Video and Demo report from Smash EDO/ITT demo 4th May 2009.
VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQKkJPmfw5g
VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQKkJPmfw5g
Starting at the roundabout at Brighton Pair the street party set off behind banners heading towards the city centre. The atmosphere was both friendly and militant; there was a diversity of people taking part including a number of local young people enjoying the rebellious party atmosphere.
The banners were used to good effect and as we moved towards Mcdonalds they were used to block off a line of cops that had formed in front of the restaurant, the banner was moved carefully towards the cops avoiding the horses that we had no desire to smash into. More cops arrived and beat us back smashing our banner.
The banners were also used as tools to protect other protesters. As activists dropped down from Barclays, after a successful banner drop, someone shouted “de-arrest” and our banner was then used to block off the cops allowing the creative activists to rejoin the protest.
As protesters headed further away from the centre of town the police attitude changed, as we tried to continue on our way we were batoned by police. At one point a small number of people somewhat towards the back of the demo began throwing bottles at the line of horses which is totally unacceptable and was something the majority didn't engage in. While it is easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment, it's not the horse's fault and it's not what we are about. Justifying attacks on innocents is what our enemies do!
The protest then moved off onto a side street and dynamic self-organizing moved people across the city keeping the police on their toes. It was great to have control over our own direction throughout the protest and an excited party atmosphere ran through the day.
It was a positive protest and there were many great aspects to the day but I hope we come to a consensus that attacks on horses will not be tolerated! Let's be creative in our actions in out smarting the cops (as the majority were) and not just follow the idiotic media stereotypes of nasty thugs attacking animals.
The banners were used to good effect and as we moved towards Mcdonalds they were used to block off a line of cops that had formed in front of the restaurant, the banner was moved carefully towards the cops avoiding the horses that we had no desire to smash into. More cops arrived and beat us back smashing our banner.
The banners were also used as tools to protect other protesters. As activists dropped down from Barclays, after a successful banner drop, someone shouted “de-arrest” and our banner was then used to block off the cops allowing the creative activists to rejoin the protest.
As protesters headed further away from the centre of town the police attitude changed, as we tried to continue on our way we were batoned by police. At one point a small number of people somewhat towards the back of the demo began throwing bottles at the line of horses which is totally unacceptable and was something the majority didn't engage in. While it is easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment, it's not the horse's fault and it's not what we are about. Justifying attacks on innocents is what our enemies do!
The protest then moved off onto a side street and dynamic self-organizing moved people across the city keeping the police on their toes. It was great to have control over our own direction throughout the protest and an excited party atmosphere ran through the day.
It was a positive protest and there were many great aspects to the day but I hope we come to a consensus that attacks on horses will not be tolerated! Let's be creative in our actions in out smarting the cops (as the majority were) and not just follow the idiotic media stereotypes of nasty thugs attacking animals.