Good idea cutting in animal abuse footage - it distracts nicely from the poor turnout!

I decided not to go and this video tells me I did the right thing. How can you shout at people to stop eating meat? It's like shouting at people to not be sexist. We need reasoned discussion and a positive promotion of veganism not this kind of demonstration of how angry we are. Yes, be angry when you see the videos but when you're going to the streets to persuade people play it down. Big up those doing free food fairs, opening vegan cafes, writing cook books, doing school talks, making websites.

What have you achieved today marching from point A to point B for a couple of hours?

And then think to yourself could you have done more in the same amount of time? For instance rescuing animals from Farm A to a place of safety B.

I often wonder to myself what a few hundred people marching through London achieves other than giving the police something to do for an afternoon. Imagine what could be achieved if those few hundred decided to put their words in practise and actually went out and liberated animals, think how many farms could be targeted simultaneously in one night...

This isn't a post to say that marching should never be used, it has its uses. However I wonder how people can go home and sit comfortably knowing that despite the march tonight animals are still imprisoned on farms all over the country. Just marching seems like a cop out to me, direct action saves lives!

I am sure there is a better way to persuade people to go vegan. Screaming at people that they are murderers just confirms in peoples' minds that we are all a bunch of nutters. We have to remember that we are seen as the weird ones and when we do this, we just confirm in the publics' mind what "weird people" we are. If someone came up to me on a demo and screamed in my face that I was a murderer for smoking and I was killing people with my passive smoking, I would probably blow smoke right in their faces and go and buy 40 more (as an example). I heard some people saying it was great and the police were panicking when the demo stopped at McD's - but what did that achieve for the animals? Did people feel they had a great day because they got to shout and act hard? There is a time and a place for screaming and shouting but I don't think this was it. I think we are stuck in the 80's and it's time to move forward.

@ Embarrasing

Actually it was quite a good turnout, the footage of the brutal reality of the raising and slaughter of farmed animals is there to show why people were marching!

@Smashy smashy

To think, you could have done more for the animals than sitting typing at your keyboard. If you have the choice to join a march for something you believe in or to sit playing at your keyboard and you choose the latter, what does that say about your dedication to saving animals ?

Also, I would assume animals aren't rescued from farms during Saturday daytime so that's not really a viable alternative to the march, is it ?

If you have to question why it it is important for the movement to come together from time to time watch another video from the rally, via  http://www.veggies.org.uk/2010/10/march-for-farmed-animals/

I've been promoting veganism for over 20 years, but have never heard the reason why expressed as eloquently as by Richard Deboo here. "We cannot stop it all today nor tomorrow. And we cannot save them all today nor tomorrow. But I absolutely will not stop, ever, until that industry of carnage and cruelty is done for and damned to history for all time; until that glorious day when we can say that they are free today, every last one of them is free today". Inspiring words that will have ensured that not one of those listening would go home and sit comfortably knowing that despite the march animals are still imprisoned on farms all over the country. If your time is cut so short by your valuable griping in front of your keyboard, just spare 2 minutes to listen from 8 minutes in.

For a first national rally for farmed animals the turnout was very encouraging. Don't forget that many advocates for animals would have been back in their towns running stalls, doing vegan free food giveaways, running vegan cafes, writing cook books, doing school talks, making websites. working on other campaigns for humans and other animals, looking after animals rescued previously or, who knows, making plans to give more their freedom by any peaceful means necessary. Not all could make it but those that could did a fine job.

I trust that the critics above can answer to their own consciences as to where they were on October 2nd - we don't need to know, I am sure every minute of your day was spent campaigning as passionately as those marching in London, before returning to their home towns with their revitalised commitment burning in their hearts having learned more facts for their reasoned discussions for the positive promotion of veganism

I certainly endorse Vegan for Life's comment: "Big up those doing free food fairs, opening vegan cafes, writing cook books, doing school talks, making websites." and s/he can be reassured that the shouting was only a small part of the way the day went.