Rave Up with Arielle Free

[phoenix]

Its early in the morning and I just got out of bed. I went downstairs to watch a bit o TV and this was all over the news. Its like the top story. It looks like total madness! Do any of you live near there? Have you seen it? Know any protesters?

I dont know what theyre protesting. I think America and likely Bush is to blame for the economic mess, and I'm sure it is our fault, but why are they so mad at Obama?

Is the Bank Of Scotland in London? They said theyre smashing windows over there.

[kitty]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7975597.stm

It seems from this that they are using the global focus on London because of the gathering of world leaders for the G20 to protest about anything and everything- climate change, the economic crisis, war- it's not directed at Obama himself. It was similar when the G8 summit was at Gleneagles a few years ago.

The Royal Bank of Scotland has a presence in the City of London, but is based in Edinburgh.

[DarkAngelMJH]

Even Russell Brand was there today! Glad i don't live there

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1166349/Protests-turn-violent-thousands-anti-capitalists-converge-Bank-England-G20-riot.html

[Jono]

I quite like the collective efforts. It's just a shame the police are being a pain by stopping them all from moving. This is where stuff like Twitter becomes a very interesting tool.

[Lucinda]

Ooh I might go watch from a distance tomorrow... got nothing better to do. Sounds quite exciting.

[DC]

these hippies need to try and find a job instead of wasting time, maybe that would help the economy? they're unreal, they protest against everything and anything. i thought the g8 was a massive get together to sort out a lot of problems which are going on right now, can't they just leave them alone to do their job and try and sort things out? and how can they be mad at obama yet? he hasn't done anything wrong so far!

if everything was brilliant in the world and we could all afford fast cars and big houses, nobody was out of work and there was no climate change. the silly bastards would still find something to complain about.

[phoenix]

if you do, post pictures!

oh and please try not to get killed in the process. there was an image on TV of a guy with blood all over his face

[Tom.]

Although smashing windows, will improve trade in the windows sector.

[DC]

i agree everyone should have an opinion, but the way they are going about things is stupid. plus i don't even know what they are going on about, they are like a girlfriend on constant pms.

[Lucinda]

Random point, but I noticed that the G7 became the G8 (forgot who joined, was it Russia or China) but where did the G20 come from? And why should 20 nations make all the decisions that are supposed to affect the whole world?

I remember seeing an anti-globalisation protest in Barcelona, I don't really know what's so wrong with globalisation in itself. Like animal rights, these kinds of issues can get hijacked by thugs who just want an excuse for violence (I'm not saying that all animal rights activists are violent, but there have been some high profile ones who have been).

If I do go into London, I will stay well away from the trouble, but hopefully get close enough to see what's going on.

[phoenix]

The news said they are protesting a myriad of things. Theyre just ticked off activists in general.

[E*F*4L]

Absolutely! I completely agree with everything you have said. I do find it very difficult to tolerate individuals who continually protest, lie in the middle of the road, chain themselves to fences etc. However, at the same time are claiming benefits of some sort because they are unfit to work.

I don't believe that fighting against things is particularly useful. As DC said it's better to think of a positive way forward and promote what you do want.....not what you don't. Trashing offices is hardly constructive.

most of them will have job's & it's now becoming necessary to take direct action because the government's won't listen to the people because it's not in their interest to.

look at all those injured people, police brutality is what caused the injuries !!

i wouldn't have thought like this years ago, but this government has changed my mind

everyone of the MP's are out to get what they can off the gravy train,

all of the policies are dreamt up by un-elected civil servants,

Gordon Browns policy's are the reason that the UK is in a worse position than any other country, i could go on.

the government is supposed to serve the people not the other way around, democracy doesn't work anymore & it's all Tony Blair's fault !

[KingTutsWWH]

i agree everyone should have an opinion, but the way they are going about things is stupid. plus i don't even know what they are going on about, they are like a girlfriend on constant pms.

I think I disagree with virtually everything that has been said on this thread. Demonstrations are a very important way for the public to quite literally 'demonstrate' how they feel.

Obviously there are various idiots who take advantage of them to create mindless mayhem, but I don't want to ever lose my right to protest, and although I have long hair, I'm not a 'hippy'.

Didn't find the above comment particularly pleasant coming from the sensitive dc I know and love either.

Be careful Lucinda.

[DC]

yes, but those type of people never seem to be happy with anything. they smash up peoples property who have nothing to do with what they're so angry about. most of these bastards have never earned a penny in their life, and yet their opinion rises above everyone elses in this country. they complain that world leaders never do anything to sort out global problems, and when they try to, they attempt to stop it. if they are so pissed off with the way things are in their life, then they should join the army and spend some time with our troops. or better yet, piss off and live in the middle east. they wind me up as much as those pricks that were slagging off our troops on their march last month.

The news said they are protesting a myriad of things. Theyre just ticked off activists in general.

but they do not reflect the general view of the british public. we're not all that way.

[Nik B.]

For once, I'm saying nothing. Just purely because my views (for once at least) are totally the opposite of the main theme of this thread it seems.

[Andy B]

Meh. I'm going with the "Stupid bunch of bloody hippies who could do with a good wash" line of thinking. Loads of my mates went into work in tracksuits and trainers yesterday and it was a nightmare getting home cos half the bloody tube network was buggered up.

I think Baracko overdid it slightly with his entourage though. When The Queen visits a foreign country she just rolls up with a couple of bodyguards and a muzzle for Prince Phillip. None of this decoy-limo and 200 secret service agents malarky.

[Lucinda]

Hmmm I read the reports in The Guardian this morning and decided to head out of London. My dad would be rather unimpressed if I got arrested.

Peaceful protests are fine but inevitably some idiots take it too far and things can end up violent. In The Guardian, a fairly liberal paper, they did comment that some of the protestors didn't know what they were actually protesting about and those that did couldn't come up with any workable solutions for the problems.

Where there is a particular issue that the Government or another organisation is clearly taking a particular stance on that people don't like, I agree with the right to protest. But smashing up buildings just because the economy's not going great is yobbery, not protest. I do realise that the majority were being peaceful but there is no need to involve criminal damage.

[DC]

In The Guardian, a fairly liberal paper, they did comment that some of the protestors didn't know what they were actually protesting about and those that did couldn't come up with any workable solutions for the problems.

interesting, so if that really is the case. if they are not smashing things up most are just there for the ride, simply because they've grew up watching grandad hate tony blair and gordon brown. and they think it's natural to just find some reason to go along and complain. yes i would like to put the question to them about solving the problems that they are so angry about (if they even understand what they are being angry about), and what they suggest could be done.

i really can't understand any stance against obama either. he's been in only a few months and already some people have him down as enemy number 1. i've always thought that if you are involved in politics, you can please some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time.

[Nik B.]

Even more of a reason to voice your opinion.

Maybe I will tomorrow, but suffice to say I'm Pro Protest... if that makes sense.

[Guest]

People should not ignore the lunacy and stupidity of the police at the G20 protests. Further evidence yet of the march towards Oceania:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/03/g20-protests-police-tactics

[Lucinda]

Wondering what people think, given the recent developments, about the IPCC's involvement, and the IPCC in general.

In mind of this comment piece from today's Guardian (my dad did write it, but still, I'm generally interested) and the comments below it by members of the public: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/16/ipcc-police-protests

Essentially he's trying to defend the actions/apparent inactions of the IPCC, such as the fact that they asked The Guardian to take down the video of Mr Tomlinson getting hit by a police officer and that they didn't interview that police officer immediately. The people commenting seem to want some kind of instant justice but so far this has been trial by media for the police officer(s). No matter how damning that video evidence is, it is important to find out whether it's a case of assault or manslaughter.

What are people's thoughts on the handling of this incident and the Met police in general? Is the IPCC the correct way to deal with complaints against the police or is something different needed? (Prior to becoming the Independent Police Complaints Commission in 2004, it was the Civil Service run Police Complaints Authority.)

[E*F*4L]

the IPCC are in the governments pocket & it doesn't surprise me another video has appeared of police brutality

One of the intriguing aspects of the G20 demonstrations was the presence of so many police medics, notable by the badges stating their qualification. One was spotted by a protester in Queen Victoria Street making liberal use of his truncheon on demonstrators. "Are you trying to make work for yourself?" inquired the protester. The response consisted of two words, the second of which was "off". Still, every medical team needs a good anaesthetist http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/apr/10/police-medics-g20-protests

all the so called police persons (is that the PC way to describe them ?) should be taken to court & if found guilty given a proper sentence, this won't happen though as its one law for them & one for everyone else.

as for evidence & postmortems to find out why he died, surely being violently pushed to the ground would have been a contributing factor ?

as a man died on the street why was no investigation carried out by the police straight away ?

country is like a police state asking the Guardian to take the video down, yeah well why don't they show us all the CCTV that's supposed to protect us, oh wait of course they won't because of all the so far unreported beatings that the police may have committed.

[DC]

i can see why the police are angry with the hippies but they handled it in completley the wrong way. the woman on the video should of just left like she was told, instead she carried on screaming and flower dancing. but what happened to the guy who did nothing wrong was a discrace, whoever was responsable should be jailed for life for manslaughter.

[E*F*4L]

she wasn't being violent though & we have a right to protest don't we ?

[DC]

why scream in the polices face when they have nothing to do with what goes on inside the g20 meeting? besides, wasn't the meeting about sorting out all the things they were so 'upset' about? i'm sorry but i find them almost as bad as the muslims who protested against our soldiers. maybe they should at least attempt to find a job and help the enonomy that way.