Florence Impressions: ESF Demonstration

300,000 not one million!

09.11.2002 22:50

I wish people would stop overestimating the numbers that turn up at demonstrations! There were about 300,000 people at todays demonstration not one million! Just as there were 150,000 at the anti-war demonstration in London on September 28th not 400,000!

Harlequin

450.000 secondo le stime della polizia

09.11.2002 23:52

Il numero dei manifestanti a Firenze sono stati almeno 450.000 (stima della polizia di stato). In realtà le stime più realistiche parlano di almeno 7-800.000 persone. Questo per la precisione.

castello

Message for Harlequin

10.11.2002 00:11

The BBC quoted '450,000' on their TV news tonight, Harlequin. You're not even in Florence - why do you want to ratchet down the figures? Unless you're in shit-stirring mood, as you have been before on Indymedia.

Mr Eyes

Numbers

10.11.2002 00:26

Halflequin
Even the papers and authorities agreed on 450,000 in London last month. Were you there? Get a fucking life, and do something you griper.
People like you do nothing, so sod off.
AndyC

AndyC

castello in inglese

10.11.2002 15:40

The Italian comment above states that the official police figure was 400-450,000. 1,000,000 for the organisers. Somewhere in the middle sounds about right and very encouraging. BUT what happened to the anarchist bloc that were blocked off from the main march? Any news?

black bollock

Only 150,000 were in London last month!

10.11.2002 18:02

I was on both the countryside demo and the anti-war demo and the countryside demo was by far the bigger! That demo started at 10 am from two routes one near Tower Bridge and one in Hyde Park and took from 10 am until 5:30pm to finish. The anti-war march on the other hand started at 1:30pm and finished at 6pm so no way was the anti-war march in London last month as big as the countryside march!

The Florence demo was most likley only 300,000 strong which is one hell of a good turnout without ruining it by over exagerrating the numbers.

If anything it is you who are fucking up the left in Britain, you support the firefighters claim for 30,000 a year, yet refused to support the Farmers who struggle to survive on just 10,000 a year and many of whom have to work 60 hour weeks! I bet I was the only left winger on the countryside march! No wonder the left in Britain is going down hill and has little support when it ignores the plight of people like our farmers!

Another thing why do you always organise Mayday protests on a weekday so there is only a small turnout. Oragnise them on Saturday so we get a good turnout and then things might start happening!

Harlequin

In the US it's "Tens Of Thousands"

10.11.2002 18:39

Unfortunately here the US (if the Media is reporting it at all) the phrase they use is "tens of thousands of demonstrators." Making it sound like less than 100,000. There has barely been any coverage on TV. A few web articles and news websites have slightly more accurate reporting but Newspapers and TV have barely given it a nod. Most Americans remain un-aware that huge amounts of people have come out against the war (overseas and even at home the demonstration in DC, the largest since Vietnam, went un-covered and un-noticed) and certainly couldn’t begin to understand why the rest of the world wouldn’t support our war with Iraq or anyone else for that matter. Your message is going largely unheard in the USA. Make more noise. -THG

ThatHawaiiGuy

In the US it's Tens Of Thousands

10.11.2002 18:43

Unfortunately here the US (if the Media is reporting it at all) the phrase they use is "tens of thousands of demonstrators." Making it sound like less than 100,000. There has barely been any coverage on TV. A few web articles and news websites have slightly more accurate reporting but Newspapers and TV have barely given it a nod. Most Americans remain un-aware that huge amounts of people have come out against the war (overseas and even at home the demonstration in DC, the largest since Vietnam, went un-covered and un-noticed) and certainly couldn’t begin to understand why the rest of the world wouldn’t support our war with Iraq or anyone else for that matter. Your message is going largely unheard in the USA. Make more noise. -THG

ThatHawaiiGuy

how would you know ?

10.11.2002 18:44

I saw harlequins comment about the recent day of action in UK
"pathetic" "total flop" or something similar, where as to me looking in from the outside, at all the postings annoucing
action up an down the country , it looked like a great day of action. Well it made me wonder, just some negative geezer.

But I live very close to Florence and my wife took part in the march, she plays in a 40 piece percussion band and they
led the march along with another similar group of La Spezia.
I was in contact with her and other friends during the whole day. The organisation was very good with ATTAC and PRC providing security for at least the front of the march.

By 13:00 half the route of the march was already full, they reckon about 300.000 were present. The march had to start early because there were far more people than the organisers had calculated for.
The prefect of Florence Achille Sera said on local radio that he was proud to have been in Florence and agreed that a figure of 650:000 was accurate, other observers say it was closer to 1.000.000, well if florences top cop will go along
with 650 prehaps Harlequin should reveal his scources ..

ovvia

His sources?

10.11.2002 19:11

... He read it in 'Horse and Hound.'

Mr Ears

worse yrt...

10.11.2002 21:37

Canada's CTV yesterday reported "1,000's rallied in Florence today..."
Of course they didn't even cover our rally (of 40,000)last March against Campbell, so I guess that's progress. They must have failed algebra.

Brio

Halflequin nonsense

11.11.2002 04:41

People of the left do NOT align themselves with the wealthy Countryside Commission. We do, however, support underpaid agricultural workers. You are sadly confused, innit!

AndyC

who's numbers you believe??

11.11.2002 08:25

I was at the DC rally on Oct. 26th, and I must say that it's difficult to know who's numbers to believe. Estimates ranged from "thousands" to the police estimate of up to 100,000, to the organizers' claims of over 200,000. Hawaii guy is right that there has been virtually no news coverage in the States about any local, national or international anti-war activism. What coverage there is seems to villify the organizers, connect them with visual images of more violent protests against the IMF and emphasize the differences in ideology of the protest participants, as if to say we're falling apart. It's rather discouraging. Though I am encouraged to stumble upon news of such an immense turnout (even the low estimate) in Florence.

jeanbean

450,000?

11.11.2002 09:32

Why does the corporate media always screw up the numbers when reporting?

Cause they can't add worth shit!!!!

They are usually owned by bigger corporations like the big banks which keep fucking up the economy (especially in 3rd world countries).

Newton

1.000.000 in Florence

11.11.2002 16:36

On Saturday 9th November, there were 1.000.000 people in Florence who said NOT to the war and that another world isn't only possible but necessary.
And that's all!

mabuk_it

U.S. Coverage of Florence Rally

11.11.2002 21:01

To their credit, CNN Headline News reported on the Florence anti-war rally and quoted the 400,000 figure for the turnout. Though they spent barely 15 seconds at the top of each hour on the story before quickly moving on to other news.

Still, that's far better than the New York TIMES' embarassingly inaccurate reporting on the October 26 rally in D.C.

Timmy Ramone

1million told "le Figaro" in France

12.11.2002 08:29

"Le Figaro" said 1.000.000 in Florence
Nearly a month ago, LF was speaking of the anti-war protests in Washington and the main town in US
speaking of thousands of persons instead of hundred of thousands....
It is interesting to note this new editorial policy of this very important newspaper in France. On the Figaro Magazine, there was a 3 pages interview of the Harper's chief redactor, saying :
"9-11 events were very convenient for Bush ..."
"the official truth has nothing to do with the realty..."
... 3 pages !

If the french establishment's main newspaper dares to give the microphone to Bush's opponants, and cover the anti-war protests that means that the diplomatic conflict about US Empire's imperialism policy is not finished, it changes form. It will perhaps become easier to speak about what is really going on in the USA today.

max.de.talent
mail e-mail: max.de.talent@caramail.com

One million workers and youth march in Floren

14.11.2002 12:48

here's a good report of the demo and the mood, which was not only against the war but also against Berlusconi's government.

Redjordi
Homepage: http://www.marxist.com/Europe/esf_report.html

one million against the war

14.11.2002 12:50

a good report of the demo against the war and Berlusconi (including a VERY impressive pic)