Glasgow demo account
H | 18.02.2003 15:57 | Anti-militarism
I was just putting the finishing touches and sewing our flags for the demo at around 11pm on the night of the 14th when we got an email telling us that the cowardly tony tosspot blah blah had chickened out of his scheduled speech to the Labour party conference on the 15th at 2pm in Glasgow because he didn't have the bottle to face the 9 out of 10 Scots that don't want him, his war, or his weapons of mass destruction. Those 9 out of 10 Scots were represented by about 80,000 of their number intent on surrounding the conference with a wailing screaming shouting drumming human wall of Jericho to drown his war speech out with the noisiest demand for peace anyone had ever heard.
We decided we'd be better to get to the SECC early instead of meeting up at the starting point of the march at Glasgow Green so we could join in any action that happened earlier at the SECC as a result of Tony's change of plans. We got there at 10:30 presuming there would be other demonstraters doing the same to ensure our voices were heard despite his evasive tactics.We were herded off immediately by a LARGE swarm of yellow jackets with LARGE guns. We found a nice safe free parkup for the van nearby and headed down the route in reverse to join the march at George Square.
First person I saw was Bobi from Faslane Peace camp (ex camper) with Spike the dog, one of the six teknopuppies born at my house. I handed him one of the 6 black flags I'd painted with the peacefull anarchist sign (the cnd ban the bomb logo combined with the anarchist A in a circle). It was a bigger crowd than usual, I noticed. Apart from Glastonbury 2000 I hadnt seen so many since the"anti-Clinton-suporting-the-Israelis-Palestine-solidarity"
demo about a year ago. That was the last time an American political twat thought it was a good idea to come to Glasgow and try to convince Scots that a lunatic fascist regime deserved our support. I'd certainly never seen either CND or Monopolise Resistance pulling anything this big off before. I
could see the beginning of the march, but straining my eyes, I couldn't see the tail end.
We dondered along at a leisurely rate chatting, and joked that it was more an amble than a march and what lovely weather it was, look-none of the shops and cafes (not even the off licenses or MacDonalds) were closed-
all doing good business. And look-loads and loads of children, elderly respectable types, people in wheelchairs, musicians, bagpipes, cheery
people, smiley faces. And around 500 people to each policeman- none of whom were doing much except standing, smiling, giving helpfull information,
directing the crowd and being entirely non threatening or threatened. What a nice vibe- what a lovely vibe.
But where were the Black Bloc? Where were the usual suspects? Did they all meet at Glasgow Green, form a quick plan "B" and we'd missed them at the SECC? and if not, were they at the tail end of the march as had been the probable position? We decided to take a seat on the edge of a flower bed at the side of the road, skin up, and watch the proccession, scanning for people we knew, or lots of black flags, untill the tail end came in sight.
After half an hour we thought we'd seen the tail end, and no black flags so we started walking with the march again, assuming it was going to be diverted to Kelvingrove, thinking we'd find people we knew there.By this time, we had estimated the number of people we reckoned had passed us as around 30-50 thousand.
The march procceeded straight to the SECC without any attempts to divert it. When we got there, we were so hungry and thirsty, after meeting up with Irish Pat and his wains pickniking with other family groups under the trees on the outskirts of the SECC car park and watching the dancers at the drumming groups and enjoying the company for anther half an hour we decided
to go back to the van, a mere 4 minute walk, and brew up a coffee and some food. As we wandered back to the road we realised we hadn't been anywhere near the tail end of the march-people were still pouring in and we decided to just stand and watch untill we could see the real tail end of the march.
We stood for another half an hour and met more peacecampers- some busy leafletting, some congregating in an action planning huddle, some trying to co-ordinate a meeting place to party afterwards and celibrate, but the tail end of the march was still out of sight.
As we started off again towards the van an elderly ploughshares lady,looking elegantly dressed and radiant- so much so I barely recognised her at first, (being used to normally seeing her in wax jacket and wellies with bolt croppers in her hand, or covered in mud, bedraggled and soaked to the skin at early morning or late night pixie mission at the peace camp).
"where are you going?" she asked
"for a coffee-we're a bit knackered now-been here since 10:30, just need a break and we'll be back soon".
Then she asked "do you know where some street or other (I forget) is?"
"nope"
"well never mind, but my friend just phoned on the mobile from there-she says people are still leaving Glasgow Green-there are still thousands that haven't got here yet!"
We began to realise that we had allready estimated 30-50 thousand as half the people we'd seen passing and that we still hadn't seen the rest- there were 100 thousand at Glastonbury 2000, I'd seen what that many people looked like and I was looking at a very similar number here today.
We ate and drank coffee on the pavement at the side of the road by the van opposite MacDonalds (doing thriving business) and talked about how totally outnumbered the police were and how much scope those who wanted to do office occupations or similar actions had to do so with impunity, should they decide to target military recruting offices or other legitamite targets while the police were so preoccupied. Then we took a notion to visit Livvy in his tipi up the Campsie hills and unwind to reflect on what was a moment in history with a huge difference. What happened today in Glasgow had never happened before in living memory.
The sun was shining still, we had an indescribable peace in our hearts and the view from the road to Milngavie from Glasgow gave us a panoramic view
of the beautifull coutryside surrounding Glasgow, 20 miles from the weapons of mass destruction our people have fought against for 20 years that would be obliterated by an accident at Faslane. To Livvie,in his tipi in the woods who has lived his entire life in protest against everything abhorrant and destructive that threatens his land, his world and his people.
"Where have you been?" he asked after a bear hug.
"At the peace march"
"I was going to go," he said "But I thought, this is a day for the ordinary people, I thought, let them do it for themselves, let the rest of them go and do it for themselves, without the likes of me, that's done it all their days, let them go and do it on their own, for themselves, without me"
"Aye, well they did that today, Livvie, I wish you'd seen them- biggest turnout in living memory -near a hunderd thousand man,-all the ordinary folk
that never protested before- you should have seen them- near enough a hundred thousand of them"
"Aye-and that'll be all round this whole planet- thousands to millions globally, aw saying "NO" aw at once- surely they cannae ignore that, hen,they cannae afford tae ignore that"
"If they go against this loud a voice fae the people, surely those that do will never be voted into a position of power ever ever again...We'll see, Livvie, we'll see, time'll tell"
"Aye, we'll see right enough, we'll soon see, one way or the other, we'll soon see, but I'm glad it was a guid turn out, I hope that'll make a difference, we'll see soon enough if it was enough, time'll tell"
Amazingly we got home before the off license closed.
"How are you?" the shopkeeeper asked.
"We're well-we had a great day today at the protest march in Glasgow".
"I wanted to go" he answered, "But I have no assistant here and saturday is a very busy day, I couldn't afford to just close and go but I am glad, I thank you for going there. I just fear it will make no difference, that still they will go ahead-you know, they are so insane they will do it anyway".
"Yes you are right, they are insane" (I tapped my head and birled my finger round in the crazy in the head gesture) but I think if they go ahead they will never be voted into a power position ever again for so blatantly ignoring the will of the people"
He was unconvinced with my last shot at giving him hope his people would be saved from war and said
"But I know there is many children there allready dead and many more will die either way anyway- neither Saddamm or Bush cares how many children die, those people are the same that way- they will, both of them, just kill innocent children just like that (he snaps his fingers) just like that they kill-it's all the same to them, they don't care about the people, they will
kill here, there, anywhere, no matter what people want to live, they will always kill, they are crazy" and he taps his finger on his temple and turns it round in the same crazy in the head sign language.
I tell him to keep his fingers crossed and pray for a miracle, something I have to admit even I have little hope for. He thanks me for going and I go home to drink my cider and put the Iraqui flag we found in a flower bed in my front living room window as a last gesture of support for the people whos innocent blood I won't have on my hands today or any other day if I can help it.
H
We decided we'd be better to get to the SECC early instead of meeting up at the starting point of the march at Glasgow Green so we could join in any action that happened earlier at the SECC as a result of Tony's change of plans. We got there at 10:30 presuming there would be other demonstraters doing the same to ensure our voices were heard despite his evasive tactics.We were herded off immediately by a LARGE swarm of yellow jackets with LARGE guns. We found a nice safe free parkup for the van nearby and headed down the route in reverse to join the march at George Square.
First person I saw was Bobi from Faslane Peace camp (ex camper) with Spike the dog, one of the six teknopuppies born at my house. I handed him one of the 6 black flags I'd painted with the peacefull anarchist sign (the cnd ban the bomb logo combined with the anarchist A in a circle). It was a bigger crowd than usual, I noticed. Apart from Glastonbury 2000 I hadnt seen so many since the"anti-Clinton-suporting-the-Israelis-Palestine-solidarity"
demo about a year ago. That was the last time an American political twat thought it was a good idea to come to Glasgow and try to convince Scots that a lunatic fascist regime deserved our support. I'd certainly never seen either CND or Monopolise Resistance pulling anything this big off before. I
could see the beginning of the march, but straining my eyes, I couldn't see the tail end.
We dondered along at a leisurely rate chatting, and joked that it was more an amble than a march and what lovely weather it was, look-none of the shops and cafes (not even the off licenses or MacDonalds) were closed-
all doing good business. And look-loads and loads of children, elderly respectable types, people in wheelchairs, musicians, bagpipes, cheery
people, smiley faces. And around 500 people to each policeman- none of whom were doing much except standing, smiling, giving helpfull information,
directing the crowd and being entirely non threatening or threatened. What a nice vibe- what a lovely vibe.
But where were the Black Bloc? Where were the usual suspects? Did they all meet at Glasgow Green, form a quick plan "B" and we'd missed them at the SECC? and if not, were they at the tail end of the march as had been the probable position? We decided to take a seat on the edge of a flower bed at the side of the road, skin up, and watch the proccession, scanning for people we knew, or lots of black flags, untill the tail end came in sight.
After half an hour we thought we'd seen the tail end, and no black flags so we started walking with the march again, assuming it was going to be diverted to Kelvingrove, thinking we'd find people we knew there.By this time, we had estimated the number of people we reckoned had passed us as around 30-50 thousand.
The march procceeded straight to the SECC without any attempts to divert it. When we got there, we were so hungry and thirsty, after meeting up with Irish Pat and his wains pickniking with other family groups under the trees on the outskirts of the SECC car park and watching the dancers at the drumming groups and enjoying the company for anther half an hour we decided
to go back to the van, a mere 4 minute walk, and brew up a coffee and some food. As we wandered back to the road we realised we hadn't been anywhere near the tail end of the march-people were still pouring in and we decided to just stand and watch untill we could see the real tail end of the march.
We stood for another half an hour and met more peacecampers- some busy leafletting, some congregating in an action planning huddle, some trying to co-ordinate a meeting place to party afterwards and celibrate, but the tail end of the march was still out of sight.
As we started off again towards the van an elderly ploughshares lady,looking elegantly dressed and radiant- so much so I barely recognised her at first, (being used to normally seeing her in wax jacket and wellies with bolt croppers in her hand, or covered in mud, bedraggled and soaked to the skin at early morning or late night pixie mission at the peace camp).
"where are you going?" she asked
"for a coffee-we're a bit knackered now-been here since 10:30, just need a break and we'll be back soon".
Then she asked "do you know where some street or other (I forget) is?"
"nope"
"well never mind, but my friend just phoned on the mobile from there-she says people are still leaving Glasgow Green-there are still thousands that haven't got here yet!"
We began to realise that we had allready estimated 30-50 thousand as half the people we'd seen passing and that we still hadn't seen the rest- there were 100 thousand at Glastonbury 2000, I'd seen what that many people looked like and I was looking at a very similar number here today.
We ate and drank coffee on the pavement at the side of the road by the van opposite MacDonalds (doing thriving business) and talked about how totally outnumbered the police were and how much scope those who wanted to do office occupations or similar actions had to do so with impunity, should they decide to target military recruting offices or other legitamite targets while the police were so preoccupied. Then we took a notion to visit Livvy in his tipi up the Campsie hills and unwind to reflect on what was a moment in history with a huge difference. What happened today in Glasgow had never happened before in living memory.
The sun was shining still, we had an indescribable peace in our hearts and the view from the road to Milngavie from Glasgow gave us a panoramic view
of the beautifull coutryside surrounding Glasgow, 20 miles from the weapons of mass destruction our people have fought against for 20 years that would be obliterated by an accident at Faslane. To Livvie,in his tipi in the woods who has lived his entire life in protest against everything abhorrant and destructive that threatens his land, his world and his people.
"Where have you been?" he asked after a bear hug.
"At the peace march"
"I was going to go," he said "But I thought, this is a day for the ordinary people, I thought, let them do it for themselves, let the rest of them go and do it for themselves, without the likes of me, that's done it all their days, let them go and do it on their own, for themselves, without me"
"Aye, well they did that today, Livvie, I wish you'd seen them- biggest turnout in living memory -near a hunderd thousand man,-all the ordinary folk
that never protested before- you should have seen them- near enough a hundred thousand of them"
"Aye-and that'll be all round this whole planet- thousands to millions globally, aw saying "NO" aw at once- surely they cannae ignore that, hen,they cannae afford tae ignore that"
"If they go against this loud a voice fae the people, surely those that do will never be voted into a position of power ever ever again...We'll see, Livvie, we'll see, time'll tell"
"Aye, we'll see right enough, we'll soon see, one way or the other, we'll soon see, but I'm glad it was a guid turn out, I hope that'll make a difference, we'll see soon enough if it was enough, time'll tell"
Amazingly we got home before the off license closed.
"How are you?" the shopkeeeper asked.
"We're well-we had a great day today at the protest march in Glasgow".
"I wanted to go" he answered, "But I have no assistant here and saturday is a very busy day, I couldn't afford to just close and go but I am glad, I thank you for going there. I just fear it will make no difference, that still they will go ahead-you know, they are so insane they will do it anyway".
"Yes you are right, they are insane" (I tapped my head and birled my finger round in the crazy in the head gesture) but I think if they go ahead they will never be voted into a power position ever again for so blatantly ignoring the will of the people"
He was unconvinced with my last shot at giving him hope his people would be saved from war and said
"But I know there is many children there allready dead and many more will die either way anyway- neither Saddamm or Bush cares how many children die, those people are the same that way- they will, both of them, just kill innocent children just like that (he snaps his fingers) just like that they kill-it's all the same to them, they don't care about the people, they will
kill here, there, anywhere, no matter what people want to live, they will always kill, they are crazy" and he taps his finger on his temple and turns it round in the same crazy in the head sign language.
I tell him to keep his fingers crossed and pray for a miracle, something I have to admit even I have little hope for. He thanks me for going and I go home to drink my cider and put the Iraqui flag we found in a flower bed in my front living room window as a last gesture of support for the people whos innocent blood I won't have on my hands today or any other day if I can help it.
H
H
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