[Politics] 'Freedom To Protest' Demonstration, 18th May Edin. - Page 2

Bobzilla · 14th May 2008, 4:20pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer

I hate to be Captain Obvious here, but one of the reasons for protesting is to put issues into the public eye. What are people more likely to notice: something that is different, eyecatching, entertaining etc, or a bunch of people with signs standing by the road?

If by putting it in the public eye you mean "oh...theres those weirdos protesting about something again" then yes they succeed. Fair enough those folk with signs arent exactly eye catching for the news but your going to know what they are protesting about even if you don't actually talk to them.

I remember as a kid there were always protest marches in my town along the lines of Ban the Bomb or something to do with taxes. You may not took part in the march but you certainly new what the hell was going on and why.

Ten people dressed as clowns with a small crowd around them is not a protest. Thats bad entertainment with a side order of politics.

Ever noticed how Mark Thomas when he's out and about on his protests tends not to be a comedian unless he's pulling a stunt for his shows? Get him on a march and he's either suited and booted up front or he's holding a sign with a slogan in the crowd. Just don't arrest and dearrest him and you'll get on like a house on fire.

pANDAS Radio · 14th May 2008, 4:23pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobzilla

It's one thing to be passionate about the subject of the protest it's another to get that wound up about the protest itself that when your stopped from doing it stops being peaceful in any way, and I don't mean physical violence. The number of protestors I've seen lose the plot and verbally attack people us unreal.

Yeah, that's why a lot of people simply stopped going. I remember being told that they were going to fake a closure of the camp so they could ditch the hangers on that were causing the bother. I don't think they ever bothered with it but it is quite sad when peaceful protestors feel that some of the people being attracted to the cause are so detrimental that they would rather stop the protest.

It's a sad fact of life that more people have opinions about Scientology or the right to dress as a clown than East Timor, Burma, Tibet etc..

And it'll probably get even worse with even more pointless gatherings and flash mobbing. Fair enough, they're motivated enough to get themselves along to a set place at a set time. Unfortunately they seem to get behind very minor issues based on some halfwitted "fun" element, instead of the good old days when the Anti Nazi League would attract huge amounts of people, protest seriously and then have some kind of entertainment to round off the day. Or people marching miles in aid of CND, Greenpeace, Trade Unions, Amnesty International etc..

The very nature of some protests actively discourages some people to get involved, that's what the organisers don't seem to understand. The issue is more important than what to wear.

MarkMono · 14th May 2008, 4:26pm

Nothing has changed, can we stop pretending it has?

Nostalgia gives me the boke.

Dec · 14th May 2008, 4:29pm

Non bent protests peaked with Dr MLK. Everything after that was just hippies wanking.

pANDAS Radio · 14th May 2008, 4:32pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobzilla

Ever noticed how Mark Thomas when he's out and about on his protests tends not to be a comedian unless he's pulling a stunt for his shows? Get him on a march and he's either suited and booted up front or he's holding a sign with a slogan in the crowd. Just don't arrest and dearrest him and you'll get on like a house on fire.

Exactly. His comedian status is set aside in favour of the issue when it needs to be.

I'm a member of his Confettiista from when he started protesting against Mean Fiddler at the Reading and Leeds festival. At the end of his set 2 big flash pots blasted packets of 1" square confetti with anti MF slogans on them for everyone to distribute about the site. A good "comedy protest" in the right scenario. Not the tactics he'd use for a more serious issue. Maybe the clowns should realise that their issue shouldn't be centred on them or it'll look like a "toys out of the pram" moment.

MarkMono · 14th May 2008, 4:34pm

Does anyone really give a fuck about their right to dress as a clown and 'entertain' the public without a license?

Anyone?

pANDAS Radio · 14th May 2008, 4:35pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkMono

Nothing has changed, can we stop pretending it has?

It has changed, especially in the wake of "celebrity protestors" like Tommy Sheridan. It's like they want the column inches for themselves with the protest as a footnote.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkMono

Does anyone really give a fuck about their right to dress as a clown and 'entertain' the public without a license?

Anyone?

5 fucktards from Edinburgh.

MarkMono · 14th May 2008, 4:35pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pANDAS Radio

It has changed, especially in the wake of "celebrity protestors" like Tommy Sheridan. It's like they want the column inches for themselves with the protest as a footnote.

Its like the 70s all over again.

Solidarity, fuckheads!

Hammer · 14th May 2008, 4:37pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pANDAS Radio

It has changed, especially in the wake of "celebrity protestors" like Tommy Sheridan. It's like they want the column inches for themselves with the protest as a footnote.

40 years ago, it was celebrity protesters like Margo MacDonald.

Like Mark is saying, nothing has actually changed here. There have always been Judean People's Fronts complaining about the People's Front of Judea.

pANDAS Radio · 14th May 2008, 4:39pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dec

Non bent protests peaked with Dr MLK. Everything after that was just hippies wanking.

What about Tianamen Square? Protestors these days wouldn't even take a purple nurple for the issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer

Margo MacDonald.

Another twat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer

Like Mark is saying, nothing has actually changed here. There have always been Judean People's Fronts complaining about the People's Front of Judea.

Aye, but the internet has helped fuel the frequency and the banality of the protests.

Hammer · 14th May 2008, 4:41pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pANDAS Radio

Another twat.

Someone who did a hell of a lot to help CND though. Just like Sheridan did a hell of a lot for the Poll Tax campaign.

MarkMono · 14th May 2008, 4:41pm

Okay, very little has changed.

pANDAS Radio · 14th May 2008, 4:49pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer

Someone who did a hell of a lot to help CND though. Just like Sheridan did a hell of a lot for the Poll Tax campaign.

Or appeared that way. A lot of the grunt work for those protests was done by regular, basically unknown, people and after the event the celebs aparrent figurehead status makes them look more important than they actually were. The protest would still have gone ahead without them. They lent support.

pANDAS Radio · 14th May 2008, 5:10pm

I found a short article about the protestors, seems that not everyone thinks "they were friendly and entertaining".

Quote:

Petrol station biofuel protesters to face trial

FIVE biofuels campaigners, arrested during a demonstration outside a BP filling station in Edinburgh, have appeared in court charged with breach of the peace.
The charges allege that, while dressed as clowns, they acted in a disorderly manner outside the BP service station in Barclay Place, Bruntsfield, on Tuesday.

The charges further allege that they milled around, accosting and annoying customers, and preventing them from transacting their legitimate business.

William Rutherford, 45, of Carlops Avenue, Penicuik; Sophie Bastable, 20, and Laura Martinez, 22, of Warrender Park Crescent, Marchmont; Lena Pokorny, 22, of Marchmont Road; and Amy Naumann, 20, of Kinghorn, Fife, all pleaded not guilty to the charges. All were granted bail at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday with a special condition that they did not enter any petrol station in Edinburgh unless the driver of or passenger in a car there for a legitimate purpose. Their trial was fixed for August 8th.

The demonstration was part of a national "April Bio-Fools Day".

Source: Edinburgh Evening News, Thursday, 17th April, 2008

I still laugh every time i read "While they were in custody, one woman was singled out, interviewed for two hours and kept in solitary confinement."

So fuck, one woman was interviewed on her own for 2 hours and given a cell to herself. A 2 hour interview seems pretty standard to me. And did they expect they'd all be kept together? Maybe they also expected Agadoo played over a speaker system while they were supplied with ice cream and fizzy pop.

supernothing · 15th May 2008, 10:46am

I love the bit in the report there that says the only "legitimate purpose" to enter a petrol station is to make a purchase. Sums up the role of the state pretty well.
The Rebel Clown Army is a fuckin joke, it makes very serious issues seem frivalous and puts of protesters who really care about the issues but would rather not look like attention seeking tits.