Protest Action This Week
Henry | 19.11.2004 18:41
Hunting Bill: This week's Demo Updates
There have been dozens of demonstrations taking place around the country, and several ministers have been run to ground as they attempt to avoid clashes with protesters. Here are some of the highlights.
There have been dozens of demonstrations taking place around the country, and several ministers have been run to ground as they attempt to avoid clashes with protesters. Here are some of the highlights.
18th November 2004: Windsor Demonstration
There was a fantastic turnout at Windsor Castle last night where over a thousand people braved wind, rain and sleet to show their contempt for the Prime Minister as he attended a state banquet. Blair, true to form, sadly proved too cowardly to drive past the demonstrators and slunk in through a farm entrance. However the event was a massive success with very positive coverage on BBC News24, BBC 10 O'clock News, Newsnight, ITN, Channel 4 News, Sky News, Channel Five News, Radio 5 Live and Radio 4 PM programme together with almost every newspaper from the Daily Telegraph to the Sun running supportive stories and photographs. That he and President Chirac had to change their travel plans to avoid facing us gave him a foretaste of things to come. A huge thank you to all who attended.
Thursday 18th November - Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac
One hundred hunt supporters gave Tony Blair a piece of their mind this Thursday lunchtime. They camped out on the Mall, opposite Lancaster House while Blair and French President Jacques Chirac held a joint press conference. The protestors waited patiently for almost two hours for the politicians to leave the premises. They were armed with French-language correx boards of “Vive la Chasse” and “Contre prejudice Contre l’interdit” specially produced for M Chirac and the French media. They also had the hunting horns and whistles to produce a huge din that could be heard clean across Lancaster House. Prince Charles drove out onto the Mall and gave the protestors a friendly wave. Camilla Parker-Bowles drove out onto the Mall and gave the protestors a friendly wave. President Jacques Chirac drove out onto the Mall and gave the protestors a friendly wave. Tony Blair drove out onto the Mall and did not give the protestors a friendly wave. The dignitaries were all greeted with a very noisy and (in all but Mr Blair’s case) friendly welcome. The demonstrators then dispersed peacefully - many heading straight up to Windsor.
Monday 15th November, London: Patricia Hewitt and Gordon Brown
A dozen hunt supporters (heavily outnumbered by nervous police) picketed Gordon Brown and Patricia Hewitt at the Queen Elizabeth II centre in Westminster on Monday. The Chancellor sneaked in and out through a rear entrance, eluding the protestors. DTI minister Hewitt passed a message out via the police that she did not want to talk to the protestors. She was then driven out past the protestors, who held up their banners to her. She saw the demonstrators & received the message very clearly but made no acknowledgement.
Monday 15th November, London: Tony Blair
Forty noisy & good-humoured hunt supporters welcomed Prime Minister Tony Blair to the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at Guildhall on Monday evening. The protestors were met by an overwhelming but polite police presence. With whistles and hunting horns they made a huge amount of noise as the PM’s courtege swept into the Guildhall, shouting for him to back the compromise licensing option for the Hunting Bill. The demonstrators then dispersed peacefully.
There was a fantastic turnout at Windsor Castle last night where over a thousand people braved wind, rain and sleet to show their contempt for the Prime Minister as he attended a state banquet. Blair, true to form, sadly proved too cowardly to drive past the demonstrators and slunk in through a farm entrance. However the event was a massive success with very positive coverage on BBC News24, BBC 10 O'clock News, Newsnight, ITN, Channel 4 News, Sky News, Channel Five News, Radio 5 Live and Radio 4 PM programme together with almost every newspaper from the Daily Telegraph to the Sun running supportive stories and photographs. That he and President Chirac had to change their travel plans to avoid facing us gave him a foretaste of things to come. A huge thank you to all who attended.
Thursday 18th November - Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac
One hundred hunt supporters gave Tony Blair a piece of their mind this Thursday lunchtime. They camped out on the Mall, opposite Lancaster House while Blair and French President Jacques Chirac held a joint press conference. The protestors waited patiently for almost two hours for the politicians to leave the premises. They were armed with French-language correx boards of “Vive la Chasse” and “Contre prejudice Contre l’interdit” specially produced for M Chirac and the French media. They also had the hunting horns and whistles to produce a huge din that could be heard clean across Lancaster House. Prince Charles drove out onto the Mall and gave the protestors a friendly wave. Camilla Parker-Bowles drove out onto the Mall and gave the protestors a friendly wave. President Jacques Chirac drove out onto the Mall and gave the protestors a friendly wave. Tony Blair drove out onto the Mall and did not give the protestors a friendly wave. The dignitaries were all greeted with a very noisy and (in all but Mr Blair’s case) friendly welcome. The demonstrators then dispersed peacefully - many heading straight up to Windsor.
Monday 15th November, London: Patricia Hewitt and Gordon Brown
A dozen hunt supporters (heavily outnumbered by nervous police) picketed Gordon Brown and Patricia Hewitt at the Queen Elizabeth II centre in Westminster on Monday. The Chancellor sneaked in and out through a rear entrance, eluding the protestors. DTI minister Hewitt passed a message out via the police that she did not want to talk to the protestors. She was then driven out past the protestors, who held up their banners to her. She saw the demonstrators & received the message very clearly but made no acknowledgement.
Monday 15th November, London: Tony Blair
Forty noisy & good-humoured hunt supporters welcomed Prime Minister Tony Blair to the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at Guildhall on Monday evening. The protestors were met by an overwhelming but polite police presence. With whistles and hunting horns they made a huge amount of noise as the PM’s courtege swept into the Guildhall, shouting for him to back the compromise licensing option for the Hunting Bill. The demonstrators then dispersed peacefully.
Henry