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Where was the media coverage of the Manchester anti-war demonstration?

Paul O'Hanlon | 25.06.2007 09:58 | Analysis | Anti-militarism | World

Thousands demonstrated in Manchester yesterday ,didn't they? So where are the photos, reports? I collated this from the mainstream and alternative media - not much, is it?

STOP THE WAR DEMONSTRATION MANCHESTER SUNDAYJUNE 24th

There was almost no coverage of the demonstration in the mainstream media. The BBC, ITN, and Channel 5 news of Sunday 24th June all had nothing. There was a 25 second clip of some of the protesters on Channel Four news at 6.55pm on Sunday evening. Around half of all the bulletins covered Brown’s confirmation as new Labour Party leader but the voice of the people outside was not heard.

The afternoon and evening television news bulletins throughout the day added up to 115 minutes and half of all the news was of Brown’s coronation and Harman’s surprise selection as his deputy. There was less than half a minute about the protest – 0.4% of all news coverage – blink and miss it. The radio was no better – nothing on the World this Weekend or the Westminster Hour – 90 minutes between them.

I very much doubt there is anything in the Monday papers. A search of today’s Guardian and Independent websites drew a blank. I suspect the tabloids have nothing – unless Murdoch’s `Sun` has had a brainstorm.


Here is a short video clip from the Stop the war website:
 http://www.stopwar.org.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=153&Itemid=60


Even Indymedia has nothing – Manchester Indymedia has this:
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/manchester/2007/06/374326.html?c=on#c176278
but where are the photos?


I’m afraid for most people this demonstration, big though it probably was, simply did not happen.


I found this on the BBC Internet website:
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6235170.stm



Last year’s (I stress this is from 2006) demonstration was reported on the BBC website:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/5373128.stm


Sorry, Manchester demonstrators, you don’t seem to exist as far as our wonderful seekers after truth are concerned.

Paul O'Hanlon
- e-mail: o_hanlon@hotmail.com

Additions

Stop the War's cure for for insomnia....

25.06.2007 15:03

If the pictures seen here:
 http://www.roystpierre.com/index.php?set_albumName=album68&name=gallery&include=view_album.php
are anything to go by, then the demo looked boring to say the least.

I'm all in favour of the STWC holding inclusive events that everyone can attend. But their insistance on pandering to the authorities at every given opportunity is inspiring noone and sending the movement they have built into a coma.

Did thet defy the Police ban on the prefered route of their demo? No!
Did they call their last manchester demo to coincide with the actual Labour conference? No!
Have they organised any direct action or civil dissobedience since 2003? No!
Are people bored of politely asking the Police/Governement for permission and advice on how to protest against mass murder? Yes!

Time for a rethink....

Guido


Comments

Hide the following 8 comments

inform us

25.06.2007 11:18

We did not know you were having one, or we may have sent somebody to cover it !

delta news


Boo hoo

25.06.2007 12:58


"Even Indymedia has nothing" - erm, that's because, if noone else has done so, you should be writing it yourself, rather than waiting for a series of Indymedia reporters (presumably in special hats) to drive up in the Indymobile.

As for the lack of national coverage, no, that's not really a surprise either.

"Protestors hold protest on the same subject they've held some protests on before" won't get many newsdesks that excited, outside the city where it takes place. Particularly when the numbers taking part are - while big for a local protest - smaller than, say, the number who voted in the deputy leadership contest.

What the new Prime Minister thinks should be the future of the country, and the choice of deputy Labour leader (someone who has changed her mind on Iraq, no less), is far more interesting on a national scale than a protest in Manchester. Sorry you didn't get to appear on the telly, though.

Norville B


BLAH

25.06.2007 13:20

TO BE HONEST THERE WASN'T MUCH TO REPORT ANYWAY. BUNCH OF STOP THE WAR PEOPLE MARCHING IN A CIRCLE CHANTING 'WHAT DO WE WANT? NO WAR!' OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN ISNT THE MOST INSPIRING THING IVE EVER SEEN....
AS ANOTHER LAD SAID TO ME YESTERDAY - "DIRECT ACTION REST IN FUCKING PEACE"

NORTHERN ANARCHIST


true that northern anarchist

25.06.2007 14:45

i say we quote the anarchist teapot's banner from the g8

"fuck the civil, let's get disobedient!"

i hereby wish to incite a riot on indymedia!

who is with me? ;-)

other northern activist


...yet another northen anarchist

25.06.2007 17:49

talk about yourselves, "northen anarchists"...it was your call to come and be disobedient but you sat on your arses or went round in circles with the Stop the War dudes, while 10 people were circled by cops cos they dared to REALLY protest.

REVOLT damn it, rather than post SHIT on indymedia!!

...yet another northen anarchist


Direct Action my arse

25.06.2007 20:36

Recently I've seen nothing direct nor has there been any action.

It's a sad state of affairs when people think standing in Albert Square in your sandals and organically sourced banners singing slogans is newsworthy.
The Suffragetes would've been resigned to a footnote in history if they didn't shake the system (and occaisionally chuck themselves in front of horses).
The French Revolution would've come to nowt if the streets of Paris weren't bathed in blood. The WWII resistance didn't sit about in church halls reading pamphlets.

Angry is good. Angry means people are motivated to change things. We moan, we chatter, we meet and slap each other on the back about how ethical we are but we don't get angry. If you call yourself an activist then get angry and get active.

individual anarchist


re: northern anarchists

25.06.2007 20:46

What did you expect? Its an anti war demo, not genoa ffs. These demonstrations are about building a movement against the war, what was good is that alot of AF's Northern Resistance was given out along with the National Shop Stewards Network/ Revolutionary Unionism leaflets that us in SolFed gave out.

What more do you expect? Mass direct action will not just fall from the sky. we have to build a movement.

Chris S
mail e-mail: chris_strafford@hotmail.com
- Homepage: http://www.solfed.org.uk


Take inspiration from Brian Haw

25.06.2007 22:48

Perhaps we should all take inspiration from Brian Haw who recently clocked up six years in Parliament Square. Like the anti-war demonstration in Manchester he too suffers from lack of mainstream media coverage. Here are photos from his party in the square on June 2nd. Today (June 25th) is day 2,214 of living 24/7 opposite the `mother of all parliaments`. Now that’s commitment.
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/06/372375.html



Paul O'Hanlon
mail e-mail: o_hanlon@hotmail.com


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