massive riots at NO2ID demo in leeds!

It's a suicidal tactic to talk your events down in public. It says to people: don't go to these people's demos in future - they are losers and no-one will turn up. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

If only a few of you turn up, don't mention the numbers, and put a positive spin on it. That's always possible. A few people can be just as effective as many. If you hype it up properly, people will read about it and maybe will be inspired to come along to similar events in the future.

Negativity just puts you on a downwards spiral, so think positive! Hopefully you and others reading this will find it friendly and helpful advice.

it took years before the Poll Tax was popularly resisted. my guess is that people just know they (individually) won't carry the card.

as won't I.

Moderators, delete this for it's misleading title.

only problem with doing that is it can have the opposite effect, people assume large numbers are going to demos and don't bother getting out of bed. also i think its dangerous putting spin on reports, leads to misinformation.
tho i respect your opinion, i think that sometimes people get bored of propaganda, thats why the SWP are wankers. 2 people turn up at a demo of 10 people becomes "our demo we organized with little help from others had 40 people most of whom where SWP, the rest of which we recruited!"
indymedia reports should be honest and truthful, (unless of course theirs a direct enemy who will look on indymedia) in which case the streets where full of rioting activists. :-)

I would prefer to see honesty in a campaign. At least then you know that something needs more support if you agree with a campaign and see it is not getting enough supporters.

It would help if the anti-ID card groups like No2ID and Defy-ID promoted these campaigns more. A recent No2ID newsletter played down the importance of this Nov 25 introduction giving a patient health database more priority (which is not even part of the ID cards system). An e-mail response I got from No2ID stated the introduction "is technically not part of the ID scheme". It did however state that they would be doing something on the issue soon - but that will be too late to mobilise people to get to the Nov 25 events.
I have just seen there is also a new posting relating to it here:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/11/413473.html

I used to be on an e-mail list for Defy-Id which strangely went out of action some time last year (during 2007) for no apparent reason and without explanation. So that does not help opposition to ID cards either - and at a crucial time.

Well we had about 20 people turn up on a very cold and wet evening to watch a mock ID card being burnt. It wasn't billed as a large demo or march. The Video should be going up soon onto Indymedia. I too would like to see lot's of people out on the streets, but these are the first real set of anti-ID card protests, they will grow over time.

I think we literally would have frozen if we had waited too long, but sorry you missed it!

The main focus of Leeds NO2ID has been to pull together the following letter, let's see if the local press print it:

Sir,

You may be aware that from this month the government begins issuing what it calls, with an obvious nasty spin, "ID cards for foreigners". You may not be aware what this means for Leeds. First affected will be students and those marrying Britons. The plan is that gradually residents from outside Europe will be fingerprinted and have to account for their movements. (Later, so would we all.)

This is unlikely to put off refugees and the poor unskilled with nothing to lose. But successful foreigners such as Luciano Becchio and the overseas students at University of Leeds and Leeds Met University have a lot of choice where they study or exercise their talents. Some will decide Britain has become too unfriendly. When the US introduced more hostile visa conditions 3-4 years ago, the numbers applying to study there fell by 15% and Bill Gates complained that Microsoft could no longer hire some of the best software engineers.

If this scheme is continued it will lead to less fee-income and lower international status for University of Leeds and Leeds Met. British students will have to pay higher tuition to make up, and will have less money to spend with local businesses. Fewer of the world's star performers in every field will choose to make their homes here than do now.

We the undersigned value the contribution that these gifted people currently make to our institutions and our society. We think our country should treat them as guests, not criminal suspects. "ID cards for foreigners" is not just a small-minded slogan - The Leeds district will suffer culturally and economically.

Yours faithfully

Greg Mulholland MP,
Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for, Leeds North West.

Lewis Coakley,
President, on behalf of the
Students' Union, Leeds Met University.

Laura McFarlane-Shopes,
Communications and Internal Affairs Officer on behalf of the
Leeds University Union.

Clive Hudson,
Branch Secretary on behalf of the
Leeds & Bradford Universities Branch of UNITE the Union.

Ann Blair,
President, on behalf of the
University of Leeds University and Colleague Union.

Patrick Murhpy,
Division Secretary of Leeds National Union of Teachers and NUT National Executive member for West Yorkshire.

Cllr Richard Brett,
Councillor for Burmantofts and Richmond Hill Ward.
Leader of Leeds Liberal Democrat Group.

Dr Martin Hemingway,
Green Party lead candidate for the 2009 European elections.

James Elsdon-Baker,
Regional Yorkshire coordinator NO2ID campaign.

Cllr Jamie Matthews,
Councillor Headingley Ward.

Sarah Keywood,
President on behalf of the
Liberty@leeds Student Society.

Amy Williams,
Treasurer
Liberty@Leeds Student Society.

Maya Wolfe-Robinson,
General Secetary
Liberty@Leeds Student Society.

Cllr Sue Bentley,
Councillor Weetwood Ward.

Cllr Ben Chastney,
Councillor Weetwood Ward.

Cllr James Monaghan,
Headingley Ward Councillor.

Dr Carole McCartney
Lecturer of Law

Maryam Ahmad
Leeds University Union Equality & Diversity Officer
Leeds University Union,

Cllr Steve Smith,
Councillor for Rothwell Ward

Nadine Omotese
Leeds NO2ID coordinator