The Protests At The Boe Yesterday

[Bloo Loo]

This is what happened at the climate camp.

I managed to reclaim a street there for a while.

http://london.indymedia.org.uk/videos/993

that is disgusting....assaults on unarmed people....hits with long batons and shields....Im an ex cop and I feel sickened at what I saw on that film.

sickened.

Mr Brown....these are the hardworking people you want to defned and help

FFS...help them

[Gone baby gone]

I was at work in the City of London making money for me and my bank so that I could pay loads and loads of tax (minus the avoidance scheme) to pay for the police operation and the cleanup operation.

You work in the city, and the whole country is paying for your mistakes!

Do the protestors have a clue about financial markets, derivatives etc? No.

Probably not, but that puts them in good company with about 99.9999% of bankers!

[Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

I was at work in the City of London making money for me and my bank so that I could pay loads and loads of tax (minus the avoidance scheme) to pay for the police operation and the cleanup operation. How can you condone smashing up the windows and looting a government office? Why can't the protestors take their litter home? Do the protestors have a clue about financial markets, derivatives etc? No.

This is a joke right????????

Tax? you mean the billions we've bailed you out with?

Do the protestors have a clue about financial markets, derivatives etc? No. ? Of course, only the 'masters of the universe' can understand such complicated matters

[0q0]

From The Guardian:-

People were then asked for their name and address and required to have a photograph taken. They are not obliged to do so under the law, but those who refused were put back in the pen.

Nearly eight years ago, on May Day 2001, a similar "kettle" operation was imposed in Oxford Circus for around seven hours. This led to a lengthy civil action, brought against the commissioner of the Met by one of those detained. In January this year, the law lords finally upheld the right of the police in this case to carry out such containment.

The upshot of the ruling and the police's application of their "kettle" formula is that people thinking about embarking on demonstrations in the future may have to decide whether they want to be effectively locked up for eight hours without food or water and, when leaving, to be photographed and identified.

I am truly shocked and shaken to read that. This is not the Britain I had ever expected to see as I grew up, this reads like a nightmare from some communist or oppressive state.

[missedtheboat]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/0...police-kettling

This was clearly designed to inflame anger and discourage anyone from protesting in the future. So, did you have your photo taken when you left? Was the tube at 'Bank' in service (hence leave that way)?

Who cares what the anarchists and communists think?

By definition they put themselves outside democratic participation in any case. (Think about it...)

[ʎqɐqɹǝʞɐɥs]

This has GOT to be the funniest post I've read on HPC in a long time!

If you City numpties had the first idea about derivatives we wouldn't be in this shitpile in the fisrt place, would we?

+1

[Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Surely the way around this tactic is to deliberately start multiple protests in different areas of the city (but not converge on a single point). Also to make some, but not all of the protest locations public.

Dead right.

[giveusthefacts]

I was at work in the City of London making money for me and my bank so that I could pay loads and loads of tax (minus the avoidance scheme) to pay for the police operation and the cleanup operation. How can you condone smashing up the windows and looting a government office? Why can't the protestors take their litter home? Do the protestors have a clue about financial markets, derivatives etc? No.

So you were making money to pay tax,and quite rightly so, I bet you are not so loud in your statements when you lose £millions.

I did not condone the raid on RBS. I was just pointing out that they were provoked.

If you are so clued up about the financial markets etc etc, why haven't you made your fortune and escaped the pay of a bank ?

The cost of the clean up is nothing compared to the cost to the taxpayer to clean up the financial industry

[dandare500]

This is definitely going to put people off. Only those with nothing to lose will dare protest.

Why do you think no-one joins Fathers 4 Justice protests and see how they are treated?

Only the one's who lose all rights whatsoever dare do it. Doesn't mean they are wrong though, but all those who moaned at their protests thoughout the years can't complain now.

[runforthehills]

I only saw the TV footage.

I do not know why protesters were penned in like that. What is the justification for that? Freedom to protest, to march, to come and go at will, what happened to that?

I am no way in favour of the window smashing etc, but equally do not agree with any right to impede lawful protest or trap people in an area when they have done no wrong.

To try to dissuade future peaceful protests by getting out some message "Protest and you'll be detained for hours in the street unable to go anywhere" is very worrying indeed. We all have a democratic right to peacefully protest and be free to do so.

I agree! I was so angry at being penned in that I was shouting at any police officer I could. Just going on and on and on at them to annoy them. It was such a stupid move to (kettle? cattle more like)us, but an officer explained that once these things have been decided (presumable the previous day) they can't be reversed. I managed to get up on a window ledge in an alcove by the exit.What was horrible was the escorted march out at the end, one at a time,4000 of us, being scrutinised by loads of riot police in a line, looking at you like you were something the cat dragged in, people pushing and panicking. I am off to a protest as soon as I'm allowed out again. Ps check out the other blog about yesterday, i am getting it in the neck because I am saying that it really was a big deal, and of course some people that weren't actually there are getting their knickers in a twist because they disagree.

[missedtheboat]

I agree! I was so angry at being penned in that I was shouting at any police officer I could. Just going on and on and on at them to annoy them. It was such a stupid move to (kettle? cattle more like)us, but an officer explained that once these things have been decided (presumable the previous day) they can't be reversed. I managed to get up on a window ledge in an alcove by the exit.What was horrible was the escorted march out at the end, one at a time,4000 of us, being scrutinised by loads of riot police in a line, looking at you like you were something the cat dragged in, people pushing and panicking. I am off to a protest as soon as I'm allowed out again. Ps check out the other blog about yesterday, i am getting it in the neck because I am saying that it really was a big deal, and of course some people that weren't actually there are getting their knickers in a twist because they disagree.

If you remember the 1999 riots then perhaps you'd understand why they are so tight on crowd control on these things. Just because you personally were going to behave yourself - the mob can only be policed according to the lowest common denominator - if you join a wild mob then you are going to face collective policing.

A bit wimpy of you to cry about it on here.

[DeepLurker]

Do the protestors have a clue about financial markets, derivatives etc? No.

Coming from a banker, these words sound either very naive, or a deliberate troll.

[J50]

I always though there was something wrong with the MBS market that has been the banking sector part of this whole fkkup. Govts kept interest rates too low for too long, banks mis-sold mortgages to subprime lenders, those lenders took those mortgages and debt out in the first place etc etc we all know the story, I think? The majority of investment banking work was low risk, making money for the banks, the pension funds etc, using derivatives as they are meant to be used. Personally I've always saved and could get out of it if I wanted, but I quite like what I do. I have never lost £ms as someone suggested, and have always been involved in sensible organic growth areas that have never needed any bailouts. It is only a small area of the mortgage backed securities and associated areas that has been the catalyst for the current predicament. Fkking idiots they were that built this sh1t up and creamed off the top of it.

[Bloo Loo]

I always though there was something wrong with the MBS market that has been the banking sector part of this whole fkkup. Govts kept interest rates too low for too long, banks mis-sold mortgages to subprime lenders, snip

clearly you havent a fracking clue

[geoffk]

Yesterday plenty of people will have learned a valuable lesson on police tactics and will be able to use that knowledge for the future.....study your enemy's tactics.....

[J50]

clearly you havent a fracking clue

Oh sorry 'slight' typo, meant borrowers...

[evictee]

If you remember the 1999 riots then perhaps you'd understand why they are so tight on crowd control on these things. Just because you personally were going to behave yourself - the mob can only be policed according to the lowest common denominator - if you join a wild mob then you are going to face collective policing.

A bit wimpy of you to cry about it on here.

That's not good enough. I don't know what awful turn of events you allude to in the 1999 riots (they seemed pretty tame to me) but what ever it is, it doesn't trump the right of innocent people move about in public as they please.

[KingBingo]

The trouble here is that most people posting have no idea. Derivatives are a financial device to lower risk. I won’t bother explaining how, you can look that up for yourself.

The problems the city had were born of the government’s hubris. The vast majority of the City was and remains profitable. What happened is a small number of banks, largely RBS and HBOS did some very silly things like believing economic growth would never end. The derivatives angle is a sideshow , but where they did foul up its because they traded derivatives without the corresponding book position which they are off setting.

Give you a simple example, say I am a pension fund manager and I know in 7 years time I have to pay out £150m and I can pay it because I have £150m worth of FTSE shares aside for that year. I could use derivatives to lock in my profit now, but forfit any gains from big rises.

Just because a few banks bought dodgy positions as a way to increase risk (or gain as they saw it) does not mean that all derivatives are bad. It’s an absurd thing to say.

Moreover, most banks are profitable. Barclays is fine. HSBC is fine, and Lloyds would have been fine if Gordon Brown had come swing to the rescues and saved them, i.e. make them buy HBOS.

The reason most city boys are so utterly dismissive of the idiot scum is because they don’t understand what their shouting about. They don’t come to the city and ask “help us understand what happened, so we can campaign for an appropriate response” they come wearing masks, running around smashing windows.

[Normal]

Surely the way around this tactic is to deliberately start multiple protests in different areas of the city (but not converge on a single point). Also to make some, but not all of the protest locations public.

Not quite.

The real trick is to perform a move which I shall call the reverse kettle. Lots of smaller groups trapping policemen.

[0q0]

I agree! I was so angry at being penned in that I was shouting at any police officer I could. Just going on and on and on at them to annoy them. It was such a stupid move to (kettle? cattle more like)us, but an officer explained that once these things have been decided (presumable the previous day) they can't be reversed. I managed to get up on a window ledge in an alcove by the exit.What was horrible was the escorted march out at the end, one at a time,4000 of us, being scrutinised by loads of riot police in a line, looking at you like you were something the cat dragged in, people pushing and panicking. I am off to a protest as soon as I'm allowed out again. Ps check out the other blog about yesterday, i am getting it in the neck because I am saying that it really was a big deal, and of course some people that weren't actually there are getting their knickers in a twist because they disagree.

I'm very taken aback, peaceful protest is a backbone of any democracy, nobody should have been given the right to dissuade people from protesting and take their photos as if they were criminals etc. I am shocked. Perhaps those who say this is turning into a police state aren't far wrong.

I'm not surprised people are joining Liberty after this, it is very concerning.

[Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond]

I think this image of a policeman waiting the other side of the RBS glass gathering police intelligence* is rather interesting:

* I use the term 'police intelligence' in the loosest possible way of course.

[KingBingo]

I'm very taken aback, peaceful protest is a backbone of any democracy, nobody should have been given the right to dissuade people from protesting and take their photos as if they were criminals etc. I am shocked. Perhaps those who say this is turning into a police state aren't far wrong.

I'm not surprised people are joining Liberty after this, it is very concerning.

I'm telling you, because I saw it with my own eye's it was NOT a peaceful protest. The police don't kettle in 99% of protests in this country. Only the violent ones.

[0q0]

If you remember the 1999 riots then perhaps you'd understand why they are so tight on crowd control on these things. Just because you personally were going to behave yourself - the mob can only be policed according to the lowest common denominator - if you join a wild mob then you are going to face collective policing.

A bit wimpy of you to cry about it on here.

He didn't join a wild mob, he went on a peaceful protest. Some other people kicking off in a crowd is no excuse to nick the lot of them. That's likely to be seen as a disgracefully cynical State tactic to dissuade ordinary people from showing up to protests and does the police's PR no good at all, as you well know.

[moshmonsta]

If you guys want more photos and indepth discussion on the protests, there is a 35 page thread on the Urban75 form completele with photos running comentary of people that were there.

It's not often that same sentiments are voiced on both these websites, but I think our wonderful boys in blue have managed to unite them!

[runforthehills]

If you remember the 1999 riots then perhaps you'd understand why they are so tight on crowd control on these things. Just because you personally were going to behave yourself - the mob can only be policed according to the lowest common denominator - if you join a wild mob then you are going to face collective policing.

A bit wimpy of you to cry about it on here.

So would it be a bit wimpy of me to be angry about the bailouts? Am I a bit of a drip to be angry about a house costing a kings ransom, and having no backbone because I am funding my landlords pension, but not able to have one of my own? The whole point of protesting is because one is pissed off and wants to demonstrate that!

The thing is, yes there were a few nobs there, but the old people and people on their own like me could have easily been let out with an escort one by one AGES BEFORE it really did start to go off! They were very much trying to put us off demonstrating again, at the risk of lives, and it was unneccesary!!

Also, I really didn't know that they did that penning in thing, it was terrifying to be in, people were being crushed(I actually didn't mind the being held part, it was the crushing and panic that was dreadful and vindictive) as far as I was concerned, I was behaving legally to go down there and have my presence felt. And you know what, I was part of something that caused great embarrassment to the person I employ to run my country, I am glad I got off my **** to go and protest about something I have been 'crying' about since 2005, I am just surprised at my lack of freedom really.

Alright tw@t?