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Another Boring March In Leeds

Ted K | 29.03.2003 15:57 | No War F15 | Anti-militarism | Social Struggles

Today saw yet another march from A-b and back to A again in Leeds

Today we saw another of the regular demonstarions against the war here in Leeds. They happen every Thursday eve and saterday - and seem to increasingly be mere recruitment/paper sales exercises for a moribund left.
If we are to 'stop the war' or at least make it less of an attractive option for Blair/Bush in the future - then we need to bring the war home...not the words of an 'Agent Provocatuer' as some have said in other palces when someone has suggested taking more militant action against the war, but common sense. Why would any government listen to a protest movement happy to march along routes proscribed by the cops/march stewars (soft cops)?
Im sick of listening to speeches calling for ridiculous things like 'boycott america', sick of hearing wankers from the SWP and other authoritarian left organisations go on and on about 'building for the ('official') london demo' - IT AINT WHAT YOU GOT ITS WHAT YOU DO WITH IT!
check out the infoshop link to see some more dissident opion on the anti war efforts, and a guide to black blocs for dummies.

Ted K
- Homepage: http://www.infoshop.org

Comments

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See the 20-person protest starting at Covent

29.03.2003 17:55

How about breakaway groups of 20 or so - easy to stop traffic especially with a banner at the front and some noise.

Garden

get on with it then

31.03.2003 14:24

If you are so keen to take direct action Ted why not stop moaning about the SWP and just get on with it? Presumably you have some friends, workmates or passers-by you can take with you.

Chris

Disobedience against the war

02.04.2003 18:03

I agree with Ted, its stupid to say 'well why dont you do something if you want to' - surely he/she is making a point about the tactics/theory behind anti war protests in the UK? Ive heard people complain about the lack of 'up for it ness' at the menwith demo too, despite there being so many people. Some have said there seemed to be elements there that thinks it more important to get numbers on TV than people taking action against places like this.

Ive heard people say similar things elsewhere on this site with regard to militancy in the anti-war 'movement'. Someone said 'some people may just want to march and not get arrested' - of course there are very real reasons for individuals not being able to risk arrest etc. But there was a million people on the anti-war march in feb, and thousands have protested around the country since. Some stuff has been great - the armley gyratory blockade for example really caused some chaos..

I guess if everyone is happy with just marching etc to show there disatisfaction with the war and the british states role in the killing then thats fair enough. As long as people dont really expect to stop a war that way. the anti war movement didnt stop vietnam - the vietcongs fierce resistance did.

And just marching along a route dictated by the cops doesnt show any strong distaste for the war/blair/government - not in the context of the british publics reaction to the poll tax.

And some of the people who have posted here suggesting that debate about issues in the anti-war movement, splits between the left/@ists etc are doing the job of 'Agent Provocoteurs', should just fuck off and get a better arguement - that is used against black bloc tactics and every time a militant action occurs..

Oops this is turning into a bit of a rant.

Anon