Not even the proper toff bit of Notting Hill either. The enforced procession crossed Ladbroke Grove and was led to to - as one pissed yuppie explained to me - the "former home" of David Cameron. Citizen Dave, according to this local resident put up the For Sale signs shortly after hitting the big time - his new neighbours include eighties chanteuse Annie Lennox.
Locals go about their business...
Police easy target
Dragged to crowd
Mixed reaction from bystanders
Woman dragged out and knocked down
and carried to the van
Police jam up Ladbroke Grove
Detained by police...
..then given a hard time "out of sight".
Frankly they had no say in where they went, being outnumbered a least five to one.
Police took advantage of the gloomy deserted streets to behave as you'd expect. Enforcing a policy of forcing suspected sympathisers into the demonstration they targeted a man with a broken arm, twisting it until he fell screaming to the ground. Using they ensuing crowd reaction ("scum, scum") as an excuse they violently arrested two women at the kettle in Oxford Gardens.
On the slow laborious return to Meanwhile Gardens 4 or 5 others were snatched on various charges. Photography and video of arrests was blocked at every opportunity - in one picture in this report a man is arrested, then a police minivan is driven between me and the victim to prevent me filming. However it is clearly visible through the windows that he is now being treated in a way that causes considerable pain.
Police behaved very badly, but perhaps it's not surprising that they'd defend the establishment vigorously against an action, the object of which was billed as: “old etonian heads on spikes!"
In yer dreams? Well dream on how this might have turned out on the other side of the channel.
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Comments
Hide the following 29 comments
well what did you expect?
03.11.2007 20:04
unsurprised
fair enough
03.11.2007 20:31
it is shameless cowardice to post vague damnation on the internet when anyone with a sane mind knows that a fight needs to be taken to the streets.
today they (we) lost. we may never win with this level of apathy. but who knows we might. and besides I would rather die fighting than live for years longer to spend the whole time oppressed by this horrific nightmare.
one war - class war. the only war worth fighting
pete
Losers
03.11.2007 20:46
BlueRedBlue
kick ass pics
04.11.2007 00:45
they're all revolting!
dissent...
04.11.2007 02:14
people here have more passion about what they think should be done to heather mills mccartney or if they think little maddy is dead.
D Centaur
Bollox
04.11.2007 04:28
Chris Strafford
e-mail:
chris_strafford@hotmail.com
Get real!
04.11.2007 06:45
rollins
Not fools
04.11.2007 08:51
A. Coppe
Dear Chris Strafford
04.11.2007 10:38
our streets
Bit of perspective please!
04.11.2007 11:05
However, there was natter that interesting and new tactics would be used to prevent a cordon/wasted afternoon. Doesn't look like this happened. There was also a lot of prior local publicity, but that can only be measured only by follow up intrest or local people turning up to the march.
"This is the beginning of a campaign, and knockers and begrudgers are what long experience of the British anarchist movement has taught us to expect."
- the proof is in the pudding. I hope thats the case. It is going to take a lot more than more numbers on Bash The Rich marches to do that though.
Anyone seeing this event as a dismal failure might want to read the interview with the marches organiser weeks before the event in The Guardian; Bone was extremely candid about what he expected to happen. Nobody was pretending this was going to be a massive ruck. I think the organiser(s) are probably more than happy with the event.
Tacks
Guerrilla Warfare
04.11.2007 14:08
Look back to the classic text by Che. Cell structure and no communication outside to take strategic action on places of significance.
The Angry Brigade used this to great effect.
Power to the people!
Digger
Punks
04.11.2007 14:22
rollins
Rollins
04.11.2007 15:11
'Unfinished Business-The Poltics Of Class War' (
Twat.
Calaker
A comment from a working class marcher who isn't a punk.
04.11.2007 15:29
As someone else mentioned, some people on the march also went on the NHS march. There was also people on the march who work in the NHS and recognise that things the march was trying to highlight, such as gentrification and its effects on housing, actually effects people in the NHS and this was part of one struggle.
Instead of the long list of 'I told you so's' and 'what did you expect from the police' with the overtones that we all got what we deserve, it would be nice to have some solidarity from activists even if they did not agree with the march itself. After all it was policed in an extremely aggressive and nasty way (screaming man being dragged about by a broken arm etc.). Perhaps, if you can't bring yourself to type words of praise for the marchers themselves, you could focus a bit more on the implications of this for wider society.
Finally, its a myth that is only believed by people who never really go out, that football firms are stopped by the police. Football violence does still happen and is quite common.
Smart Monkey
The rich aren't the problem!
04.11.2007 17:28
Neon Black
Homepage:
http://dreaming-neon-black.blogspot.com
Pathetic
04.11.2007 19:12
Werther de Goethe
Internet Warriors?
04.11.2007 19:14
Of course it is much easier than discussing things with people, and re-examining what you are actually doing.
D.Valerian
Devrim Valerian
To 'Neon Black' - (The Rich ARE the problem)
04.11.2007 19:41
On that point, it is actually a lot more productive to use the term 'bosses' rather than 'the rich', because although the bosses are definitely rich, it identifies the real problem - capitalism. Its sounds a but naff, but if you are making a serious point rather than a bit of agit-prop its worth doing.
The working class and the employing class hve nothing in common: not cos they don't drink in the same pubs, or favour football or rugby but because THEY ARE PITTED AGAINST EACH BY THE ECONOMY. The boss has to fuck over the worker to earn money, if they don't they go under. That is the bottom line.
Quick points:
D Centaur - so what? That is not a point.
Digger - Er, no. Che Guevara failed comprehensively in his guerilla warfare era. At the very least Class War have no time the terrorist elite you are advocating.
Rollins - Class War piss on Crass and the Subhumans from a great height. Neither of those bands even recognise class struggle, even today. Even if the paper was just a headline with "CLASS WAR" then 20 blank pages it would still make a better political comment than those bands entire back catalogue.
King Amdo - "Sharing experinence of 20 years eco/peace/tribal sovereignty activism including lots and lots of front line stuff'' - why would anyone interested in class struggle give a fuck 'eco/peace/tribal sovereignty'?
People advocating the long game and community activism are bang on. I agree with Calaker on the book Unfinished Business, a great read. Its a shame it didn't develop into a real handbook for activity, but its definitely the most readable and practical class struggle anarchist text i've seen.
Tacks
Class war is not about spectacle
04.11.2007 21:50
Emma Goldman
A Stone's Throw?
04.11.2007 23:12
Anon
Bollocks Devrim
05.11.2007 00:01
Why not do more praxis - it would do you good. You would have more respect then cos you would actually have something to say for a change.
Fuck Left Communism
Amdo
05.11.2007 00:04
Like what?
passer by
Dissapointed...
05.11.2007 14:55
I went to Bash The rich for a few lessons in the history of Class struggle in London, a bit of argy-bargy with the cops and a march.
What I saw were no real signs of knowing what was going to happen, no history lessons, and if the 200-odd people turned up, they turned up after me and my ten-strong squad, including the above poster, bolted and had a nice run-around notting hill.
Come five o clock we did a nice No War but the Class war banner drop outside buckingham palace for the tourists, some chants and a scarper.
To be honest I wish I went to the Anarchist bookfair instead...
LB
CIRCA
05.11.2007 21:32
Zoe T
we are all working class
06.11.2007 13:13
hmmm. let me guess, you have never had a job? a very niave and childish comment. most employers have to work hard to get where they are, usually working their way up the business/industry. I don't know what you mean by 'f*** over the worker' as you so elloquently put it. The boss has to make sure the work gets done so they can all get paid, including the worker. You clearly have no experience of management or even supervision of other workers. Its a very difficult job, and if you own a company, there is a whole lot more work involving tax, regulations, etc that the worker never needs to worry about. Not to mention the risks. Most businesses borrow huge amounts of money to get started, and many fail within the first year. The worker can just walk away, find a new job, but the employer often has lost far more than just a job, they may lose any savings they put into the business and the roof over their heads.
I wish all you hippies would stop blaming everyone else for you problems and get off your arse and do something for yourself for a change. There are other countries in the world where people have real problems, REAL poverty, which is about not having the basics, food, shelter, clean water - not just about not being able to afford a ferrari or mansion! thats not poverty thats just envy.
Grow up.
we are all working class
Lay Off The Punks
06.11.2007 13:15
I am one of those Punks that did not use my common sense and went on the march. I don’t actually think that it was ‘Bringing Anarchy back onto the Streets’ … not by a long shot. At the same time I would never be critical of Class Wars’ continual efforts to organise Anarchists. However, the real ‘Anarchy on the Streets’ was going on outside of the march … yes, the Punks that broke off and formed smaller cells. None of you will know of the activities that they got up to (or) the support that they actually got from the locals, because most Punks don’t have the luxury of sitting behind a computer making comments.
I don’t actually get the whole issue that a lot of you are having with Punks. I am still kicking myself that I did not split off with the group, mentioned by LB, when we all first spoke about it. I did meet up with another two Punks that were initially part of this group, but get separated along the way. The three of us then re-joined the group. We all sat down together, spoke, got a plan together, organised and then went on to do a Fixed Banner Drop with the same ‘No War But The Class War’ banner across from The Dorchester. For those of you Part-Time Anarchists, that’s where some of us turned up for the Disarm DSEI protest Action.
And what’s all this about Punks and Anarcho-Punk bands not promoting Class Struggle? You lot that think that way really need to listen to the lyrics a bit more (or) start coming to some gigs … your ignorance is making you look stupider than you possibly are.
Most of the Punks used their wits and savvy and calculated whether joining the march would be an Anarchist Action or not. If anything, the march was more of a Work Ethic Demo led by the Police. Don’t be critical of the Punks who were out there being Anarchists … Be critical of the Anarchists who were in there being Conformed. Still, good job by Class War in mobilising everyone on the day, shame that most of us did not use our imagination … and then ran back to the computers to make comments about the day. At the same time, it’s also sad that most ‘individuals’ in the march were expecting Ian Bone to think for them. Well, I guess that is what happens when Anarchists stop their activities on the Streets and then return for one day of action.
For Punks Anarchy is always on the Streets, the Streets are Our Streets … we are the ones getting up to Anarchist activities at crazy hour of the morning, while everyone else is sleeping. Yes, the majority of Punks broke off from the march … but who do the people criticising the Punks think were helping to promote the whole event? Who do you think was running around in the early hours of the morning putting up Posters and Stickers on telephone booths and bus stops around London … from New Cross to Brixton, from Stockwell to Aldgate, from Whitechapel to Camden? It’s a lot of the domesticated Anarchists that need to get out of their Rut, looks to me like it’s not the Punks that need to be criticised here.
Anarchism is not a Weekend Activity, it’s not a Holiday Retreat, an Internet Forum or a F*cking Seminar.
DonB.
Lay Off The Punks (2)
06.11.2007 13:41
As for that Posh Legal Prostitute with the Fur around her neck getting into the Chauffeured Vehicle with those two Twats … well I wonder if she was still thinking that the comment that was made to her ‘Was not Fair’ when she was getting treated like a Cheap Product at the end of the night. She would have had much more fun if she ditched those two Elitists, got rid of the dead animal around her neck and joined us.
Who’s Streets?
Our Streets!
Who’s Law?
Their Law!
DonB.
Johnny rotten and all that...
06.11.2007 14:56
rollins
to 'we are all working class'
06.11.2007 18:30
Yes i have. I am in my mid 20's and have done everything from working a till in a shop to semi-skilled manual labour.
"a very niave and childish comment."
Naive.
"Most employers have to work hard to get where they are, usually working their way up the business/industry. I don't know what you mean by 'f*** over the worker' as you so elloquently put it."
Then i'll explain. The boss pays the worker 3X. The worker produces 5X. So the boss lives off the 2X difference between what the worker is paid and its real value on the market - this is called profit. X can be anything from an actual product like a car, to a service like manning a phone in a call centre. Remember the boss probably employs many many people, and the value of 2X could be absolutely huge - consider how many people the bosses of Microsoft employ and think about how much the "2X" becomes then.
In a side point, it is a little impotent to censor the word 'fuck' when i have already said it, and furthermore, i lose no eloquence by using profanity; it depends on the context.
"The boss has to make sure the work gets done so they can all get paid, including the worker. You clearly have no experience of management or even supervision of other workers. Its a very difficult job, and if you own a company, there is a whole lot more work involving tax, regulations, etc that the worker never needs to worry about. Not to mention the risks. Most businesses borrow huge amounts of money to get started, and many fail within the first year. The worker can just walk away, find a new job, but the employer often has lost far more than just a job, they may lose any savings they put into the business and the roof over their heads."
Well, i obviously couldn't disagree more - but you've actually made some quite clear factual errors there too. When a company folds the owner is bailed out by insurance or bankruptcy pay offs, and the higher up you go in business the bigger this gets. Failure is actually rewarded, incredibly generously. Look at the PFI rail companies for this, or recently that wanker Crozier who is being paid more and more for failing to make Royal Mail stay afloat (whilst it is the workers who are being laid off or suffering pay cuts). Your whole point here is based on the tiny independent entrepeneur, like a start up company, where there is a lot of risk for the boss and the boss does take some initiative. So what, really? The boss will get the rewards if they succeed, the workers will remain on £5.25 an hour. You say the worker can just find another job - so can the boss! If they are a low level boss they may have to (oh for shame) become a worker again, but specialised bosses will generally go back in at boss level. If a person loses their job, they will also lose savings whilst they look for another one. The boss has insurance to shore them up. Remember too the boss has been earning a fortune compared to the worker, they are in a much better position.
Your overall point about managers and bosses rising throigh the ranks is very useful, but disproves nothing i have said. That the boss class recruits directly from the aspirational and able bits of the working class is a key part of capitalism. It adds a veil of fairness to the procceedings, what is generally called 'meritocracy' - a system where those with the most ability rise to the top.
But this is not what happens; you could be born with an incredible brain, or become and incredibly inteligent person, but unless you have the opportunities to go into business, or if you actually want to, your ability is irrelevant. Teachers, or doctors for instance, have lot of ability and knowledge - but are they multi-millionaires? No. They are far better rewarded by capitalism than the street sweeper, but they are not the ruling class, the real elite. That is made up of people with NO DISCERNABLE SKILL whatsover, people who just move large sums of money around markets and pick up the interest. They serve absolutely no function useful to society at large. In fact, they live of the profit they extract from it. As parasites. This is what i mean by 'bosses' - not your mate who sells timeshares in Majorca or some floor manager at the Carphone Warehouse.
"I wish all you hippies would stop blaming everyone else for you problems and get off your arse and do something for yourself for a change."
I am not a hippy so this doesn't apply to me. I act on my problems every day, from earning money to live, to organising with others for a better world. Ironically i know all about 'management' and it is a shit way to work; if you want things done, do it as equals, cooperating.
"There are other countries in the world where people have real problems, REAL poverty, which is about not having the basics, food, shelter, clean water"
So what? There is still poverty in the UK, from illiteracy to shitty diet, to unemployement, depression, crime and squalor. Just cos someone somewhere else is having a shitter time than you does not mean you can't do something about your own situation. This is what the church told my grandparents generation. "Thank God for what you have, at least you aren't starving" - great, so we can get up at 4AM to make sure the masters breakfast is started or the chickens are fed, have one pair of clothes a year and no free time. This is such a non-point it's funny.
"...not just about not being able to afford a ferrari or mansion! thats not poverty thats just envy."
But why CAN these people afford to throw money away on huge houses they don't need or use and cars 5 times the normal price? BECAUSE THEY ARE FUCKING PEOPLE OVER, that really is the long and short of it. Either they are directly a boss, where they pay their workers only a fraction of what they have produced, or they live off the profits of other bosses - so essentially do the same thing.
HOWEVER - I agree that it shouldn't be about blaming individual rich people for the entire economic system, and marching on some street just cos they are 'posh bastards' is pretty weak compared to explaining why there are rich people and why they need poor people to *be* rich. I think the march was a bit of rabble rousing, a stunt to put some of the things i have outlined across in a attention grabbing way.
"Grow up."
Inevitably.
"we are all working class"
8% of the UK population just identifed themselves as UPPER CLASS, not 'middle class' or 'very well off'. Upper class.
In their own words.
Chew on that pal.
Tacks