Comments on: Correcting the media narrative of the G20 protests on April 1, 2009

By: Ceasefire Magazine – Counterspin: Should we trust the newspaper?

Ceasefire Magazine – Counterspin: Should we trust the newspaper? — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:47:35 +0000

[...] a personal involvement in the case would have corrected for this. The same, incidentally, goes for every single mainstream press article that I have been able to find on the G20 protests, until the video of the attack on Ian Tomlinson [...]

By: Can the Met police change its stripes?

Can the Met police change its stripes? — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:08:09 +0000

[...] events of the G20 were a turning point in public opinion. The press has largely abandoned its original campaign of misinformation, and the Evening Standard, which published some of the worst of the pro-police propaganda, has [...]

By: Liberal Conspiracy » Can the Met police change its stripes?

Liberal Conspiracy » Can the Met police change its stripes? — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:17:46 +0000

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:43:03 +0000

The CPGB’s Weekly Worker is reporting that police agent provocatuers were seen by the paper’s own staff inciting violence http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/764/kettling.html . You might think that the police were actively looking for trouble.

The death of Mr Tomlinson, and the footage now available of a policeman striking a woman first with his hand then with his baton have led to officers being suspended. I might just be an old cynic but I doubt that any of these officers will face charges let alone be convicted.

Now we have the police arresting possible protestors, some of whom might have been thinking about engaging in a bit of direct action possibly at a power station ahead of any actual, you know, crime being committed. The situation now is bad, far worse than in the 1980s. Indeed it is so bad, in my view, that we live in real danger that a fundamental element of democracy is at threat. What the powerful want is an anaesthetised society that votes from time to time between elites who more or less agree with one another anyway. Visible protest is being hindered or prevented at every opportunity. It is the duty of us all to make sure that a vibrant democracy survives the present authoritarian turn.

By: Polly

Polly — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:01:36 +0000

It should not be called a kettle.

By: Fred

Fred — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:32:25 +0000

An excellent article… it’s difficult to add to. Also, as has been noted, interesting comments too. To everyone, but Alice in particular, I recommend reading up on the concept of blitzkrieg – an all-too-familiar word but very unsettling when you understand that the “kesselschlacht” (kettle- or cauldron-battle) is the final stage of the strategy. The aim of kesselschlacht is essentially to surround the enemy and forbid him escape: thereafter, one’s own forces slowly close in, capitalising on the lack of supplies, poor communications, broken morale and general disarray of the enemy, until the point is reached where one can disarm, kill, or capture any enemy troops left alive within the kettle.
These police tactics derive from military thinking – the police view the people whom they are supposed to “protect and serve” as an enemy to be strategically destroyed. “Operation Glencoe” – is this a war? It’s not a civil Barbarossa yet, but the prospects for liberty in this country don’t look too bright.

By: Don Gillingham

Don Gillingham — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:07:22 +0000

Did anyone else see the bit about Peter Powel, the guy whos company was at the center of the ‘game’ they were playing on the 7/7.
He said that they were going to use the 1/2 April as an opportunity to play another game,…this time a game were a pandemic flu virus had hit Britain….SO…no great surprise the police and their ’specially disguised thugs’ kettled legal protester, it was part of the game!
What happened on the 1/2nd was a ‘light touch’ rehearsal for their next false flag op’ ,…coming soon to a town near us all.

By: Alice

Alice — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:43:09 +0000

Great article, and good comments too, thanks.

The one thing I don’t think is being said enough at the moment is that the tactics and behaviour of the police last week were entirely routine. Just about every major protest I’ve ever been on, as well as many smaller ones, has been policed in more or less this way.

You can always spot a first-time protestor because they are the only people still expressing astonishment at what they see police officers do. Kettling, crap (i.e. obviously arbitrary) arrests, provoking violence, hitting people on the ground with batons, shoving very hard with shields, intimidation etc happens at almost every protest. Lots of us simply expect it now.

I hope the investigation doesn’t allow everyone to narrow the focus of discussion to just this one fatal incident. It’s high time the very nature of the role of policing protest is called into question and drastically changed.

Kieran – I might just do that… Will report back here if I do.

By: Kieran

Kieran — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:33:25 +0000

Could someone who was there please register a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission regarding this misleading coverage and keep us posted?

They may be a paper tiger but it’s an avenue worth exploring.

By: Correcting the media narrative of the G20 protests on April 1, 2009 « Striated Space

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:05:01 +0000

[...] the media narrative of the G20 protests on April 1, 2009 By striatedspace By Musab Younis, Ceasefire magazine, April 6, [...]