Anti austerity march...urb meet up?

[Pickman's model]

great surprise to see martin mcguinness address the rally. the first time i saw mm was in glasnevin cemetery where he was giving the easter oration: where he delivered sentiments i do not believe would have been universally popular among today's throng.

 

[Callie]

Overall though, it was a crushing disappointment, all told.

Far too well-behaved, sociable rather than angry, half the shops and retailers (including too many Starbucks to count) on Fleet Street were not only open but doing a brisk trade.

This will all be forgotten about come Monday.

Was a big and vaguely thrilling spectacle on arrival around 1pm outside the BoE, but it just petered into such a genteel affair it's hard to draw many positives. Well attended, but with little to offer encouragement to those of us seeking the beginnings of an even vaguely radical street movement.

what are the beginnings of a radical street movement?

What did you wish to achieve from today that you didn't and how would you achieve that next time with a fairly captive audience of approx. 250000?

 

[Pickman's model]

what are the beginnings of a radical street movement?

What did you wish to achieve from today that you didn't and how would you achieve that next time with a fairly captive audience of approx. 250000?

 

[Rebelda]

Overall though, it was a crushing disappointment, all told.

Far too well-behaved, sociable rather than angry, half the shops and retailers (including too many Starbucks to count) on Fleet Street were not only open but doing a brisk trade.

This will all be forgotten about come Monday.

Was a big and vaguely thrilling spectacle on arrival around 1pm outside the BoE, but it just petered into such a genteel affair it's hard to draw many positives. Well attended, but with little to offer encouragement to those of us seeking the beginnings of an even vaguely radical street movement.

Perhaps, but as someone who will be hit very fucking hard by the current economic plans, it was really important that i could go today with my daughter and march alongside, for example, women breastfeeding very small babies. That might not "achieve" anything but for someone in a position of fear and despair I feel better having visibly done something. Doesn't mean it's the be all and end all of the campaign by any means. So it may not have scratched your itch, but the inclusive nature of today's march was really bloody good for some of us.

 

[treelover]

not beyond the realms, that was what was generally thought to be the turnout for march 2012 TUC one. Of course, numbers on the day in these headcounts dont count the half dozen other people per head who couldn't make it because of other commitments, finances, health or whatever but firmly support anti austerity.

Look at social media and see just how many sick and disabled people wanted to go but couldn't, they really have to find ways of facilitating more of these groups to attend, then there will be many many on ZHC , etc, especially the young or Saturday jobs for teenagers, others will have other work comittments, a number won't be able to afford to go, even if the tickets were subsidised. Going by the images, there didn't seem to be as many public sector workers as on the 2012 one, which was an amazing day

 

[shifting gears]

what are the beginnings of a radical street movement?

What did you wish to achieve from today that you didn't and how would you achieve that next time with a fairly captive audience of approx. 250000?

Let's just say that if a fraction of the amount of people who were mobilised today were prepared to take some well organised action against carefully targeted organisations... That would be a start.

 

[shifting gears]

Perhaps, but as someone who will be hit very fucking hard by the current economic plans, it was really important that i could go today with my daughter and march alongside, for example, women breastfeeding very small babies. That might not "achieve" anything but for someone in a position of fear and despair I feel better having visibly done something. Doesn't mean it's the be all and end all of the campaign by any means. So it may not have scratched your itch, but the inclusive nature of today's march was really bloody good for some of us.

Don't get me wrong - the turnout, the fact plenty of children were out with parents, like yourself, was good to see. What was missing was the spark that can set these things alight and leave them burned into public consciousness for years to come. Sadly that was missing. On a demo of this size, there's room for both boxes to be ticked. Glad you had a good day though, and not meaning to piss on your chips - just got in a wee while ago and feeling slightly deflated.

 

[treelover]

Any Urb photies yet?

 

[shifting gears]

BoE circa 1pm

 

[Maharani]

Don't get me wrong - the turnout, the fact plenty of children were out with parents, like yourself, was good to see. What was missing was the spark that can set these things alight and leave them burned into public consciousness for years to come. Sadly that was missing. On a demo of this size, there's room for both boxes to be ticked. Glad you had a good day though, and not meaning to piss on your chips - just got in a wee while ago and feeling slightly deflated.

I hear you on this shifting gears. I know there was a fire of some description behind me but as to windows being caved in, no news. I was really surprised to not see more of this:

 

[Maharani]

BoE circa 1pm View attachment 72966

Great photo. Did you do climbing?!

 

[dynamicbaddog]

did any of you play 'get as many obscure newspapers as possible'? Surely collecting the daily trot editions and other, freakier papers is half the fun. Something to read on the coach back.

I bumped into one of my uni lecturers who flogged me a copy of 'Green Socialist' never seen that one before. Also got a free copy of 'Counterfire'

 

[shifting gears]

Great photo. Did you do climbing?!

I was briefly on an elevated platform where I studiously ignored the old bill's requests to get down from a few feet below, until inevitably they infiltrated the platform

 

[DotCommunist]

Look at social media and see just how many sick and disabled people wanted to go but couldn't, they really have to find ways of facilitating more of these groups to attend, then there will be many many on ZHC , etc, especially the young or Saturday jobs for teenagers, others will have other work comittments, a number won't be able to afford to go, even if the tickets were subsidised. Going by the images, there didn't seem to be as many public sector workers as on the 2012 one, which was an amazing day

blazing sunshine and I turn up in blck formal clothes n shoes

possible reason for the reduced pub sec union turnout this time is how unsion rolled over in the wake of that march and basically stiffed the membersafter having mobilised fuckton of them out for that day, people from the north and deep south made the effort, only to be shafted.

 

[ffsear]

you are about 1/65,000,000 of the population. i don't see any fucker sharing your view. so you won't mind if i, and everyone else on this thread, ignores your piddling opinion.

I think you took my comment the wrong way. I was comparing the national figure to London. I actually think a 3% turnout is pretty fucking good.

 

[Rebelda]

Don't get me wrong - the turnout, the fact plenty of children were out with parents, like yourself, was good to see. What was missing was the spark that can set these things alight and leave them burned into public consciousness for years to come. Sadly that was missing. On a demo of this size, there's room for both boxes to be ticked. Glad you had a good day though, and not meaning to piss on your chips - just got in a wee while ago and feeling slightly deflated.

No worries, no chips were pissed on

I have to say i was impressed by the accessibility/inclusiveness today.

 

[treelover]

I have to say i was impressed by the accessibility/inclusiveness today.

can you expand on that?

 

[treelover]

Strange to see the BBC has given it reasonable coverage, election over now though.

 

[Pickman's model]

Strange to see the BBC has given it reasonable coverage, election over now though.

why not change the record, you wouldn't want to wear it out.

 

[editor]

Some photos:

More: http://www.urban75.org/blog/fifty-p...y-in-parliament-square-london-20th-june-2015/

 

[RareBird]

 

[shifting gears]

View attachment 72972

That's the beauty!

 

[oryx]

Best thing I heard today was Mark Steele dismissing all the talk about reclaiming the centre ground and the need to shift politics leftwards. Can't remember it verbatim, but something like 'thirty years ago, if you supported gay marriage, you were an extremist.
Now if you don't support gay marriage you're an extremist'.

 

[stethoscope]

Didn't make it in the end due to being let down by my mate, but the turnout looked huge. Going to catch up on reports of the day's events now! Did anything much kick off?

 

[shifting gears]

Didn't make it in the end due to being let down by my mate, but the turnout looked huge. Going to catch up on reports of the day's events now! Did anything much kick off?

No.

 

[eatmorecheese]

 

[ddraig]

beat ya with that one

 

[JHE]

Best thing I heard today was Mark Steele dismissing all the talk about reclaiming the centre ground and the need to shift politics leftwards. Can't remember it verbatim, but something like 'thirty years ago, if you supported gay marriage, you were an extremist.
Now if you don't support gay marriage you're an extremist'.

Steele's right about that but, as I'm sure he knows, progressive views on gays are one thing and the economy is another. While civilised views on homosexuality have prevailed over more traditional views, leftish views on managing the economy have not prevailed. Nor obviously have any proposals for a new socialist world. Far from it. Capitalism is ideologically (as well as materially) dominant. That is not affected by the fact that our rulers sometimes wave a rainbow flag.

 

[oryx]

Steele's right about that but, as I'm sure he knows, progressive views on gays are one thing and the economy is another. While civilised views on homosexuality have prevailed over more traditional views, leftish views on managing the economy have not prevailed. Nor obviously have any proposals for a new socialist world. Far from it. Capitalism is ideologically (as well as materially) dominant. That is not affected by the fact that our rulers sometimes wave a rainbow flag.

He does know it, I'm sure. I believe the point he was trying to make was that we can change people's minds about the economy/austerity so that people don't think the retention of a supportive welfare benefits system, challenging tax evasion etc. are ideas which belong to what used to be insultingly known as the 'loony left'.

 

[Roadkill]

Strange to see the BBC has given it reasonable coverage, election over now though.

Has it fuck. Look at this festering turd of an article. The Taxpayers' Alliance? Fuck's sake.