G20 protests: Riot police, or rioting police?

From George Monbiot's Blog.

At the G20 protests in London only one group appears to be looking for violent confrontation – and it's not the protesters

The trouble-makers are out in force again. Dressed in black, their faces partly obscured, some of them appear to be interested only in violent confrontation. It's almost as if they are deliberately raising the temperature, pushing and pushing until a fight kicks off. But this isn't some disorganised rabble: these people were bussed in and are plainly acting in concert. There's another dead giveaway. They are all wearing the same slogan: Police.

The police have been talking up violence at the G20 protests for weeks. They briefed journalists and companies in the City of London about the evil designs of the climate campaigners intending to demonstrate there, but refused to let the campaigners attend the briefings and put their own side of the story. They also rebuffed the campaigners when they sought to explain to the police what they wanted to do.

The way officers tooled themselves up in riot gear and waded into a peaceful crowd this afternoon makes it look almost as if they were trying to ensure that their predictions came true. Their bosses appear to have failed either to read or to heed the report by the parliamentary committee on human rights last week, about the misuse of police powers against protesters. "Whilst we recognise police officers should not be placed at risk of serious injury," the report said, "the deployment of riot police can unnecessarily raise the temperature at protests."

But there has always been a conflict of interest inherent in policing. The police are supposed to prevent crime and keep the streets safe. But if they are too successful, they do themselves out of a job. They have a powerful interest in exaggerating threats and, perhaps, an interest in ensuring that sometimes these threats materialise. This could explain what I've seen at one protest after another, where peaceful demonstrations turn into ugly rucks only when the police attack. The wildly disproportionate and unnecessary violence I've sometimes seen the police deploy could scarcely be better designed to provoke a reaction.

If this is so, they lose nothing. They might get the occasional rap over the knuckles from MPs or the police complaints commission. It doesn't seem to bother them. By planting the idea in the public mind that the streets could erupt into catastrophic violence at any time, were it not for the thick blue line thrown around even the mildest protest, they establish the need for a heavy police presence. While the public lives in fear, no government dares to cut the policing budget.

Monbiot.com

Huxley Interview

I must say, if you do notihng else today watch this video.

Currently reading 'Brave New World' again-this ties in very nicely indeed.

Breathless

Pikey

Good Old New Labour

As the march towards Labour's police states continues to pick up pace in Britain, the public are left in a state of paralysis by what is happening on their fair shores. Lord Haysham called it an 'electoral dictatorship' others have more caustic words echoing around in their psyche.

Almost 60 new powers contained in more than 25 Acts of Parliament have whittled away at freedoms and broken pledges set out in the Human Rights Act and Magna Carta, as a result of laws introduced by Labour since they came to power in 1997.

The Convention on Modern Liberty recent dossier, rightfully criticises draconian police powers to detain terror suspects for 28 days without charge, new stop-and-search powers handed to police (allowing them to stop people without reason at airports and other designated areas), and restrictions on the right of peaceful protest.


When the fevered rhetoric dies down and the dust begins to settle on the pages of the 'objective' broadsheets, we can take time to breath and reassess what has become of Britain, and more frighteningly, where it is headed.

It is the first time such a picture of the erosion of rights under Labour has been published, exercising their right to free speech and providing the government with a clear and comprehensive depiction of how Britain is being run.

Liberty's voice is not alone in the wilderness, it is one shared by many disenfranchised and disillusioned people throughout the land, and surely can't be ignored. A solid platform for dissent and oganisation has been built and with grotesque despoliation a daily occurrence, the growth should be rapid.

With the proliferation of surveillance technology, new laws allowing individuals to be electronically tagged, the legal interception of letters, emails and phone calls, one could be forgiven for mistaking our 'free' society for that of North Korea or China. But no, these latest pearls of wisdom come from Whitehall, an institution rapidly losing face and credibility.

The question many are asking is, 'Where is it all going to end?' Huxleyian and Orwellian images and language resonate in one's mind, and present a very real and present danger for society.

A more pressing question for one to forward could be, 'What can be done to stop it?'

Direct action with violence would provide an opportunity for the government and would see the police state close in further, using fear through the media to validate their means.

It has taken economic quandary to waken people from their docu-soap slumber, and now is the time for free thinking and well informed citizens to educate themselves in the hypocrisy, and organise.

The battle of state vs people has been set in motion, for who will win the war, the jury is out. The power lies with the people and the time is right for action

Pikey

Corsas and Corpses

Corsas & Corpses

I am writing in response to the recent article in the Mourne Observer “Newcastle park venue for major music festival.”

http://www.mourneobserver.com/160408news06.html

In recent weeks councilors have been tossing this issue about like excitable children playing pass the parcel. Some of their language and views expressed in the article shows at best, severe naivety, and at worse, blinkered vision on behalf of the councilors involved.

Let’s get a few things straight.

This is not a “Cultural” event.

The adjective “Cultural” as outlined in www.dictionary.com is, ‘of or pertaining to culture or cultivation.’

Having attended similar events myself, I know at first hand that there is nothing enriching or nourishing that goes on at such parties. This is not to say that they are not a knee knockingly good fun, they are, but attempting to cast up sugar coated images in order to gain the publics' acquiescence is not fair game.

We have all been teenagers, and we can all remember attempting to feel our way into a world full of apprehension and giddy childishness. Cllr Jim Wells stated:

”There are fringe events that go on at these raves and these are the things we have to think about. There are all sorts of extra curricular activities and I don’t know if we should be encouraging this in Newcastle.”

Euphemistic statements like these say everything and nothing all at once. Statements do not need to be coded to protect us from harsh reality, unless there are ulterior motives by those with decision making power. We can say it out loud that “Fringe events” such as vandalism, violence and drug abuse would occur on a large scale. Not very curricular I think you will agree.

Let’s not collectively paper over the real issues, blinded by corporate benefits. It is an insult to our intelligence as a people,

For those who have not danced until sunrise in a field before, let me let you into a few home truths.

1. The only thing pertaining to Irish culture surrounding this event is the fact that it would be hosted in Newcastle, which in turn, happens to be in Ireland.

This is the only cultural connection I can find.

This corporate event would be nothing more, nothing less. Let’s not kid ourselves.

2. Drug taking on a massive scale WILL take place. I am not saying if this is right or wrong, only that its presence is not beneficial to Newcastle’s tourist industry, nor is it an opportunity for cultural celebration. We all (some more than others) know how drug (including alcohol) use in Newcastle has exploded in the last ten years, with participants getting ridiculously younger.

Does Newcastle really need a celebration of cheap chemicals and even cheaper booze on its golden shores?

Cllr Willie Clarke stated, “Unsavory events take place in Newcastle already, and therefore this aspect could not be held against the festival.”

Which unsavory events is Cllr Clarke referring to exactly?

Double parking?

Doing 36 mph, inside the 30 limit?

I find this statement very confusing. It’s like saying, “For sure there are pedophiles in our community, but its fine to have the National Pedophile Convention in the Slieve Donard Hotel.

Cllr Clarke also went on to say that the event would be a “Good economic opportunity” for the town as “hotels and guest houses would be booked for miles around.” As I said before, I have attended events like this and a very small percentage of protagonists stay in rented accommodation. Most people dance, drink, take drugs then sleep in their cars, or drive home.

Now, I am only surmising here, obviously there are exceptions, albeit a handful.

On this basis local hotels and guest houses will not fair so well, although off licenses and drug dealers will have a cash bonanza. Not quite the “good economic opportunity” talked about by Cllr Clarke.

The words of Cllr Eamonn O’Neil provided particular pertinence in shaping my attitude to the matter in hand. He stated “Tourism is what Newcastle is all about. We should be seen to be attracting events to the town.”

There is nothing wrong with what he said per se, indeed, Newcastle does need to attract tourism, but what price?

Public funded parks taken over by big business?

Erosion of loyal rate payers rights to peace and quiet in the face of private enterprise?

I understand the need for councilors to try and drum up support for business in the town and also how economically attractive such an event must look with its flashy PR and corporate backing, but is this really a worthwhile concession to make in the face of public distaste?

I fear not.

Newcastle, with its new promenade now looks like a tourist destination to be reckoned with. Whether you call It the ‘pearl of Down’, ‘the diamond on the Mournes’, or simply ‘home,’ there is no doubt, its special.

Is the council really going to tacitly consent to mass illegal drug use, whilst hiding behind a flag of cultural modernity?

I suppose only they can answer the question.

Pikey (Newcastle resident of sorts)

Why Bother?

Very funny indeed.

Pikey

Progress! Development! A New Province...

You might have heard mutterings from the corridors of Stormont buildings referring to Belfast as the cultural capital of Northern Ireland, one that has transcended a bloody 30 year war, and exited the turmoil with a renewed sense of identity and togetherness. Rhetoric aside, there is no doubt that the city, and county for that matter, have changed, but have the ghosts of the past been forgotten, or is there a now unifying force in town?

‘Capitals of culture’

This is a phrase I have been thinking about lately and something that has confused being immensely. Say it out loud, and you think of the likes of Barcelona, Athens or one of the other great European capitals which are dripping with cultural diversity, embodying what its means to be part of that culture. They have a collective identity, a common shared purpose, and despite some internal differences, speak with one voice.

Belfast, on the other hand is not one of those places that you immediately spring to mind when accumulating the European cultural top 10. Why is this you may ask? With the troubles a dinner table taboo, progress and development are now topics for post dining conversation.

The men on the hill, sitting behind their comfy desks all sing from the same hymn sheet, one that has been carefully prepared to prepare the province for modern times.

We are living in disposable times where a weary people live to work, talk about work, write about work, dream about work, gossip about work, and will eventually die because of work.

Has the ship been scuttled by our elected representatives? Has post conflict Northern Ireland been led astray by the powers that be, thus bypassing the crossroads of opportunity in favour of rampant, faceless capitalism?

I see a PFI virtual Disneyland increasingly void of character and identity, homogenized more by the day in the mirror image of the power elite.
There is no doubt that the country is a better place to live than during the troubles, but lets be honest here, that is not difficult. As a people we should not have to settle for this treatment. We are being bent over double by rising prices, combined with some of the lowest wages in Great Britain, pushing most back into a corner of debt and reliance on credit. This is creating a monster culture of servitude in which our children and children’s children will be expected to pick up the bill.

We all now have a role in the movie that is the surveillance state. The proliferation of CCTV cameras in the province is nothing short of breathtaking. Recent study showed that these highly expensive machines do nothing to reduce crime levels. So why waste public money lining the pockets of lecherous private companies profiting from the proliferation of fear? We are all now virtual prisoners in our own communities, guilty until proven otherwise.

This monster will be a difficult beast to tame and who knows which aspect of our lives it will rampage in next?


As the late, great Bill Hicks said,” It's just a ride and we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings and money, a choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your door, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love instead see all of us as one.”


So as far as I can ascertain, there is indeed a unifying cultural aspect within Northern Ireland and this is consumerism. The old religious divides and tribalism remain largely intact, despite what we are told on the news. After the political triumph of the Good Friday Agreement and St Andrew Agreement a vacuum was created in the culture of Northern Ireland. It used to be filled with horrific daily news stories about atrocities committed during the thirty year conflict on the streets of the province. The dawning of relative peace meant that something had to fill this space, something big, and something overwhelming. This where consumer culture was ushered in with it quick fix escapism and feel good therapy, soothing the wounds of war.

We don’t need to buy into this fake opulence and are only at the mercy of the masters if we hand them our support. On the surface the ghosts of the past have been blurred by frantic shopping and mirrored shopping malls, but when the veneer is lifted, one will see a society divided by old differences. Things may have moved on slightly, but not as much as we would like to believe.

Pikey