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

[xes]

ah but he who controls the spice controls the universe

that'll be God then? (or Sheeba, or the source, or like, what ever you want to call "it")

 

[DotCommunist]

that'll be God then? (or Sheeba, or the source, or like, what ever you want to call "it")

Padishah Emperor Leto Atriedies, aksherly

 

[danny la rouge]

ah but he who controls the spice controls the universe

Is that "space" said in a cockney accent?

 

[xes]

Is that "space" said in a cockney accent?

that, that'd be a Brummy accent. Cockerknee would be more like "Spaaaace"

[/accent expert]

 

[danny la rouge]

that, that'd be a Brummy accent. Cockerknee would be more like "Spaaaace"

[/accent expert]

Spaaaace? Nobody says it like that!

Brummy would be spoice, surely?


(*The problem here is going to be agreement on the vowels in the first place. ).

 

[DotCommunist]

Spaaaace? Nobody says it like that!

Brummy would be spoice, surely?


(*The problem here is going to be agreement on the vowels in the first place. ).

So you never watched 'Lost In Spaaaace'?

 

[danny la rouge]

So you never watched 'Lost In Spaaaace'?

That's spaaaayyyyce.

 

[_pH_]

Brummy would be spoice, surely?

nah, that's max off of hart to hart

 

[danny la rouge]

nah, that's max off of hart to hart

Ah, now you have the advantage of me, for I never watched the show.

 

[goldenecitrone]

That's spaaaayyyyce.

No, that's pigs in spayyyyyyyyyyce.

 

[danny la rouge]

No, that's pigs in spayyyyyyyyyyce.

What's the difference?

 

[rekil]

Ah, now you have the advantage of me, for I never watched the show.

Lionel Stander who played Max was a communist. He surreptitiously whistled the internationale in a scene in one of his fillums and everything. However, despite repeated viewings I deem Hart To Hart to be of limited revolutionary propaganda value. It is gash.

 

[danny la rouge]

Lionel Stander who played Max was a communist. He surreptiously whistled the internationale in a scene in one of his fillums and everything.

Legend.

It's a bit like mouthing "hello mum", though.

 

[_pH_]

Lionel Stander who played Max was a communist. He surreptiously whistled the internationale in a scene in one of his fillums and everything. However, despite repeated viewings I deem Hart To Hart to be of limited revolutionary propaganda value. It is gash.

Exactly brother. It merely serves as propaganda to ensure the long term retention of the master-slave status quo by depicting a false image of a benevolent patriarchy.

or something

 

[Jeff Robinson]

Fucking hell, just watched the indy media video showing the fucking filthy pig scum baton charging peaceful climate protests for absolute no reason. The fucking utter, utter cunts!

 

[xes]

Fucking hell, just watched the indy media video showing the fucking filthy pig scum baton charging peaceful climate protests for absolute no reason. The fucking utter, utter cunts!

welcome to the fury

by the way, that's not sarcasm, I want people to be as outraged and as angry as I am.

 

[xes]

Mark Thomas givin it some

 

[david dissadent]

was present at the Climate Camp protest from the outset at 12.30 and was impressed hugely by the calm and peaceful manner in which the camp unfolded and began its programme of talks and workshops. I felt then that the police were doing an excellent job of allowing the camp to run as planned and was greatly heartened by this. Their presence to me, as a first time protestor, was truly reassuring and friendly. I began to think that we, as society, were really starting to make progress. Peaceful protestors and police working together to facilitate a public opportunity for learning and debate about climate change. What an achievement! I was so proud of everyone involved, police and protestors alike.
The day got even better as people passing by en-route to the office stopped for a chat or a locally sourced treat from the food stall. With the sun shining down throughout the afternoon the mood was happy and relaxed. The police had the good judgement to ensure everyone there was able to come and go freely, in marked contrast to the police cordons established nearby. I noticed newer people arriving from those cordons expressing dismay at the ‘hippy shit they witnessed. ‘We need chaos not f**ing camping being one comment but I was pleased by their interest and ultimately their respect for the camp, indeed there was no violence here, just community. How wonderful, then, that the camp had the ability to engender calm and peace in the very people whod been held back for hours. How great to see smiles on these faces.
This calm, happy atmosphere continued until, with no warning or provocation WHATSOEVER, riot police charged as a line into the South End of the camp where I was unlucky enough to be sitting. The following events are recorded thus:

With other protestors I moved forward, arms raised and utterly defenceless. Immediately the police started hitting us. I have never been hit by another human being in my life. I am a 35 year old woman. What I saw, heard and felt in the next 10 minutes will haunt me for some time to come. I was pushed to the front, immediately face to face with aggression and anger Ive never witnessed before at such close range. This rage was never in the faces of protestors but in the faces flaring behind plastic visors. All around me people were being pushed and beaten by black gloved hands wielding batons. I tried to reason with the man pushing his riot shield sideways into my ribcage and smashing his baton down on the people around me. I looked into his eyes and could see the human there. I asked him, verbatim:
Me: ‘Why are you doing this?
Him: ‘Because we want you to move.
Me: ‘Why didnt you just ask us?
No reply
I was suffocating from the force of people pushing me forward and the shield now wedged firmly against my chest. My legs started giving way and I felt dizzy and deafened. This human in front of me now saw I was having difficulty standing and asked me if I wanted to come out. By this time I was in a shocked daze and within the next two seconds hed grabbed my shoulder and levered me past him and out into the street. Someone pushed me forward again for good measure as I was stumbling forward finding my balance.
On the other side a legal observer who seen everything, ran up, asked me if I was okay and immediately took a statement. The incident was filmed from several angles. Indeed the batons I had looked up to avoid were competing with a sound boom at one point. I was left to wander the streets for the next 4 hours, no coat in the freezing temperatures and absolutely no way of returning to retrieve my belongings or rejoining my friends. On asking police exhaustedly, hours later, when people inside the camp might be freed and I might be able to go home, I was told: ‘No chance. Youll only start trouble again somewhere else, wont you?. I am a teacher, not and never a troublemaker. I wouldnt talk to a six-year old like this. In fact a six-year old would swiftly recognise this treatment for what it is. Bullying.
I liken the events I witnessed yesterday to a loss of innocence. Ive been bought up to trust and respect police. I have always admired the efficient and professional police manner I have witnessed on the handful of (usually school-based) previous occasions when Ive had contact with the police.
My long established trust is at an end. The only people I saw committing a public act of violence at Climate Camp last night were in uniform, moving as one and utterly intent on causing fear among those they attacked. How incredulous I am that, in the face of this advancing and serious danger to themselves, it was the good-natured protesters who behaved impeccably, responding with no retaliation, with no violence. Their responsibility and patience at the onslaught takes my breath away.

link

 

[rutabowa]

my friend wrote this letter to an MP it is pretty good I think:

"With regard to your recent reported statement in today's Guardian, 'But one eyewitness, Martin Horwood, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, said dogs were used on
protesters near the camp', I would like to know whether you intend to raise this issue in the House and directly with the Home Secretary? - and to urge you to do so for the reasons outlined below:

Right to Peaceful Protest

Both myself and my wife were in Bishopsgate on Wednesday evening between 8 and 10pm. We attended the demonstration as peaceful participants, along with many others, as we feel strongly about the issues under protest - and we intended to exercise our democratic right to demonstrate peacefully. The situation was terribly managed by an aggresive over policing strategy which created an air of confrontation and tension where one did not previously exist.

Police Aggression Around Leadenhall

I estimate that the police (note they were Military Police in the main) outnumbered protesters by 2:1 in most areas. They were aggressive - at one point we were chased (along with c30 other people) by police with aggressive, barking dogs for standing in the street at c20.25 around Leadenhall.

The situation started when the police asked the group to move away - they did not provide an explanation as to why this was required and no threatening or aggressive moves were made towards the police - moreover, no criminal activity took place. The police then encouraged the dogs to become aggressive and suddenly charged us as a group! I have no idea why, it immediately created an air of hostility, violence and fear. If the police want to radicalise peaceful protestors, it will be by acts such as this. As a British citizen I believe that the police should have an active role in encouraging peaceful protest. Wednesday nights actions did not and will contribute to a declining security situation.

Police Aggression in Bishopsgate / Aggressive Containment

We went to Bishopsgate and were told that the 'Climate Camp' was sealed and that people were permitted to leave but not to enter the area. I asked the police where the camp's exit was and was told that people were able to leave in smal groups from the northern exit. This was clearly not true and another police officer told me that protesters were permitted to leave through the southern exit in small groups.

I spent just over an hour at the southern exit and did not see anyone leave - I understood from speaking with people on the inside of the camp that they were forbidden to do so. The situation was tense and the police were clearly waiting for those outside of the camp to leave before they cleared the area - it was very clear that clearing the area would be done in a violent and conforntational manner. During this time, there were c100 protesters at the south of the camp (outside of the camp). Amongst them, there was only one person who was acting badly (shouting and swearing/verbal abuse through a megaphone) - he could easily have been removed by the police (if they chose to) in a single action. He was small and clearly drunk - the police are used to dealing with this type of low level disorder in their day to day operations.

Absence of Normal Policing

The police seem able to deal with crowds of rowdy drunks in Soho most weekends of the year without trapping them in Old Compton street for 5 hours and threatening them with dogs. They have more credibility when proportionate means are used. If they were concerned about small numbers of violent people, they should deal with them on an individual basis - as they would at a football match. The means employed in the City were a waste of taxpayer's money, disproportionate, I suspect unlawful, undemocratic, counter productive and created a violent situation from a peaceful one.

Pre-Meditated Police Aggression

The police adopted a needlessly aggressive stance that was clearly pre-meditated; this was obvious due to the visible coordinated charging of protesters and the use of aggressive dogs to instill fear into otherwise peaceful protests."

 

[nick h.]

my friend wrote this letter to an MP it is pretty good I think: <SNIP> Police Aggression Around Leadenhall

they were Military Police in the main <SNIP>

Really? Any pics?

 

[Jeff Robinson]

welcome to the fury

by the way, that's not sarcasm, I want people to be as outraged and as angry as I am.

Consider me initiated into the cult of utter hatred.

(starting to worry about my blood pressure though - every time see the news I have to grit my teeth and mutter profanities under my breath these days)

Saw Mark Thomas on Newsnight the other day - thought he was great.

 

[rutabowa]

Really? Any pics?

i suspect he meant riot police.

 

[david dissadent]

Really? Any pics?

The police at the north end of the kettle had MP on their helmets, I assumed it was just their unit designation and I think they were Met. Im pretty confident they were not MPs but might be wrong.

The millitary police are army and you would need one hell of a justification sending troops onto the streets.

 

[DotCommunist]

The police at the north end of the kettle had MP on their helmets, I assumed it was just their unit designation and I think they were Met. Im pretty confident they were not MPs but might be wrong.

The millitary police are army and you would need one hell of a justification sending troops onto the streets.

You'd need an act of parliament iirc. There was serious issues during that iranian embassy siege over deploying the SAS on domestic soil.

 

[smokedout]

The police at the north end of the kettle had MP on their helmets, I assumed it was just their unit designation and I think they were Met. Im pretty confident they were not MPs but might be wrong.

The millitary police are army and you would need one hell of a justification sending troops onto the streets.

funnily enough it stands for Metropolitan Police

 

[danny la rouge]

funnily enough it stands for Metropolitan Police

 

[rutabowa]

Yes, it was a mistake, it should have read "riot police".
what about the rest of the words?

 

[david dissadent]

In to the City on Wednesday, anyway, to gawp at the fuss. I went on my bike. Just around the corner from the office, the first protesters were being arrested - the ones who had bought themselves a huge blue armoured car. Rule One of peaceful protest, guys: don't turn up in a tank.

I ended up at the Climate Camp on Bishopsgate, which felt like a sort of makeshift urban Glastonbury. Mark Thomas was there, along with all sorts of people you'd recognise from the news. A.A.Gill congratulated me on my disguise, and seemed a little confused when I told him I wasn't wearing one. The highlight, though, was watching a man dressed as a cat trying to climb a tree. He kept falling out of it on to the head of another man sitting below, who was ostentatiously meditating and had to pretend not to notice. This lasted for ages.

The reek of skunk probably didn't help with the carbon footprint side of things, but I rather approved of Climate Camp. It was good-natured and friendly and, unlike with the fraught and frightened mob down the road, you actually got the point. Yesterday morning, I watched YouTube videos of the police breaking it up with batons. It made me feel rather sick.

Someone went off message at the times

 

[Nixon]

I was at the G20 reclaim the streets protest and also at the climate change one (although i didn't intend to stay at the climate camp).We were barricaded at the climate camp until just after midnight.We were lucky to get out (we hung around the police lines so we could see if they started to let people go),because after they started beating people..not all of my mates got out.To be honest im MOST pissed off with the media's bullshit response to the protests although im not surprised.The fucking evening standard printing made up bullshit about Ramparts and in turn managing to get it raided by 100 police officers..and the sun printing photos of the only "yobby" type people at the whole protest..describing the protesters as "stinking of cider"..and the fact that someone died when they were surrounded by police.there were police medics.nothing was done.

I was physically sick after getting released,I think because I was stressed about the whole day and didn't realise it till after.I got punched in the head after the police let me and my gf go,because I told the police officer not to touch me as I left,because they were physically pushing the people out of the cordon.My gf also got hit in the G20 protest,but she's okay.Just before we got released and before the cops started beating people,they were discussing the football scores..I've been to various protests and seen violence and shit.I guess I was most freaked out because this is and was all happening on my doorstep in such a major way and the police having such a blatent disregard for humans.The repercussions it's left for our community.For squatters,activists and people who are actually doing a lot of good in the alternative communities.For people who are less alternative and just want their voices to be heard.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Really? Any pics?

Many of the riot cops in the video have 'MP' on their helmets, I assumed this meant they were military police.