The Protest, The Police & The Press
Dominic Kavakeb | 27.03.2011 18:07 | Other Press | Social Struggles
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http://www.1stcasualty.com/?p=1280
The media have once again jumped all over themselves to attack protesters and violence. As ever they miss the point and refuse to understand the reasons behind political violence.
http://www.1stcasualty.com/?p=1280 The media have once again jumped all over themselves to attack protesters and violence. As ever they miss the point and refuse to understand the reasons behind political violence.
Another mass demonstration in London and once again the headlines are filled with stories of Anarchy in the UK. At least half a million people, from all walks of life, took to the streets on Saturday to register their disgust at the brutal and savage cuts being forced upon the British population by the ConDem Coalition.
But this in itself shouldn’t come as a surprise and in reality is understandable. Given the choice between pictures of Ed Miliband speaking from Hyde Park and the smashed up windows of luxury shops, it’s no contest. On going battles between police and masked clad protesters certainly makes for a compelling story.
The real failure of the media is not to portray the violence; it is their refusal to understand it. The large majority of the media painted angry young demonstrators as mindless vandals and criminals with a thirst for violence. The language I heard from the likes of Sky News and the BBC was at best sensationalist at worse biased. Even murder suspects aren’t afforded such impartiality.
One Sky News anchor referred to protesters as ‘criminals who have nothing to do with the real message hijacking a peaceful protest’. Sadly this is a narrative repeated across the media, as well in the Police force and even in some sections of the trade unions.
But was this really mindless vandalism? Whatever one thinks about the political tactic used by those who attacked businesses it is impossible to not understand the symbolism. Particular shops were attacked for particular reasons. Vodafone and Top Shop are accused of dodging taxes at a time when we are in desperate need of their contribution.
As for Fortnum and Mason and the Ritz, these are clearly symbols of the million and billionaire elite that are riding scot-free whilst the poor are made to suffer. The Tories like to repeat the false notion that we are all in this together. A few broken windows are nothing compared to having your welfare slashed or education allowance removed.
This is what the mainstream media fails to report. This is where they let down their audience and deceive their viewers. True, violence might not be the answer to the spending cuts but to divorce the violence from the politics is a dastardly tactic of the media.
What’s more this painting of protestors as having a thirst for blood is plain wrong. At one point outside Fortnum and Mason I saw around 10 police officers grossly out numbered by protestors, most of whom looked particularly angry. But given that at that moment the police posed no immediate threat there was no attempt to attack the clearly scared officers. They danced around for a few minutes, celebrated their victory and moved on!
On the other hand the real violence always comes from the boys in blue. I was in Trafalgar Square until around 9pm. The atmosphere was jovial, people were dancing, singing, rapping and generally having fun. No major crime. But as I returned home I saw the horrific violence that was taking place.
Speaking to those who were there the police had suddenly and with great force moved into the square to rid it of the people. So where does the real violence come from? And why does the media refrain from reporting this? Once again I saw Sky News telling the story of glass bottles being thrown at police. Not once did they mention the casualties amongst the protestors or the swinging police truncheons.
I did not take part in any violent actions on Saturday. I don’t think it really helps the cause but I understand and sympathise with the anger behind it. The mass media in Britain does not. This is their failure and this exposes the inherent bias within our press. For every action there is a thought process behind it. After all what’s a few smashed windows compared to a series of cuts that will decimate the futures of a whole generation?
But this in itself shouldn’t come as a surprise and in reality is understandable. Given the choice between pictures of Ed Miliband speaking from Hyde Park and the smashed up windows of luxury shops, it’s no contest. On going battles between police and masked clad protesters certainly makes for a compelling story.
The real failure of the media is not to portray the violence; it is their refusal to understand it. The large majority of the media painted angry young demonstrators as mindless vandals and criminals with a thirst for violence. The language I heard from the likes of Sky News and the BBC was at best sensationalist at worse biased. Even murder suspects aren’t afforded such impartiality.
One Sky News anchor referred to protesters as ‘criminals who have nothing to do with the real message hijacking a peaceful protest’. Sadly this is a narrative repeated across the media, as well in the Police force and even in some sections of the trade unions.
But was this really mindless vandalism? Whatever one thinks about the political tactic used by those who attacked businesses it is impossible to not understand the symbolism. Particular shops were attacked for particular reasons. Vodafone and Top Shop are accused of dodging taxes at a time when we are in desperate need of their contribution.
As for Fortnum and Mason and the Ritz, these are clearly symbols of the million and billionaire elite that are riding scot-free whilst the poor are made to suffer. The Tories like to repeat the false notion that we are all in this together. A few broken windows are nothing compared to having your welfare slashed or education allowance removed.
This is what the mainstream media fails to report. This is where they let down their audience and deceive their viewers. True, violence might not be the answer to the spending cuts but to divorce the violence from the politics is a dastardly tactic of the media.
What’s more this painting of protestors as having a thirst for blood is plain wrong. At one point outside Fortnum and Mason I saw around 10 police officers grossly out numbered by protestors, most of whom looked particularly angry. But given that at that moment the police posed no immediate threat there was no attempt to attack the clearly scared officers. They danced around for a few minutes, celebrated their victory and moved on!
On the other hand the real violence always comes from the boys in blue. I was in Trafalgar Square until around 9pm. The atmosphere was jovial, people were dancing, singing, rapping and generally having fun. No major crime. But as I returned home I saw the horrific violence that was taking place.
Speaking to those who were there the police had suddenly and with great force moved into the square to rid it of the people. So where does the real violence come from? And why does the media refrain from reporting this? Once again I saw Sky News telling the story of glass bottles being thrown at police. Not once did they mention the casualties amongst the protestors or the swinging police truncheons.
I did not take part in any violent actions on Saturday. I don’t think it really helps the cause but I understand and sympathise with the anger behind it. The mass media in Britain does not. This is their failure and this exposes the inherent bias within our press. For every action there is a thought process behind it. After all what’s a few smashed windows compared to a series of cuts that will decimate the futures of a whole generation?
Dominic Kavakeb
e-mail:
dominic.kavakeb@gmail.com
Homepage:
http://www.1stcasualty.com
Comments
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New Police Tactics March 26th
27.03.2011 20:23
During the day the police strategy seemed to be about dispersal and blocking rather than containment, this changed at night with dispersal and containment being used particularly around larger areas like Trafalger Sq.
Piccadilly St
With the Fortnum & Mason occupation succeeding after 1530 there was a lot happening between green park and Piccadilly Circus (actions on banks and police-protester “engagement”). After 1630 with protesters getting onto the F & M front canopy police tried to push protesters back to stop them doing so. It took some time but they did this and then began forming lines (up to 3 times or so) toward Piccadilly Circus. This is when it seemed like they were going to kettle. BUT the police lines were either finished with or the coppers still allowed pedestrians through – so no kettle. The police were particularly brutal here often breaking out of line by a few meters indiscriminately truncheoning like mad.
Something particularly worth talking about is the Police “Hive” unit that was a tight-knit circular unit that literally ping-ponged in an incredibly violent way through the demonstration in the direction of Piccadilly Circus. Police seeing red would just charge in unusually random directions throwing protesters against railings and viciously lashing out with truncheon or shield. It was an unexpected tactic and when it seemed like they would surely retreat out from amongst the demonstrators back to one of their lines they would again charge in a new direction.
(The last hundred or so coming out of F & M were contained and arrested, some are still in the stations at the time of writing.)
Trafalgar Sq
Protesters and blocs came and went but it wasn't until after 2130 that the police really started to kettle those they we're able to divide and disperse. Nevertheless there were still protesters around after midnight with quite a lot of fighting going on in the surrounding streets.
Around the West End
Police would again attack and disperse any protesters they found doing actions across the streets or oxford circus etc. There was a lot of “cops and robbers” style chasing of the black bloc and others. During the day the “sit-downs” in Oxford Circus were harassed, but weren't kettled. The day was definitely generally marked by a lot of movement by autonomous groups taking to the streets. With a number of reports of de-arrests, even out of police vans!!
Of course there was no change in the use of heavy surveillance, whether FIT teams, roof top photography and undercovers – they were all in action. This was obviously put in effect by snatch squads, who targeted individuals for arrest.
So what do people think about these changes in police strategy? Dispersal meant protesters and blocs still remained mobile on the streets. But the violence of the police for example the “hive” unit had its own effect. Whether unnerving protesters or creating chaos. Though chaos is definitely something that demonstrators have been able to take advantage of in the past, seeing as police coordination relies on accurate information that they can react to – chaos is not manageable! Plus as the police admitted themselves they were not able to protect all of the west ends businesses.
With most of the kettles being shorter and occurring at night perhaps the police are reacting to the bad-press kettling has been receiving? Anyway thought I'd just write this, not that I'm really directly saying much, but I still thought I could get this out there – would be interesting to hear your comments (or corrections as you see it!)
Vanz
BBC coverage
27.03.2011 21:00
At Top Shop bbc showed possible undercover cop hiding listening device which fell out of pocket by telephone boxes. he tried to rejoin group. l think he was punched by one of bloc before standing with back to police cordon pointing to protesters he was wearing black hooded top blue jeans white trainers.
k
clever clogs
27.03.2011 21:01
Maybe that is what people actually think. Bet you didn't think of that did you?
Perhaps people believe (as they are legally and morally entitled too - unless you think you are somekind of overseer nazi) that these criminals hijacked the protest.
Considering there was 500,000 people, yet the violent proportion figured to about 0.0004%, then yes - I think its a fair judgement and that you are wrong. Sadly this is a narrative repeated across the liberal sites and in some sections of protestors.
Kijt
undercover cop at topshop
28.03.2011 08:51
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