Why the pisspoor coverage of Bliar coming to Manchester?
Jenny | 12.03.2004 14:30 | Anti-militarism | Indymedia
Tonight there is a very big event "The Trial of Tony Blair" at Friends Meeting House with MI5 whistleblower David Shaylor in attendance. A big protest demo is planned for tomorrow (Saturday 13th March) starting at All Saints, Oxford Road 1t 12 noon. A statue of Blair will be toppled outside the conference centre near the G-Mex.
Yet apart from the odd newswire post about these things, there is no big feature item on Manchester Indymedia about all of this activity or any signs of any preparation to cover it. Why?
If this is because the SWP is involved in these events, then shame on you for putting your own narrow, sectarian prejudices before the needs of the anti-war movement.
The forces of British state "security" are clearly working overtime on these events (see below) and there is likely to be a huge amount of interest from the media especially since Shaylor is involved.
Belwo is the latest e-mailing from the Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition on the subject.
-----------------
Important Information.
Set off early and don't miss this event.
Due to the unprecendented level of security for the Labour Party Spring Conference. There are many road closures, with security barriers in force, around GMEX. This means all parking around the The Friends Meeting House is restricted.
You will not be able to drop-off from a car outside the building. Oxford St/Mount St/Peters Street is closed is to traffic.
Please bear this mind if you are coming to the Trial of Tony Blair and set off early. The event starts at 7pm prompt.
D
oors open at 6.15 pm.
There will be TV cameras present from national and international media at the event.
Yet apart from the odd newswire post about these things, there is no big feature item on Manchester Indymedia about all of this activity or any signs of any preparation to cover it. Why?
If this is because the SWP is involved in these events, then shame on you for putting your own narrow, sectarian prejudices before the needs of the anti-war movement.
The forces of British state "security" are clearly working overtime on these events (see below) and there is likely to be a huge amount of interest from the media especially since Shaylor is involved.
Belwo is the latest e-mailing from the Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition on the subject.
-----------------
Important Information.
Set off early and don't miss this event.
Due to the unprecendented level of security for the Labour Party Spring Conference. There are many road closures, with security barriers in force, around GMEX. This means all parking around the The Friends Meeting House is restricted.
You will not be able to drop-off from a car outside the building. Oxford St/Mount St/Peters Street is closed is to traffic.
Please bear this mind if you are coming to the Trial of Tony Blair and set off early. The event starts at 7pm prompt.
D
oors open at 6.15 pm.
There will be TV cameras present from national and international media at the event.
Jenny
Comments
Hide the following 11 comments
don't hate the media....
12.03.2004 16:52
indymedia doesn't have a team of people working on it - it is the media of the people, i.e. whoever posts on here.
much less dramatic than being worried about the SWP, its more a case of people not bothering. but now you have so its ok.
anyway the streets is where stuff actually happens, not on the screen that you're looking at NOW.
sprightly
Um
12.03.2004 17:36
probably more to do with nobody posting the stuff on the newswire??
if you want STWC events, news, whatever, you need to put it up yourself.
Sarah
I forgot to say
12.03.2004 17:42
But it is preaching to the converted.
Sarah
woof!
12.03.2004 17:52
come on, a bunch of leninists are hardly going to allow people defense at a trial? or hold in the open? Just be gald the SWPie student ain't been order to build a gulag.
captainmission
Homepage:
http://kickstart.x21.org.uk
This Looks like a job for the juges for justice
12.03.2004 19:25
Nosfou
Do you want to write it?
12.03.2004 20:40
There's not so many recent newswire posts on the labour conference, but I reckon it might be worth a feature if someone wants to write it. Do you want to get some information together and make links / give the address of relavent posts and other sources of info? You could post on the newswire, or go to the contact page and find the features email list and the manchester list and propose something there.
Perhaps people see blair as a symbolic figurehead of system, and his personal movements as not big news.
Barney
Maybe.....
12.03.2004 22:24
You already know about the "main" demo because this is public knowledge( ie. police approved).
Don't know what time the gun slinging hang gliders arrive but I think its before the sewer rats rise up!
Oi!
in case you dont already know
13.03.2004 03:25
Manchester anti war movement is a lot of different groups and includes people in swp as well as even labour and libdems and non party people and other groups
so stop moaning get involved come on the demo or hold a peace vigil
just dont moan about people not posting on indymedia
not everyone uses the net or knoes how to do postings
sid
re:pisspoor coverage
14.03.2004 23:41
Labour Party conference before this weekend, so it didn't
sound like much was to happen. How would it therefore be a
main feature?
It's not relevant who or what is involved (chip shoulder on), if it's
not posted, or there's nothing much happening. Rather than
whingeing, post news items....sigh.
And features shouldn't be made of everything that appears on
the newswire I reckon, so the number of features doesn't say
anything about how active the Manc Indymedia collective are,
more about what's happening in Manc that people post to the
newswire!
Somewhere on this page, probably under process and lists,
will be an address for the Manc IMC group, so anyone can
suggest features.
m
Just to clear a couple of points and a suggestion
15.03.2004 22:52
1. The publicity for the two STW events were posted up on UK indymedia one month go along with downloads of the publicity as pdf files. As well as on the Protest diary
2. The events (Trial and Demo) were all on two websites, the Gtr Manc'r one www.manchesterstopthewar.org & www.mancsagainsttanks.org.uk. along with lotsa downloads, as well as the national STWC website and the Globalise Resistance website
3.30,000 leaflets with the Trial were distributed around the North West. (along with 50,000 leaflets just advertising the demo, plus 3000 posters
4. A Press release was done via the national STWC as well as locally. Thats why it featured on GMR, Galaxy, Smooth FM, Radio Muharram, Imagine FM
5. A press Conference was held on Friday 12th March, covered by Sky, BBC, Japanese Broadcasting Company, Galaxy, Imagine FM, Syrian News Agency, City Life
6. The Trial was covered as well as the demo by Sky news global, BBC News 24, and the Japanese Broadcasting company (equilent of the BBC) who were doing a feature/documentary on the two STW events.(viewing figures in Japan 20-30 million)
If you have any more suggestions as to what we could have done, suggestions are always welcome. What I can suggest is, that if you would like to subscribe to the Greater Manchester Coalition to Stop the War email message list.
You are also welcome to attend the meetings and bring ideas along, next one after Wednesday 17th March will be on Tuesday 30th March @ 7pm The Friends Meeting House, Mount St
The point you make about the SWP is just plain silly.
Richard Searle
Press and Communications Officer
Greater Manchester Coalition to Stop the War
(PS. Yes I'm in the SWP)
Richard
e-mail:
ANSWERmanchester@aol.com
Homepage:
http://www.manchesterstopthewar.org
You can take your ideas to the STWC Organising Meeting
16.03.2004 15:59
Dogbert