Clowning as a protest tactic
CLOWN BOBO | 25.08.2005 16:07 | Anti-militarism | Anti-racism | Social Struggles | World
It is understood from reliable sources, however, that police led protest organisers up the garden path by suggesting that there would be no problems with protesting at the Opera House, only for the police to change their minds at the last minute, saying such a protest would be out of the question.
Police led protest organisers up the garden path. Clown!
Sydney: Australian police will call in reinforcements to help guard next week's Forbes Conference of world business heavyweights which is expected to draw thousands of demonstrators, they said on Tuesday.
In the last few years many protest groups have taken a more comical approach to protests, direct action, and civil disobedience. Some groups even adopt clown costumes and clownish behaviour organisations inject clowning and clownish street theater into protests situations to heighten the effectiveness of their group and other groups, the most recent example being during the G8 protests in Scotland in July of 2005.
Assistant commissioner Terry Collins said the conference, which will gather some 300 captains of industry from international business, would bring with it "significant security implications."
He said: "It would be irresponsible if we did not match these risks with an appropriate level of response.
"Police for this event will not just come from local area commands but from support areas as well."
The conference will be held from August 30 to September 1 at Sydney's iconic harbourside Sydney Opera House.
Among those attending will be Australian War Criminal john hoWARd and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
New South Wales state police said they had been negotiating with protest organisers for more than two weeks about the demonstration planned for when the conference opens next Tuesday.
It is understood from reliable sources, however, that police led protest organisers up the garden path by suggesting that there would be no problems with protesting at the Opera House, only for the police to change their minds at the last minute, saying such a protest would be out of the question.
But protestors will not be allowed onto the Sydney Opera House forecourt, but will be allowed to protest in a lawful manner outside that area, police said.
Related:
Gleneagles: Repression, Resistance and Clowns
All over Scotland, (dis)organisations as varied as the grassroots network dissent! and the largely conservative coalition "make poverty history" protested against the 2005 G8 summit in Gleneagles. The reasons were as varied as the forms to express disagreement, from marching to blockading, from clowning to filming, from talking to direct action. Although police from all over the UK were busy containing protesters in pens, arresting, searching and holding them under section 60 [Legal Support Group statement], discontent with the G8 agenda was voiced in many significant places and eventually supported by international solidarity.
More:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2005/g8/
Protests planned for Forbes conference
On August 30, at a cocktail party in the Sydney Opera House, Prime Minister John Howard will open the fifth Forbes Global CEO Conference — a corporate scumbag festival of the highest proportions.
More: http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/632/632p6b.htm
Protests to greet US neo-cons
In late August the Sydney Opera House hosts a crew of corporate spruikers. The neo-conservative lobby machine - Forbes Global - is coming to town.
More: http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/638/638p10.htm
THOUSANDS of protesters to take over Circular Quay
The protest's organisers have said activists are planning marches, a flotilla near the busy ferry terminal and banner drops from city buildings and Sydney Harbour Bridge. It will conclude with a rally in the Opera House forecourt.
More: http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=57812&group=webcast
Teachers accused of anti-US bias
The NSW Teachers Federation condemned costello's comments as "absolute nonsense". Its senior vice-president, Angelo Gavrielatos, said: "The constant denegration of teachers isn't good for the country."
More: http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/08/94930.php
Opera House Forecourt Demonstration
30a protesters took their message to the Opera House Forecourt for the media and police today at 2pm. (article 1)
A plainclothes police spokesman was present, also a uniformed officer. The spokesman joked with the protesters about the lack of information from Assistant Commissioner Waites.
More: http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=57918&group=webcast
Taking 30A To The Police.
30A protesters hold media conference outside Surry Hills Police Station and request a meeting with police. (article 1)
More: http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=57910&group=webcast
NSW Police publicity machine gearing up for Forbes protest
The media machine is gearing up already
Media students and Cop Watchers will be interested in how NSW Police have started feeding the media with stories in prepartation for the Forbes protest.
A NSW police press release dated 23 August 2005 stated that 'negotiations between NSW Police and protest organisers have been in place for more than two weeks' as a way of showing how cooperative the police have been.
More: http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=57924&group=webcast
Community Forum on Law Enforcement Violence
This breakfast forum will include a spiritual dedication, culture presentation, film screening of “Sooner or Later, Somebody’s Gonna Fight Back*,” and panel discussion with family members of victims and survivors of law enforcement violence, law experts, and community organizers. Panel participants include: Jerry Thomas, father of Jenard Thomas; Malcolm Suber, veteran revolutionary fighter against police terror; and Ernest Jones, civil rights & criminal defense attorney.
More: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/07/318569.html
In the last few years many protest groups have taken a more comical approach to protests, direct action, and civil disobedience. Some groups even adopt clown costumes and clownish behaviour organisations inject clowning and clownish street theater into protests situations to heighten the effectiveness of their group and other groups, the most recent example being during the G8 protests in Scotland in July of 2005.
Assistant commissioner Terry Collins said the conference, which will gather some 300 captains of industry from international business, would bring with it "significant security implications."
He said: "It would be irresponsible if we did not match these risks with an appropriate level of response.
"Police for this event will not just come from local area commands but from support areas as well."
The conference will be held from August 30 to September 1 at Sydney's iconic harbourside Sydney Opera House.
Among those attending will be Australian War Criminal john hoWARd and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
New South Wales state police said they had been negotiating with protest organisers for more than two weeks about the demonstration planned for when the conference opens next Tuesday.
It is understood from reliable sources, however, that police led protest organisers up the garden path by suggesting that there would be no problems with protesting at the Opera House, only for the police to change their minds at the last minute, saying such a protest would be out of the question.
But protestors will not be allowed onto the Sydney Opera House forecourt, but will be allowed to protest in a lawful manner outside that area, police said.
Related:
Gleneagles: Repression, Resistance and Clowns
All over Scotland, (dis)organisations as varied as the grassroots network dissent! and the largely conservative coalition "make poverty history" protested against the 2005 G8 summit in Gleneagles. The reasons were as varied as the forms to express disagreement, from marching to blockading, from clowning to filming, from talking to direct action. Although police from all over the UK were busy containing protesters in pens, arresting, searching and holding them under section 60 [Legal Support Group statement], discontent with the G8 agenda was voiced in many significant places and eventually supported by international solidarity.
More:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2005/g8/ Protests planned for Forbes conference
On August 30, at a cocktail party in the Sydney Opera House, Prime Minister John Howard will open the fifth Forbes Global CEO Conference — a corporate scumbag festival of the highest proportions.
More:
http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/632/632p6b.htm Protests to greet US neo-cons
In late August the Sydney Opera House hosts a crew of corporate spruikers. The neo-conservative lobby machine - Forbes Global - is coming to town.
More:
http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/638/638p10.htm THOUSANDS of protesters to take over Circular Quay
The protest's organisers have said activists are planning marches, a flotilla near the busy ferry terminal and banner drops from city buildings and Sydney Harbour Bridge. It will conclude with a rally in the Opera House forecourt.
More:
http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=57812&group=webcast Teachers accused of anti-US bias
The NSW Teachers Federation condemned costello's comments as "absolute nonsense". Its senior vice-president, Angelo Gavrielatos, said: "The constant denegration of teachers isn't good for the country."
More:
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/08/94930.php Opera House Forecourt Demonstration
30a protesters took their message to the Opera House Forecourt for the media and police today at 2pm. (article 1)
A plainclothes police spokesman was present, also a uniformed officer. The spokesman joked with the protesters about the lack of information from Assistant Commissioner Waites.
More:
http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=57918&group=webcast Taking 30A To The Police.
30A protesters hold media conference outside Surry Hills Police Station and request a meeting with police. (article 1)
More:
http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=57910&group=webcast NSW Police publicity machine gearing up for Forbes protest
The media machine is gearing up already
Media students and Cop Watchers will be interested in how NSW Police have started feeding the media with stories in prepartation for the Forbes protest.
A NSW police press release dated 23 August 2005 stated that 'negotiations between NSW Police and protest organisers have been in place for more than two weeks' as a way of showing how cooperative the police have been.
More:
http://sydney.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=57924&group=webcast Community Forum on Law Enforcement Violence
This breakfast forum will include a spiritual dedication, culture presentation, film screening of “Sooner or Later, Somebody’s Gonna Fight Back*,” and panel discussion with family members of victims and survivors of law enforcement violence, law experts, and community organizers. Panel participants include: Jerry Thomas, father of Jenard Thomas; Malcolm Suber, veteran revolutionary fighter against police terror; and Ernest Jones, civil rights & criminal defense attorney.
More:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/07/318569.html
CLOWN BOBO
e-mail:
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Homepage:
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Comments
Hide the following 8 comments
Suspicious
26.08.2005 02:28
I think it's time the UK & US engaged in an "Orange Revolution" of their own, in unison.
Paranoia Is Healthy In Such A Time
seriously
26.08.2005 08:45
Stop laughing! you there, I said you having fun in silly clothes, you're just not being serious are you. Right, who squeezed that bicicle horn?! dancing in the high street with the Rinkydink soundsystem, whatever next! DON'T THEY KNOW THIS IS SERIOUS? you there, why are you smiling, you can't smile at a demo, right, who played that Kazoo?
Paranoia is never healthy ever
Pink
26.08.2005 08:57
Giggling Is Healthy In Such A time
Clowning around
26.08.2005 09:11
Personally I thought that the clowns at the G8 were amusing and glad to see them there.. The positive thing about it was that it took the police by surprise and they didn’t really know how to react. You couldn’t help but be impressed when the clowns were in effect taking the piss out off the police.
The clown’s actions reflect the dynamics of the movement, novel tactics deployed in challenging the authorities should be encouraged. It is worth noting that other tactics have been used by other groups in recent times. In Prague , Ya Basta attempted to use the tactic of non-violent confrontation with the police, wearing all white overalls with spongy interior for protection against police batons, fair play they had a go but it failed and now we do not hear of them much now.
I suspect that the clowns will be around a lot longer than Ya Basta but next time the police will revise their own tactics and will attempt to out-manoeuvre the clowns when they meet next.
In these new times new tactics should be encouraged, if they work great, but we should be mature enough to abandon them and seek new ones as soon as they are not affective. History has thrown up all types of tactics, for example , workers began to use flying pickets since 1848 as a means to fight against the bosses, this tactic worked for them, this is why they are banned today but nevertheless can still be used today.
The best tactics usually require groups of people who are well organised and connected inside the movement (people with clout and muscle, such as workers) and usually involve the majority of the people not just a selective few.
red letter
The Middle Class War
27.08.2005 00:38
Clowning Around?
Forget it. We are, after all, pretty f*cking 'serious' regarding destroying the capitalist system.
Bye Bye clowns .. You did ur bit now the idea(s) that spawned you are DEAD ... .. . comprehende?
See you next time under some silly guise no doubt.
Pete the Anarchist
organised chaos
27.08.2005 11:10
I think that one of the best things about the clowns is that they train and move in formation, they are very organised but because theyre clowns people don't have a problem with it. I'm sure if a load of blacked up anarchists turned up marching in formation like the clowns, people would be far less likely to join in.
peace out
seriously funny
pete's fake!
27.08.2005 16:39
so i declare him (HER?) an impostor - either that or the general standard and mood of anarchists is going down, a tendency and situation which I must say we should all abhor...
so be cheered! the world is stupid, you are too!
some stupid fool
Circa are certainly an absolute joke
28.08.2005 00:06
groucho