Hello? So what's happening now in London?
Dancing Dave | 20.03.2004 22:29 | Anti-militarism | London
One thing that IMC's can do better than any other source is provide really dynamic and engaged coverage of demonstrations. It sure was awesome last F15 to visit major IMC's and hear what was going on from the people involved. Several IMC's had live audio right from the streets. The New York IMC told you where to go to protest protesters being held without charge. Or to find some protesters who were injured and in the hospital. Free legal aid and advice was available online. The New York IMC showed it happening and helped to make it happen.
But I must say, the UK IMC has often been disapointing compared to the scale and creativity of the demos themselves. It doesn't have that feel of present involvement. Doesn't anybody have a laptop they can use to upload speedy responses from the streets where they're involved? It's no wonder the demos grow smaller when you don't have any dynamic center to keep up the momentum.
Lot's of IMC's have similar problems, but it's particularly disappointing for those of us in the U.S.A. to see the UK lose an opportunity to keep a true mass-movement going like this. You've got to keep these things intensely happening in the moment.
But I must say, the UK IMC has often been disapointing compared to the scale and creativity of the demos themselves. It doesn't have that feel of present involvement. Doesn't anybody have a laptop they can use to upload speedy responses from the streets where they're involved? It's no wonder the demos grow smaller when you don't have any dynamic center to keep up the momentum.
Lot's of IMC's have similar problems, but it's particularly disappointing for those of us in the U.S.A. to see the UK lose an opportunity to keep a true mass-movement going like this. You've got to keep these things intensely happening in the moment.
Dancing Dave
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Comments
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Disappointing?
20.03.2004 23:45
Let's remember Indy reports are from people that are involved! That's why we are here! And lots of reports will come in later if people are so motivated.
More dynamic?
"One thing that IMC's can do better than any other source is provide really dynamic and engaged coverage of demonstrations"
Agree. I'm sure if there was stuff going on today that was really motivating for people who read indy they would have reported already - as lots did yesterday at the Menwith demo.
Creative?
"But I must say, the UK IMC has often been disapointing compared to the scale and creativity of the demos themselves."
Comment here... the scale of the demos has been brilliant, the creativity however seems to have disapeared in more recent times.
Mass Movement?
"Lot's of IMC's have similar problems, but it's particularly disappointing for those of us in the U.S.A. to see the UK lose an opportunity to keep a true mass-movement going like this. You've got to keep these things intensely happening in the moment."
Now is IMC failing to keep the mass movement going? is the mass movement failing to tell IMC that it is still going? is the mass movement doing other actions? has a mass movement been restricted by the stop the war coalition? was the only reason we had a mass movement the restrictions of the stop the war coalition?
Perhaps?
We need to reach out a bit further... and get more reports... any ideas?
ekes
be the media
21.03.2004 16:02
imc 1
Disagree!
21.03.2004 16:50
"But I must say, the UK IMC has often been disapointing compared to the scale and creativity of the demos themselves. It doesn't have that feel of present involvement."
If you look back at the recent reporting of the DSEi anti arms fair protests and the Bush visit to london, it's the best that's ever been done by indymedia here. The archives are amazing and the reporting was spot on up to the minute (see 'actions 2003' box on left hand side).
I do think it was a shame that there wasn't something up on indymedia uk quicker yesterday, but this seems to have been down to a mix of the servers having problems so people could not upload or put articles up on the site, and the fact that a lot of people were just not inspired by this demo.
Pete