illegal under the Salmon Act 1986, §32 Maximum penalty: unlimited fine or two years in jail"

Colors:black, white
1:37
medium shot eye-level explanatory

Tom and Matt stand indoors. Tom explains the law while Matt holds a package of salmon.

"For this to count, the salmon needs to be used in the commission of a crime."

Setting: indoors, a room — soft indoor lighting

People (2):

• standing, wearing grey hoodie and not visible, light brown hair — speaking, looking at camera

• standing, wearing purple hoodie and not visible, dark, curly hair — smiling, looking at Tom

package of salmon (black/orange)
Colors:beige, grey, purple, green, orange
1:39
medium shot eye-level slapstick

Matt suddenly slaps Tom across the face with the package of salmon. Tom recoils dramatically, yelling in mock pain.

"Ah!"

Setting: indoors, a room — soft indoor lighting

People (2):

• recoiling from a slap, wearing grey hoodie and not visible, light brown hair — eyes closed, wincing in mock pain

• mid-slap, wearing purple hoodie and not visible, dark, curly hair — laughing

package of salmon (black/orange)
Colors:beige, grey, purple, green, orange
1:43
medium shot eye-level playful

Tom grabs the salmon package and slaps Matt back. They both laugh.

"Assault and battery."

Setting: indoors, a room — soft indoor lighting

People (2):

• mid-slap, wearing grey hoodie and not visible, light brown hair — laughing

• reacting to being slapped, wearing purple hoodie and not visible, dark, curly hair — laughing, doubling over

package of salmon (black/orange)
Colors:beige, grey, purple, green, orange
1:47
medium shot eye-level conspiratorial

They stop laughing. Tom asks a question, and Matt replies while gesturing to the salmon.

"What do we do now? Handle it."

Setting: indoors, a room — soft indoor lighting

People (2):

• standing, wearing grey hoodie and not visible, light brown hair — curious expression

• standing, wearing purple hoodie and not visible, dark, curly hair — serious, instructive expression

package of salmon (black/orange)
Colors:beige, grey, purple, green, orange
1:50
extreme close-up overhead curious

A close-up shows both men's hands poking and prodding the salmon fillet through its clear plastic packaging.

Setting: indoors — direct indoor light

People (1):

• handling an object, not visible hair — not visible

salmon fillet (orange)
Colors:orange, black, skin-tone, brown
1:53
medium shot eye-level disgusted

The shot returns to the two men. Matt makes a disgusted face at the camera after handling the salmon.

"That's not nice."

Setting: indoors, a room — soft indoor lighting

People (2):

• standing, wearing grey hoodie and not visible, light brown hair — smiling slightly

• standing, wearing purple hoodie and not visible, dark, curly hair — disgusted, nose wrinkled, grimacing

package of salmon (black/orange)
Colors:beige, grey, purple, green, orange
1:58
full screen eye-level concluding

An end card appears with credits for the two creators.

Setting: N/A — N/A

Text: "Tom Scott tomscott.com", "Matt Gray mattg.co.uk"

Colors:black, white