The justifiable support and solidarity with Gaza’s sufferers and anger of people to the insane bloody murderous events that have jus’ taken place, seem once again to be channeled into emasculated displays of show and useless Parliamentary lobbing.
The sad truth is Brown, Milliband, and all the rest of the warmongering skuzebuckets, have never heeded or listened to such justified demands
They just couldn’t nor will ever give a toss!

I often think that the populist leaders and politicians who speak at these events are secretly terrified that unless tightly controlled, people will bypass them and seek, more radical forms of empowerment!

If they don’t take the opportunity to use their undoubted imagination and intelligence in attempting to do something more than marching citizens up the hill and down again, then their fears will in time be self fulfilling

The presence of large Police battalion’s surrounding all exit points of the rally’s location was noticeable, practicing crowd control filtering, with stewards at times acting as auxiliaries Further points of the City’s central locations past the rally location were rigorously patrolled by small watchful police groups
I witnessed one Steward inexplicably argue with an Indymedia camera crew that “they had caused this” (meaning the crowd filtering and anger by some youth to such an imposition) Later an NUJ photographer trying to take a shot of the same scene had a similar allegation made against him
I’m sorry but no….. The effect causing anger was not down to the press of any persuasion but the police decision to block a number of people’s access to lawful passage on Birmingham’s City streets

The only arrest witnessed, occurred along Cannon St near Ted Baker’s. It was, as it turned out nothing to do with the Demo, but worth writing about as it shows the law of the land again being illegally subverted by Cops who decided to implement their own self imposed censorship on events. We approached the scene and observed a number of Retail security personnel surrounding a civilian sitting on top of someone he had detained

The Cycle cops arrived fenced off the immediate area with their bikes and took over from the civilian, detaining the man on the floor till a cop car arrived to ferry the suspect to the Cop shop. As they fenced off the immediate area with their bikes I heard one say “Stop them taking photos or they will be all over bloody YouTube”

Despite the fact there were numerous citizens taking shots with their camera phones, PC Iam Makingitupas Igoalong approached the only professional crew and demanded that we desist from taking photographs of the arrest, otherwise he would seize our cameras! When told he had no right to stop anyone or seize any equipment, he said yes he had! Then when challenged to state under which law such a right was granted and being informed the PACE act exempted journalistic material from seizure. He stated it did not matter because such images were evidence and therefore he could!…..
Strewth! Since none of us had witnessed or photographed the alleged initial offence the only conceivable way it could be evidence would be if the Cops themselves were misbehaving when arresting the suspect!

Finally a female CPO with a ‘headcam’ arrived just after the suspect had been driven away in the cop car. Someone said “you took your time! It’s all over” when told of the illegality of PC Iam Makingitupas Igoalong’s assertions and demands she said “Ooh I don’t want to get involved in this” done a sharp about turn and exited!

More images to follow when time allows
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