Weds 1st April: G20 protests - discussion, reaction and chat

[quimcunx]

but people do know this'll happen. Not sure how you can stop it. June 18, whatever year it was, showed the city police just how much damage people will do.

(Did I tell you about getting stuck in McDonalds whils onthe June 18th March as the protestors ( or my fellow comrades in saving the planet) wrecked the front of the building? I only gone for a wee )

So you're suggesting people don't protest because a tiny number of people will initiate trouble?

Should we kill all humans because some of them are troublemakers?

 

[citydreams]

Just cycled through.. All very peaceful from what I saw

Though some fire at the Royal Court of Justice??

 

[ElectricKingdom]

Seven and a half million policing bill. What a sorry waste of money.

 

[boohoo]

It's misguided anger - people feel powerless and that's the only way they can express it.

Actually, I'm not sure it's that misguided, at least they're not attacking people - only property.

See some of the people I knew would go to make it kick off.. they went to Criminal Justice bill marches and were well proud of smashing up windows down west end. And they were also some of the same people smashing that mcDonalds I was in...

 

[DotCommunist]

Seven and a half million policing bill. What a sorry waste of money.

that money could have been better spent propping up another fucked bank and paying another pension for a Phelps sort eh?

 

[_float_]

When I had a interview at RBS's City HQ, it wasn't in Threadneedle Street....

So go and argue with the RBS website then:

Royal Bank of Scotland
London City Office
62-63 Threadneedle Street
London
EC2R 8LA

 

[rutabowa]

plus when has smashing stuff up ever made any difference....post above MaccyD's getting done...did that cripple them...doesn't seem to do anyone any favours save the local glazier....

when has millions of people demonstrating totally peacefully made any difference recently?

 

[ElectricKingdom]

that money could have been better spent propping up another fucked bank and paying another pension for a Phelps sort eh?

Probably not - but you lot are little obsessed with all this.

 

[derf]

its making a statement really, propaganda. its ours and we're taking it back. something like that.

It makes a statement to be sure.
Something like "look at the bunch of thick, violent thieving pillocks".

 

[Griff]

Guardian Twitter:

G20 protesters talk of breaking through

 

[girasol]

See some of the people I knew would go to make it kick off.. they went to Criminal Justice bill marches and were well proud of smashing up windows down west end. And they were also some of the same people smashing that mcDonalds I was in...

If smashing windows up helped in any way I'd be the first one down there - but it doesn't, it just gives the government more power to restrict everyone's movement.

Because the government's/police first duty isn't to its people anymore, it's to property.

 

[boohoo]

So you're suggesting people don't protest because a tiny number of people will initiate trouble?

Should we kill all humans because some of them are troublemakers?

No, not at all... I do wonder exactly what protest in this form achieves.

 

[jæd]

So go and argue with the RBS website then:

Royal Bank of Scotland
London City Office
62-63 Threadneedle Street
London
EC2R 8LA

An office. In the City of London.

 

[DotCommunist]

Probably not - but you lot are little obsessed with all this.

Well when even the FT are asking 'was Marx right?' and all the top economists are predicting 30's style deppression, when taxpayers money is being bled at unprecedented rates into failed banks, anyone who isn't concerned is burying his head
in the sand.

 

[Blagsta]

symbolic isn't always good. Go to the main RBS buidling and bash it but not a little branch. I'd like to know if all the protestors don't have bank accounts or loans or mortgages because its the banks willingness to encourage people into debt that has bought about the economic crisis.

What I'm trying to say is are the people fighting the system also very much part of it?

The economic crisis is as a result of structural inequalities.

 

[nick h.]

According to the BBC there was nobody there. As you'd expect.

Exactly.

But now I can see why it hasn't been set fire to - yet - it's full of protestors chucking computers out of the windows. Some have got to the roof, says the Skycopter. Could be an interesting day!

Can't believe some of the nitpickers on here who are complaining it's the wrong RBS branch because it's for retail banking! Wtf? Try looking up the word 'symbolism' in the dictionary. And don't get a job in marketing, PR, politics, customer services....or anything that touches on public opinion or requires you to comprehend humans.

 

[boohoo]

If smashing windows up helped in any way I'd be the first one down there - but it doesn't, it just gives the government more power to restrict everyone's movement.

Because the government's/police first duty isn't to its people anymore, it's to property.

Yep.And if the June 18th hadn't kicked of like it did, the policing wouldn't have got so heavy handed. The policing was always designed to intimidate with police in riot gear hiding here and there but once they had an excuse to say, it's you lot again and last time you were out of order, so we will go at it be any means to stop you doing that without seeming like we are stopping your freedom of speech.

 

[DRINK?]

when has millions of people demonstrating totally peacefully made any difference recently?

so two ways of protesting don't work...maybe some other ideas should be thrown into the mix....simple fact is that violent protest will lose public support, peaceful protest will not....

Whatever ... the main problems come from disenchanted, chip on shoulder losers up for a ruck...no political agenda or desire for any change save making a nice change from watching daytime tv

 

[Blagsta]

well, i'm gonna go and beat up a random male as a symbolic gesture of years of female oppression.

silly

 

[Spymaster]

So go and argue with the RBS website then:

Royal Bank of Scotland
London City Office
62-63 Threadneedle Street
London
EC2R 8LA

London City Office, doesn't mean HQ. They also have a Mayfair Office and a Trafalgar Square office.

Honestly, it's a branch with cashiers, a bureau de change and cashpoints. I've used it.

 

[rutabowa]

No, not at all... I do wonder exactly what protest in this form achieves.

it can't achieve any less than peaceful protests

 

[jæd]

right, so if they had somehow managed to try and storm the head office (which they wouldn't be able to get anywhere near anyway) there would be less trouble.

If they held a non-violent protest for once Middle England might actually listen to them. And they'd be greater freedom in the future to protest. Today will just be used to force more legislation through...

 

[tangentlama]

This is the problem - it means everyone gets thumped and the police are proved right and middle england is protected from the anarchists. The media gets interesting coverage and the message gets lost in shouts of 'riots, vandalism, anarchy!'

That isn't happening at all. The BBC are giving very balanced live reportage. There's barely any trouble. Spontaneous Symbolic attack on RBS property - now contained.

Police are hemming the demonstrators in, not allowing them to disperse. Last time this happened, High Court ruled against police handling as creating problems.

Police will need to let demonstrators disperse to their cup-of-tea rally point as and when they want to leave.

Demo is currently peaceful.

 

[boohoo]

That isn't happening at all. The BBC are giving very balanced live reportage. There's barely any trouble. Spontaneous Symbolic attack on RBS property - now contained.

Police are hemming the demonstrators in, not allowing them to disperse. Last time this happened, High Court ruled against police handling as creating problems. Police need to let demonstrators disperse to their cup-of-tea rally point asap. It's nearly 3pm and the demo is over.

Well, glad the bbc are balanced. Watch the Mail and Standard tomorrow.

 

[rutabowa]

If they held a non-violent protest for once Middle England might actually listen to them. And they'd be greater freedom in the future to protest. Today will just be used to force more legislation through...

how many people were at the big anti war march? that went totally peacefully?

 

[Gavin Bl]

London City Office, doesn't mean HQ. They also have a Mayfair Office and a Trafalgar Square office.

Honestly, it's a branch with cashiers, a bureau de change and cashpoints. I've used it.

With a couple of technical/legal departments upstairs - I've worked there before. Its a pretty minor office compared to the big Bishopsgate places.

Even the big place in Aldgate is largely just an IT shop.

 

[girasol]

how many people were at the big anti war march? that went totally peacefully?

yup it did go very peacefully - government didn't listen, but if there had been a riot, would that have made a difference?

On the other hand the poll tax riots did the trick (for a bit) but a while later council tax was introduced when no one was looking

 

[purplex]

Because the government's/police first duty isn't to its people anymore, it's to property.

Correct. Property can get fixed.

 

[STFC]

Some photos I took at lunchtime:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34981699@N05/sets/72157616130814223/

 

[A Dashing Blade]

London City Office, doesn't mean HQ. They also have a Mayfair Office and a Trafalgar Square office.

Honestly, it's a branch with cashiers, a bureau de change and cashpoints. I've used it.

Yup, according to RBS's intranet site, there's also some IT bods there.