"Banning the demo probably incereased the attendance from a few hundred to several thousand."

1) Is there any evidence that the attendance would have only been a few hundred?
2) Is there any evidence that the numbers were increased rather than more likely decreased due to a perceived threat that the march may be banned. Most people do not want to be arrested.
3) Was there actually a ban at any time before the march started or just threats that it might be? If there was actually a ban then everyone on the march would have been arrested which obviously did not occur. The author of this report may have put 'banned' in quotes but it is still giving the impression that the march was banned when that is clearly not the case.
4) Why were participants of this 'anti-war' march dismantling the fences that were holding up various signs protesting against the war? It looks like the signs relating to Burma may have been affected as well(???) Obviously I don't want Parliament Square to be closed off, but why remove these signs when other parts of the fence could have been removed instead, leaving those holding the signs up?

These were taken before the Stop the War march of 8th October.

Gordo Brown message.
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/14930958@N07/1571481540/

Ken Livingstone message.
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/14930958@N07/1572217991/

Hi Brian,

I know the numbers grew thanks to the ban. My friend who told me about was only going because of the ban and he only got me to go due to the ban. When I told three friends of mine it was going to be banned they all came along. I met lots of people there who said the same. The demo was a total shambles on the part of the police. They were totally stupid. The fencing off of the square is a disgrace and needed to come down.

Yes, I took the afternoon off work to attend the demo when I heard it was going to be banned and spoke to many others at the demo who also said they were spurred on to attend because of the ban, normally I would not have attended as I a bit bored with the StW marches from A to B with not much being achieved! And actually I was not aware that the demo had been authorised at the last minute, presumably nor did many of the others on the day.

I don't think Brian Haw + co were particularly concerned about the fencing being taken down with the banners as it was more important that the fencing was brought down - in fact didn't Brian ask the demonstrators at Trafalgar Square to take it down??!

setting aside brians other points the scientific question of whether there is evidence that more people attended due to the hype about a ban is not answered by some anecdotal references to people that attended because of the ban

these people could have been either troublemakers or spectators hoping to see some trouble. it is still possible that some other people of a nervous dispostion stayed away because there was talk of a ban

i hope that when the revolution comes we will not refer so easily to such anecdotal evidence and will refer instead to more valid and objective methods of pursuing truth

Sherman, there never will be a revolution if those of a "nervous disposition" are too afraid to do anything in case they get inconvenienced for an hour or three by the Police.

Th revolution will be brought to you by those willing to bit down their nerves and court a little risk.

Sherman,

I am of a "nervous disposition" but what makes me most nervous is the state trampling on my civil liberties and assuming it can get away with it. I would have been on the demo, whether it was still banned or not, and would have trekked to London from up north to do it, even though the prospect of being arrested makes me very nervous indeed. I hate being manhandled by the fuzz, and an arrest would be likely to seriously affect my future employment prospects. However, sometimes you have to make sacrifices.

(The only thing that prevented me from going on the demo was that it would have meant abandoning a client who I was due to represent at an eviction hearing that day. I couldn't get any-one to stand in for me.)

Annie Citizen

when being dismantled by he people should have been used as a defence to push back the police lines.C`mon people,more solidarity and militancy!!!