have a good party and well done folks!!

Having recently attended larger and more fraught demo/party occasions, todays small but perfectly formed action felt satisfyingly chilled, assertive and successful. It was great to be on a sunny street in my own stamping ground (Tottenham), where the neighbours and shopkeepers were well informed and sympathetic to Dave and son Charlies plight, some neighbours offering support by sitting in the doorway when police and bailiffs eventually came. With brightly coloured flags, banners and samba music we drew the attention of passers by who were also curious and sympathetic. Nonplussed by the cheerful, calm and assertive way with which the resistance proceeded, the baillifs and police had no choice but to retreat. It was funny seeing them grouped on the other side of the road in their shirtsleeves, scratching their heads and shuffling about in a very undecided and sweaty manner.
I heared about the action by e mail only the day before, and despite having less than one days notice, we managed to pull together a workable sized samba band, which shows the level of sympathy and support for this occasion. There was a nice turnout for a Tuesday morning although as a Canadian sympathiser said, given the enormous feat that Dave and Helen Steele pulled off in shaming Mcshite, there could have been more activists out there giving support for somebody who made one of the more inspirational stances against a global monstrosity. Still, we hopefully did a good job of embarrasing Haringay council, the main aim of the day. (Do the pedantic, paper pushing stuffed shirts responsible for the eviction experience such emotions? We can only hope...)Dave and son Charlie are not out of the woods yet - this was in effect only a symbolic resistance, and one day soon they really will lose their home. Hopefully though the fight to shame Haringay council into providing secure, decent homes for all is only just beginning.

It makes all the difference having a samba band and fine weather during an event like this. The fact that it was accute but local also made the whole thing more focused. People knew what they were there for and victory or defeat were clear cut, as were the issues.