Protesting

[VILLAMARV]

Delete/merge or whatever if i've missed a relevant thread guys (I couldn't find one), but off the back of recent protests garnering all manner of responses on all manner of topics I thought it might be interesting to discuss protesting.

Obviously there have been legal changes over recent years in our country as far as what constitutes a legal protest or not. Designated protest zones have been with us in the west for a while now. What are your thoughts on these changes? What are the rules like in your country?

Obviously the horseracing community was the target of protestors this weekend and it isn't the first protest at the horses in the UK. A century after Emily Davison was trampled on at The Derby she got her own statue in Epsom. But it seems a bigger topic than whether you like a bet or not to my mind.

But glueing themselves to stuff, blocking roads and so on seems de-rigeur. What do people think about these actions? Are they a response to the ineffectiveness of protests since the poll tax riots? or should they all just get a job?

Does protesting have a legitimate role to play in our society anymore? Is the use of facial recognition software just a problem when used against foreign dissidents? Do you think it's ok for it to be used to film peaceful and lawful gatherings in your country?

Have you ever been on a protest? What was it like?

Or did you just see a good sign that made you chuckle?

Edited April 17, 2023 by VILLAMARV
added a question

[El Zen]

Protesting is one of the very pillars on which democracy stands. 

Edited April 17, 2023 by El Zen

[VILLAMARV]

So for me the only time I ever 'attended' anything was back in my Cardiff days when me and MrsVM had gone into town for a burritto. On our way back to the car we noticed a small gathering on the steps of the museum and as it was on our way we went and checked it out. Turned out it was a BLM gathering so we stood at the back, chatted witht the uniformed coppers and carried on shoving burrittos into our gobs. I couldn't help but notice the cameras pointing at the crowd - I say crowd, it can't have been more than 30-40 people including the representatives of the South Wales police force who had chosen to join them at that time.

Nothing of note happened. I was back home before they'd finished mega-phoning. But the experience kind of solidified my position. In that I'm not really the type for this public declaration of political beliefs and less so if I'm going to appear on candid camera as a result.

[OutByEaster?]

I think that the way the media has developed into corporate ownership and selective reporting makes it really difficult to make any sort of impact with a traditional march style protest. You can have a million people march through London, but if it's not something that Blackstone and co want us to think about it, it might make page seven of the Express with a slightly mocking byline, but you won't see it on the telly.

I think that's why we're seeing more and more disruptive protests, it's the only way to bring any sort of attention to things, and I can't see them getting any less so as the race between voracious corporate greed and global climate disaster hits full speed. The right trigger and a warm summer night and I suspect we'll be seeing the type of protests where things catch fire more and more regularly.

 

[Xann]

[leemond2008]

1 hour ago, VILLAMARV said:

Have you ever been on a protest? What was it like?

Only protest/march that I have ever been to was unknowingly wondering into the middle of an EDL march which the Muslims (I'm guessing) were having an anti-protest/march at the same time.

Me and my mate didn't have a clue it was going on until we got into town, we weren't interested and just wanted a drink, thought we'd pop into the Briar Rose to start with just to decide where to move onto, walking down the road almost at the boozer when all of a sudden about 6 coppers come absolutely charging up the road waving their arms at us screaming "get back get back" followed by a hale of bottles flying through the air (not thrown by the EDL, they came from whoever was having the anti-protest thing) 

we couldn't get to the pub and were shepherded all the way round the back to the floozy in the jacuzzi, when we were there we were standing by a small group of yoots when I heard one of them say "yo, I don't care who's protesting, I want my Maccies, I don't care  if you are white or what, I'm gunna one bomb someone in a minute" the kid was about 12 years old and about 5ft tall which I found amusing.

Anyway we went to the Flapper and Firkin, got drunk and that was the extent of my protest.

[VILLAMARV]

42 minutes ago, Xann said:

[Rds1983]

1 hour ago, Xann said:

Seeing the French protest about the changes to their pensions which are already much, much better than ours does make me wish that we were more vocal and active in our complaints in the UK.

[Davkaus]

I think the one thing we all agree on is that the right to protest is incredibly important and to be respected, as long as it's done in a quiet field, in the dark, where nobody can see or hear them, or be inconvenienced in any way.

[Seat68]

Well we saw how some people on this board were about mild inconveniences like lack of trains. French style protests might send them over the edge. 

[chrisp65]

A lifetime ago, I had a very brief dalliance of one season of being involved in some roving weekend protesting.

90% cold boredom sat in the back of a van, 10% terrifying.

 

But yeah, providing I agree with the cause, I’m all for a bit of boisterous protest.

 

[icouldtelltheworld]

Just Stop Oil have stopped play at the snooker just now. Link (Metro).

Quote

A protestor jumped on the table during a match at the World Snooker Championship on Monday evening, blasting orange powder over the baize.

The first round match between Rob Milkins and Joe Perry was interrupted as a protestor wearing a ‘Just Stop Oil’ protest leapt on the table.

He opened a small bag which sent orange powder all over the table before he was hauled off.

My one crank opinion is that this lot might just be paid agents of the state employed to garner support for the UK govs draconian attempts to curb the right to protest tbh

[Lichfield Dean]

2 minutes ago, icouldtelltheworld said:

Just Stop Oil have stopped play at the snooker just now. Link (Metro).

My one crank opinion is that this lot might just be paid agents of the state employed to garner support for the UK govs draconian attempts to curb the right to protest tbh

Maybe. I can't for the life of me see how Just Stop Oil targeting the snooker is remotely a sensible move.

If it is genuinely JSO, this sort of thing just undoes any actual good work that they might be doing.

[icouldtelltheworld]

3 minutes ago, Lichfield Dean said:

Maybe. I can't for the life of me see how Just Stop Oil targeting the snooker is remotely a sensible move.

If it is genuinely JSO, this sort of thing just undoes any actual good work that they might be doing.

They doing any actual good work? Genuine question, I'm yet to see any evidence of it

[Genie]

It’s odd that we’ve given so much up, and put up with outrageous corruption and lying from the government without a fight… but when George Floyd was killed in America there were millions on the streets of the UK.

I wonder if it really was something that resonated with the people more than the other things, or was it mainly an excuse to get out of the house during a pandemic?

[icouldtelltheworld]

Just now, Genie said:

It’s odd that we’ve given so much up, and put up with outrageous corruption and lying from the government without a fight… but when George Floyd was killed in America there were millions on the streets of the UK.

I wonder if it really was something that resonated with the people more than the other things, or was it mainly an excuse to get out of the house during a pandemic?

A lot of people have America-brain. It's a serious problem on all sides of our politics and majorly holds us back IMO.

I suspect you're right and the pandemic was a factor, by contrast very little protest over what happened to Dalian

[Rustibrooks]

Just now, Genie said:

It’s odd that we’ve given so much up, and put up with outrageous corruption and lying from the government without a fight… but when George Floyd was killed in America there were millions on the streets of the UK.

I wonder if it really was something that resonated with the people more than the other things, or was it mainly an excuse to get out of the house during a pandemic?

I think it was as an excuse for people to be out of the house, I highly doubt that everyone that was outside at that point cared that much. You’ll always get opportunists in injustices. 
 

I do wonder what the general public’s 'breaking point' is though, collectively everyone has put up with so much shit. My cousin in France wonders why we do even though we seem to complain about a lot.

[Xela]

[Xela]

5 minutes ago, Genie said:

I wonder if it really was something that resonated with the people more than the other things, or was it mainly an excuse to get out of the house during a pandemic?

I think you are right. Good weather, excuse to get out and also to appear righteous on social media. 

[VILLAMARV]

23 minutes ago, Xela said:

Can't believe I didn't use this in opening the thread! I've been away too long Top marks