Another word on May Day, London

Ann R Kist | 13.05.2003 20:00

A quick comment on the continuance of May Day protests.

Best quote of the May Day "protests against capitalism" in London was (surprisingly Channel 4 News) when they desribed the May Day event as a "damp squib" and suggested that the "anti-capitalist movement" had "marched and marched into a dead end". I am sure he wasn't condeming the idea of "marching" but still managed to sum up the sad spectacle of what was a promising rebellious movement, now floundering without imagination and clinging onto the coat tails of leftist protest. Most people who attend these events now are doing so as they see it as "cool", or they are there as martyrs to "raise awareness" of some suffering or other in far distant lands. Dominant placards read "give us more democracy", "we want something nicer" and one group of protesters where handing out leaflets arguing that "the third world should benefit from globalisation"
Time for a rethink, do you think?

Ann R Kist

Comments

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C4

13.05.2003 20:24

How come they forgot to mention the action at C4 against C4's censorship policies?

But do agre on the dead end nature of intoxicated marchers or should I say herded sheep.

anon

Info on C4 action?

13.05.2003 21:34

Do you have any information on the C4 action? In advance of May Day, the word was put about that there would be a repeat showing of "Injustice" against the Channel 4 building in Victoria, London - as there had been, successfully, a year ago...

But there was no news on indymedia (- in the newswire, let alone the main column!) of what had happened. And as IMC is an open-publishing project, if people don't speak up, news doesn't get heard.

So please, share with us any news of the Injustice showing (or other actions) at C4 this year.

gdm

Lights on

13.05.2003 23:43

When I got to channel 4, mayday night, there was 20 odd
people waiting to see injustice. With propbably more police
the guy trying to show this was speaking to police, and within minutes of getting there we were told it would
be shown. Equipment was set up, when what looked like security went into the building switching on the lights on each level, making it impossible to show. By this time maybe 35-40 people were there. An attempt was made to show it on the wall across from 4's building, rain drizzling
the generator broke down. The sister of one of the prisoner that died in custody was there, she and the guy showing
it spoke, very quietly, someone gave them a loudspeaker but this did not work. we were at the back and shouted we could not hear, I was sickened by the police, who by this time had increased, and were laughing when they realised
injustice would not be shown. There was a little bit of noise, shouting together, for the video to be shown.
I left, disappointed with myself for not shouting turn
the fucking lights off, but after being picked out by the police when I got there, seeing me smokin a rollie up,
told me that better not be a joint, we're not having it.
I decided, fuck it I want to see this, when it didn,t happen
a crowd was still around the front, I did not find out if
it is being shown anywhere else, or a chance of a copy.
I,m sure this could get a wide viewing elsewhere.
JUST ICE
JUSTICE IT AINT TEARS ITS JUST ICE,
IT AINT JUSTICE ITS JUST TEARS
JUST ICE, JUSTICE
FROZEN IN A BLOCK JUST
U I
S C
TICE CHIP
CHIP
CHIP

Just ice

Because they didn't have a riot to report

14.05.2003 07:26

Both C4 and Newsroom South-East said Mayday was a 'damp squib'.

Would they have said this is they could have filmed nice rucks with the cops, and shops trashed?

For the corporate media, Mayday is a opportunity for them to say to their audience 'look at the violent anarchists hitting police and smashing windows'

Since we didn't give them this luxury they chose another way to criticise us, as they always will.

For once we didn't live up to our corporate media sterotype which was quite refreshing.

non-rioter

Police State

14.05.2003 08:45

Police State

There was no rioting because youz were surrounded on all sides by Military Police, protecting our corporate controllers interests.

Martial