Do governments "listen" to peaceful protests?

[Trudger]

Theres a fine line to everything...also part of a protest is to make sure you have the backing if things dont go well.

 

Well....ERM...ok then.

[evildrneil]

The government doesn't listen to peaceful protest - however violent protest is worse as not only does it not get listened to it also polarises opinion and makes the protesters into the "bad guys". Equally bad are the rent-a-mob that turns up to protests and stands in front of them. I went on a couple of the anti-war protests and when you first turn up the impressive thing is the huge cross section of support. Then the Socialist Workers broke out their placards and stood in front of the protests shouting through their loudspeakers and turned it into a Socialist Worker protest not a massive popular protest

[Wildcat]

The government doesn't listen to peaceful protest - however violent protest is worse as not only does it not get listened to it also polarises opinion and makes the protesters into the "bad guys". Equally bad are the rent-a-mob that turns up to protests and stands in front of them. I went on a couple of the anti-war protests and when you first turn up the impressive thing is the huge cross section of support. Then the Socialist Workers broke out their placards and stood in front of the protests shouting through their loudspeakers and turned it into a Socialist Worker protest not a massive popular protest

 

At least they turn it in to a protest rather than a mass ramble. Shuffling along a pre-organised route, hands in pockets, giving the occasional polite glance isn't really a protest.

[Tony]

At least they turn it in to a protest rather than a mass ramble.

 

Mass rambles worked. The recent student protests did not achieve their stated aim.

 

 

 

 

Or did you have agit-prop in mind to commit violence on people and property to illegally bring down a democratically elected and legal government?

[evildrneil]

At least they turn it in to a protest rather than a mass ramble. Shuffling along a pre-organised route, hands in pockets, giving the occasional polite glance isn't really a protest.

 

No - they turned a protest with wide spread popular support into a bunch of the same old "lefties" kicking off.

[Wildcat]

No - they turned a protest with wide spread popular support into a bunch of the same old "lefties" kicking off.

 

Did they?

 

I think you will find that virtually no one outside the political elite thinks the Iraq war defensible. Those kicking off in those disputes did nothing to affect peoples appreciation of the cause of the real violence.

 

The students yesterday were a part of a much wider dispute angry and in cases violent in their reaction, but when seen in the context of the much greater violence being perpetrated against the people of the UK in the form of spending cuts and attacks on the poor and middle income families of little if any consequence.

 

I was just speaking with my mother, a Tory voter in the 90s, a LibDem since then and now someone who feels totally disenfranchised. She was saying if she was younger she would be out there throwing bricks like the suffragettes did. The future of the country is at stake and the political classes are oblivious to the feelings of their voters. Something has to give. Whatever our political system is, one where you can't vote for what you want, only the least worst option is not a democracy.

 

The political consciousness is changing. It won't be long before like in Argentina we are all shouting “que se vayan todos”.

[evildrneil]

Did they?

 

I think you will find that virtually no one outside the political elite thinks the Iraq war defensible. Those kicking off in those disputes did nothing to affect peoples appreciation of the cause of the real violence.

 

Yes they did. I'm not talking about the opinions of people as to the defensibility or otherwise of the Iraq war I'm talking about the public perception (and media portrayal) of the protests. By having vocal minority placard waving Socialist Workers standing in front of a huge protest from a vast spectrum of the public they managed to turn a popular protest into one that could be portrayed as the same old "leftie rabble" kicking off. By all means protest but keep your socialist worker placards at home and protest as part of the public don't try and hijack a popular protest for your own political purposes.

[Wildcat]

Yes they did. I'm not talking about the opinions of people as to the defensibility or otherwise of the Iraq war I'm talking about the public perception (and media portrayal) of the protests. By having vocal minority placard waving Socialist Workers standing in front of a huge protest from a vast spectrum of the public they managed to turn a popular protest into one that could be portrayed as the same old "leftie rabble" kicking off. By all means protest but keep your socialist worker placards at home and protest as part of the public don't try and hijack a popular protest for your own political purposes.

 

The million people with SWP, CND and MAB banners marching through London before the Iraq war didn't care about any of that. In fact they were grateful to have people around to organise a way to express their disatisfaction. Don't get me wrong I don't agree with the SWP for many reasons, but they are always there in any dispute with banners and deserve credit for that, something the majority of people in any protest would acknowledge.

 

By all means come along with your home made banner, but don't expect to see many others doing the same because they don't care if it looks like a SWP love in. They are grateful for the organisation and experience that makes a protest more than an ineffectual ramble.

[evildrneil]

The million people with SWP, CND and MAB banners marching through London before the Iraq war didn't care about any of that. In fact they were grateful to have people around to organise a way to express their disatisfaction. Don't get me wrong I don't agree with the SWP for many reasons, but they are always there in any dispute with banners and deserve credit for that, something the majority of people in any protest would acknowledge.

 

By all means come along with your home made banner, but don't expect to see many others doing the same because they don't care if it looks like a SWP love in. They are grateful for the organisation and experience that makes a protest more than an ineffectual ramble.

 

Really? From the several protests I've been in there have been major rumblings and annoyance with the hijacking of a popular protest by a bunch of (what are commonly seen as) political chancers.

[andygardener]

The students yesterday were a part of a much wider dispute angry and in cases violent in their reaction, but when seen in the context of the much greater violence being perpetrated against the people of the UK in the form of spending cuts and attacks on the poor and middle income families of little if any consequence.

 

I was just speaking with my mother, a Tory voter in the 90s, a LibDem since then and now someone who feels totally disenfranchised. She was saying if she was younger she would be out there throwing bricks like the suffragettes did. The future of the country is at stake and the political classes are oblivious to the feelings of their voters. Something has to give. Whatever our political system is, one where you can't vote for what you want, only the least worst option is not a democracy.

 

The political consciousness is changing. It won't be long before like in Argentina we are all shouting “que se vayan todos”.

 

I totally disagree. We had a decade of a government who didn't give a damn about the voters because their poll rating were high enough to invade iraq, ban everything fun and introduce more new laws than any other government and still get re-elected.

 

The coalition parties both have taken a huge electoral gamble in taking on the task of government and will be acutely aware of the fact that reglardless of the fact that everyone knows the labour spendfest with borrowed money had to end it will be them that is blamed and 5 years will allow the public to forget just how awful blair and browns labour were.

 

This government is probably the most keenly aware of public opinion than any in decades, both partners have a lot to lose and very little to gain in taking the necessary tough decisions. The bottom line is we'd all have liked to have voted for "a government with coffers full of cash". Well thanks to brown that's not an option, so the coalition are doing what they think is the best with the debt laden mess they were left. I don't agree with all their decisions but I do believe they are sincerely trying to do the best for Britain and if labour supporters only contribution at a difficult time for the government is costly riots and no constructive alternatives then shame on them.