You clearly should have gone to the TUC march and no tried to be involved in the Euromay event. If you wanted zero risk of arrest (never such a thing really in this country) then the TUC march would have been the place for you to demonstrate with like minded people. The Euromayday precarity event was clearly NEVER going to be a risk free event and was designed to be challenging. Obviously a secret location was required as previous years have proved that our tactics must evolve as the police develope stratigies to contain our dissent.

As for why you didn't get a text message.. apparently the automated texting system failed and people had to virtually manually feed in all the numbers and send messages in batches which took hours when obviously the point was to be able to mobilise people quickly to a location before the police had time to plan a effective deployment.

You should take the responsibility to research for yourself what is likely to be going on at any protest and decide for youself whether the possible risks fit into your life plan.

Any effective protest is going to come into confrontation with the state at some point - FULL STOP!

and the moon on a stick as well :-)

Unfortunately, the situation that is occuring in this country is one of bully-boy tactics from the police, courts and the government. They seem scared of any dissent or questioning of what they are doing.

I have attended a number of protests against the animal testing labs in Cambridge and now Oxford. On a recent protest in Oxford, I distributed leaflets in a peaceful and friendly manner to passers by.

I was stopped and searched by officers and then had 8 officers buzzing around me with video's and cameras (gathering evidence). They also served a copy of the recent injunction taken out to protect University against terrosist. What a load of bull. I was handed paperwork which listed the reason for my stop and search as "Carrier bag of leaflets". This crime was so severe that Thames Valley Police thought it necessary to send 8 officers to intimidate and ensure that I left town.

I moved on, but was followed everywhere I went. I was later told that I should leave or I would be arrested.

Having read the injunction in detail several times, I did not breach any of the terms of that injunction which include threatening members of Oxford University or their conractors. Neither did I attempt to enter Oxford university buildings. My actions were legal at all times, and my manner remained polite and non-threatening. So why did the police see fit to use such heavy handed threats. Because I was a public nuisance because I stepped outside of my house to protest against something which I feel strongly about and which the government support.

The police and the law are regularly being used to stop any form of protest in a country where freedom of speech is supposed to be a right of everybody.

There is legislation already in existence to tackle those breaking the law. But in order to use it they need proof, so its much easier to get a blanket ban on anyone protesting in this country. This has happened at Oxford Universitys new site, the "SNGP" protests, and against the Smash-EDO protestors and will be used in the future to stop legitimate protests. These injunctions stop me from protesting in Oxford except for 3 hours on a Thursday. Unfortunately, that is a time that is difficult for me to attend, and so through draconian measures they have ensured that my protest has been silenced. I still attend organised marches and protests, but the times that I do so are governed by the police.

So I repeat my initial comment. Don't blame the protestors for the secrecy. Blame the oppresive government and the bully boys they employ (and we pay for) to do their dirty work.

> Any effective protest is going to come into confrontation with the state at some point - FULL STOP!

so you think the mayday action was effective? In which way?

With all the respect I have with the organizers I have to agree with the first post.
In the current situation I don't think it makes sense to organize this kind of 'secretive' actions:
1 - police were surely waiting to get an sms with the location too. And they definitely move faster than us around london
2 - Was the failure of the automated texting system just a case of bad luck?

Sometimes circumstance require to make some steps back....

please please please all those who are so clearly brimming with ideas and opinions about the organisation of actions - get involved and organise an action the way you want to! no one is stopping you, in fact there is a wealth of help and info out there for anyone who wants it. the more actions the better! less winge-ing, more rolling up your sleeves and getting on with it. if you don't like the nature of what was organised, organise something that you will like better.
D-I-Y remember!