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Blockade Pics from DSEi - Tidal Basin West Entrance

no war | 14.09.2005 19:45 | DSEi 2005 | Anti-militarism | London

This afternoon a crowd of people blockaded the western entrance to the Excel Centre, host to the DSEi arms fair. The gate was shut to traffic in both directions and arms fair attendees re-routed to the other side of the Excel complex. After some time the police looked like they were preparing to surround people and push them into the 'designated protest zone', so the protestors once again took to the flyover road before moving off to make there presence felt elsewhere.

Cyclists take the roundabout by Tidal Basin

As people follow on foot

Blocking cars from entering DSEi

Making their view clear

Banners go up on lamposts

Saying "Unwelcome Corporate Bloodsuckers"

View of the crowd

Polifce manage to get one vehicle in

But the next is quickly blocked

Some try walking into the Excel centre

The arms fair is that way (now)

More complex banner but spot on

protests continue tomorrow...

no war

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

Big praise for NoWar photographer

14.09.2005 22:37

Just wanted to say well done on covering so many of the actions over such a long period.

Some have written that there weren't enough protesting today.

That's a valid POV, but you've personally done a great job in photographing what did happen, and the fact that there weren't enough protestors puts no shame on those who did protest, swim, blockade, whatever.

I'll buy you a beer should we ever meet up :-)

mini mouse

What Protest

15.09.2005 09:50

What protest. It didn't even make the local papers. Great impact guys, you must be so proud. Move on and get a life you complete waste of space.

john stevens

Manufacture of Consent

15.09.2005 13:38

Ah yes, and in John Steven's world, if something doesn't appear in the newspapers then it didn't happen. Even if he has photos in front of him.

Talk about manufacture of consent!

The fact that these protests don't appear in the mainstream media is WHY INDYMEDIA EXISTS...

Matt

Matt S

What comment!

15.09.2005 14:03

WHAT? Obviously action is only valuable if reported in the media...local press especially.
nice one glad to hear from you. You've totally missed the point as the general media does day by day.

but...

15.09.2005 18:54

I think there's an important distinction to be made here. I would generally agree that one of the major functions of popular protest must be to inform and mobilise those who know less (or nothing) about the issues involved. Big A-B marches like the February Stop the War march, whether you agree with them or not, are good illustrations of this mindset.

However I think it's important to contrast these types of demo with more direct action. Due to smallish numbers and a lack of violence (well-behaved protests, as we all know, seldom make news) have meant that this week's actions have gone largely unreported by the corporate media. That's not to say, though, that they don't serve a very important purpose - there were a lot of people on the demo who tried (and succeeded for some time) to stop delegates entering the convention. Obviously, the fewer people in Excel the fewer arms are sold, so surely these actions also have their place?

Josh

UK Indymedia