Here’s some coverage we liked
Posted in Media on March 27, 2011
Lots of interesting coverage and discussion of the march today and yesterday.
Here are some links we like (without necessarily endorsing all the arguments) – and of course there’s lots more good stuff that we won’t have seen.
- Show us some respect: thoughts on the media and March 26 Stuart White at Next Left
- A snapshot of the 26 March demo Newsnight’s Paul Mason (though he’s unfair about Unison)
- Why we need to march for the alternative Brendan Barber writes on Left Foot Forward
- The Big Society Bites Back Brilliant coverage from the Sunday Mirror
- The despair doesn’t come from the marchers Nick Cohen’s thoughts in the Observer
- Ignore the sneers. This march is a real alarm-clock moment Polly Toynbee’s preview from yesterday
Why oh why oh why can we not see a single aerial photograph of our great march? There must be pictures that show its full, awesome magnitude, stretching from Blackfriars to Hyde Park. But the powers that be who have them haven’t released any. Can TUC not obtain some. PLEASE!!
The gall of the Tory press is, to me, even more stark than usual. I had a brilliant day marching with my sons, and the only people I saw in balaclavas were Metropolitan Police officers. Theresa May says that 149 people were arrested for public order offences, but she doesn’t tell you that 138 of those were UK Uncut activists involved in a peaceful sit-down protest in Fortnum & Masons! So only 11 violent “activists” were arrested! Out of over half a million protesters! I bet that’s fewer than you’d normally get on any other Saturday afternoon in Oxford Street! The police should thank us for improving public order last Saturday.
The March on Saturday was totally amazing. Contrary to everyone’s expectations there was a massive turnout. The mood of concern and anger about what the government is doing materialised into action. The claims of apathy proved to be unfounded. But what do the mainstream media spend their headlines on? A few paint bombs and the peaceful occupation of Fortnum and Mason.
Yes there was some non violent direct action although some property was damaged. We marched past the Ritz shortly after it had its window broken and we saw the occupation of Fortnum and Mason. I was shocked at the police restraint on this occasion. In my experience the troublemakers on legal demonstrations are the ones in masks and tooled up, and I am not talking about the anarchists. Most people reading this blog will have direct knowledge of unprovoked police violence or illegal activity. The kids were making their point about injustice with some pretty minor criminal damage.The police did get silly later on when they sealed Trafalgar Square. It was completely unnecessary. There was little or no trouble there. Maybe the police were disappointed that the new tactics, promoted by publicity of previous police violence and therefore greater surveilance and concern about their heavy handed tactics, meant that they had some aggression to burn off. Watching the same boring scenes being looped endlessly by the BBC was enough to try anyones patience.
However the response of the mainstream media has been predictable blowing the Uncut activity out of all proportion to the amazing march. The real newsworthy message that seems to be unfortunately lost is that there is some very very serious damage being done. There is an horrendous riot going on. The offenders are the government and their wealthy friends who are mugging the welfare state with a ferocity that we have not seen in our lifetimes. Our public capital is being stolen brazenly in front of our faces. Unfortunately that activity is deemed to be legal. That does not make it right.
I feel really proud that HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people felt strongly enough to travel from all over the country and show our/their disgust at what the govt are doing to public services. I don’t feel so proud of our media who seem to think that a bit of window smashing by a few thousand oh-so-scary ‘anarchists’ is a more worthy focus than, say, a 70 year old nurse who had travelled from Glasgow to voice her opposition.
We have to maintain the pressure!
Loads Of Photos from the March here