Activism and Protesting in the U.K
SpookTheDevil | 12.09.2003 13:12 | Analysis | Indymedia | London | World
I try to keep this short, as I hate long articles. But I have things to say so it might be longer than I hope, I hope you can read through it.
Right,I lived in the U.K for eight years, being active in protesting/squatting in London and Scotland. Now I have moved out of the U.K...so I can look at things from the 'outside'.
During my time in England, everywhere where I went activists were talking about how brutal the Police are. And sure, sometimes they use force that can be seem to be too excessive. But that didn't happen over night, the reasons for the police behaviour have roots in the fact that the British Protesters are sometimes more interested in destroying things than in the actual protest. (and before you say it..I know it isn't everyone).
And in the end the police are there to do a job, their boss has told them what to do and where to keep the protesters. If you get out of that line...they do ALWAYS!!! ask you to move..only when you stay put, do they get physical.
I wish that the proteters would communicate with the polie more, a lot can be achieved with talking. You would be surprised how easily the police will give you rights to protest, as long as you inform them of when and where you are planning to protests.
In other countries, mainly in Scandinavia, I hae beeen involved in many protests and perhaps they are better organised as the police precence is usully minimal and proteters are free to move and make their point. No needless violence.
I think I leave my article here..it has gotten to some of the points I wanted to make and still stayed short enough for people to read.
Let me know what you think...and please...be kind, I rather you not swear at me..*winks*
X-it Spook
p.s Hello to all the Old Dental Factory Squatters from 2001....you know who you are.
Right,I lived in the U.K for eight years, being active in protesting/squatting in London and Scotland. Now I have moved out of the U.K...so I can look at things from the 'outside'.
During my time in England, everywhere where I went activists were talking about how brutal the Police are. And sure, sometimes they use force that can be seem to be too excessive. But that didn't happen over night, the reasons for the police behaviour have roots in the fact that the British Protesters are sometimes more interested in destroying things than in the actual protest. (and before you say it..I know it isn't everyone).
And in the end the police are there to do a job, their boss has told them what to do and where to keep the protesters. If you get out of that line...they do ALWAYS!!! ask you to move..only when you stay put, do they get physical.
I wish that the proteters would communicate with the polie more, a lot can be achieved with talking. You would be surprised how easily the police will give you rights to protest, as long as you inform them of when and where you are planning to protests.
In other countries, mainly in Scandinavia, I hae beeen involved in many protests and perhaps they are better organised as the police precence is usully minimal and proteters are free to move and make their point. No needless violence.
I think I leave my article here..it has gotten to some of the points I wanted to make and still stayed short enough for people to read.
Let me know what you think...and please...be kind, I rather you not swear at me..*winks*
X-it Spook
p.s Hello to all the Old Dental Factory Squatters from 2001....you know who you are.
SpookTheDevil
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