tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786438112933136892.post6330777543840281442..comments2023-03-30T13:55:57.743+01:00Comments on Random Blowe: Climate Camp - A Press Round-UpKevinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00003057501738525190noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786438112933136892.post-38805958827089335542009-08-27T15:08:09.167+01:002009-08-27T15:08:09.167+01:00Nice summary, thanks.Nice summary, thanks.Dennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14307209599176271238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786438112933136892.post-15365230074367996152009-08-27T14:51:04.674+01:002009-08-27T14:51:04.674+01:00Louise, see you there on Saturday. I'll be hel...Louise, see you there on Saturday. I'll be helping out at the workshop in the afternoon on understanding stop & search laws.Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00003057501738525190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786438112933136892.post-87598474815338790752009-08-27T14:35:30.854+01:002009-08-27T14:35:30.854+01:00"Not everyone would necessarily have reacted ..."Not everyone would necessarily have reacted as angrily as a few did, but for an event that prides itself on consensus, something as potentially divisive as bringing the police on-site should have been given a lot more thought".<br /><br />Totally agree with that Kevin. Indeed meetings with the police have to be focused, that makes sense.<br /><br /><br />And there's nothing wrong with having a healthy scepticism for the media. I mean, look at their biased reporting over the G20 protests especially initial reports re the death of Ian Tomlinson. <br /><br />Daniel, if you stay and fight you are somewhat heroic but if you run (and that's if you are not being kettled)you have no balls? Rather a testosterone and macho ridden comment.<br /><br />I couldn't get to Bishopsgate on the 1st April as it was blocked off by the cops and ended up kettled at the Bank of England (but managed to escape through an alleyway). The cops were corralling anything that moved!<br /><br />On the Climate Camp I will be going (I hope) on Saturday as haven't had the time to go before.HarpyMarxhttp://harpymarx.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786438112933136892.post-42520208721186167832009-08-27T13:57:37.460+01:002009-08-27T13:57:37.460+01:00All fair points Daniel, although I think you'v...All fair points Daniel, although I think you've misunderstood what I'm saying about meeting the police.<br /><br />I suppose a round up of the press seemed like a useful shorthand to show how Climate Camp is likely to be spun by the media, without being too po-faced about it.<br /><br />On the 'first rule of meetings with the police', please note that I'm NOT saying meetings shouldn't happen, just that they should be held at a neutral venue to ensure they are effective. It's a matter of tactics and right outside the entrance to Climate Camp seems like the obvious place. <br /><br />I agree that negotiating is inevitable and even necessary for the protection of both activists and local people, but based on a load of personal experience of having to participate in negotiations with the police, it needs to be very, very focused - especially when people are already sceptical about the police's motives. <br /><br />What seems to have happened instead was more of a social visit, 'tea with the commander', that the organisers of the meeting were naive to think wouldn't antagonise a section of Climate Camp participants who were battered on 1st April. Not everyone would necessarily have reacted as angrily as a few did, but for an event that prides itself on consensus, something as potentially divisive as bringing the police on-site should have been given a lot more thought.<br /><br />I'm a bit confused about your final point: whether Cliamte Campers on Bishopsgate should have fought back or not is a matter of debate, but people didn't run - they'd been kettled, if you remember, there was nowhere to run to. And there can be no denying that many were beaten or that many who were would be astonished to see a senior police officer invited to stroll through the Camp, as though these events were some distant memory.Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00003057501738525190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1786438112933136892.post-84168253264660520052009-08-27T12:47:57.541+01:002009-08-27T12:47:57.541+01:00Kevin, I like the round up but I have a few questi...Kevin, I like the round up but I have a few questions.<br /><br />Why are you doing a round up of the press when you clearly dislike them and are already aware of how the camp will be spun? <br /><br />"First rule of meetings with the police – hold them somewhere neutral. If you invite them to your place, they become your guests, a fact that they will try and exploit. It’s no longer as easy to conduct a proper negotiation and you lose the ability to walk away when you’re done. Oh, and it may annoy other members of the family for whom a severe beating five months ago still counts as fresh in the memory."<br /><br />I think this is stupid. Regardless of your personal opinion, the police need to be invovled in the process. Yes it's shit but it's also part of being grown up. Fuck the police, I agree. But there are local people in the area who rely on the police to make sure things are safe. You still have regard for your fellow humans don't you?<br /><br />As for anyone in the climate camp taking a beating, you'll need to back your claim up a little here. I was at the G20 stuff and stayed there until 250 coppers ran at us like romans through bishopsgate. From what I remember, no "Climate Campers" had the balls to stand and fight, they all ran like heartless fools.<br /><br />OneAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01554490631539002798noreply@blogger.com