AWOL RTS IN MELBOURNE
aggy | 02.05.2001 00:30
After cruising the streets of Smelbs with a daggy disco the AWOL crew finished up at the intersection of Lygon and Victoria for a cranking RTS party!
AWOL RTS IN MELBOURNE
9am - After a Food Not Bombs brekkie on parliament steps and a quick spokes council the 200 strong group headed down Bourke Street.
Bystanders were non plussed as black clad anarchists, hippies, clowns, and many others danced their way down Bourke Street to the Village People handing out flowers (dumpster dived courtesy of Flowers not Bombs)and special editions of M1X.
This was a somewhat different vision of protesters than that of the chaotic violent dangerous misguided lot portrayed in the mainstream media. Further, it appeared that this people were protesting FOR something - rather than just being anti-something, rather they are FOR public space, FOR democratic independent media, FOR sustainable transport, FOR autonomy, FOR fun and creativity ... and the list goes on....
After a long and tiring dance around the city visiting corporate spots and hooking up for periods of time with the unions and m1 alliance activities the AWOL and affiliates crew joined the Nuclear Free Australia mob for a respite in the Flagstaff Gardens. By this stage there were around 500 + ppl with the AWOL truck.
After a quick spokes council meeting the decision was made to head to the Eight Hour Monument as planned ... there was virtually no police escort and the intersection was quickly and easily taken over.
3pm - The music continued - and flags, paint, frisbees, soccer balls, limbo and a variety of games emerged - barricades, streamers, and road block signs cordoned off the street. (I'd say over 600 people came thru the space over the 4 and a half hours the road was occupied)
Two police officers approached the group and asked the legal observers where the marshalls and spokespeople were. A request for a spokesperson was put out over the PA - to a resounding NO - the music (You've got to fight for your right to party - no less) cranked and the bemused officers left.
People were expecting a use of force due to the presence of a police bus - but the police other than counting the numbers and filming some protesters kept a relative distance and turned traffic away.
The party continued from 3pm - 7pm when most people entered Trades Hall to watch the SKA TV raw footage (Access News next week will show an edited MAY DAY story).
There is a lot more to add - this is a really slap dash run down - sorry! hopefully someone will publish photos soon! and write a less sleepy update!
Bystanders were non plussed as black clad anarchists, hippies, clowns, and many others danced their way down Bourke Street to the Village People handing out flowers (dumpster dived courtesy of Flowers not Bombs)and special editions of M1X.
This was a somewhat different vision of protesters than that of the chaotic violent dangerous misguided lot portrayed in the mainstream media. Further, it appeared that this people were protesting FOR something - rather than just being anti-something, rather they are FOR public space, FOR democratic independent media, FOR sustainable transport, FOR autonomy, FOR fun and creativity ... and the list goes on....
After a long and tiring dance around the city visiting corporate spots and hooking up for periods of time with the unions and m1 alliance activities the AWOL and affiliates crew joined the Nuclear Free Australia mob for a respite in the Flagstaff Gardens. By this stage there were around 500 + ppl with the AWOL truck.
After a quick spokes council meeting the decision was made to head to the Eight Hour Monument as planned ... there was virtually no police escort and the intersection was quickly and easily taken over.
3pm - The music continued - and flags, paint, frisbees, soccer balls, limbo and a variety of games emerged - barricades, streamers, and road block signs cordoned off the street. (I'd say over 600 people came thru the space over the 4 and a half hours the road was occupied)
Two police officers approached the group and asked the legal observers where the marshalls and spokespeople were. A request for a spokesperson was put out over the PA - to a resounding NO - the music (You've got to fight for your right to party - no less) cranked and the bemused officers left.
People were expecting a use of force due to the presence of a police bus - but the police other than counting the numbers and filming some protesters kept a relative distance and turned traffic away.
The party continued from 3pm - 7pm when most people entered Trades Hall to watch the SKA TV raw footage (Access News next week will show an edited MAY DAY story).
There is a lot more to add - this is a really slap dash run down - sorry! hopefully someone will publish photos soon! and write a less sleepy update!
aggy
Homepage:
www.antimedia.net/awol