Free to Protest

I can still capture my sense of shame as I watched one of the first CND marches as they came along Chiswick Hight Street, I had not joined in something worthy and honourable. What a long road public protests have been on since then. All down history when the populace rise up against the establishment and the imposition of their will, the populace comes in for harsh treatments. A cause always has to offer a martyr or two before the establishment begins to yield. Nowadays the rebels are not swathed down, or hung on gibbets but are still subjected to draconian measures in every effort to shut them up and hope they will slink away. But now it is all played out in the media spotlight and the steel fist has to be concealed from public view with weasel words that disguise the background manoeuvres and keep public sympathy from aligning with the rebel cause. 


The resolute and ruthless breaking of the miners strike bought us close to civil war, spared only by the a public demonising of Arthur Scargill that never quite left that image behind to swing around him in support. Since then the establishment tactics have drawn back a tad but still have the single focus of suppressing all public demonstrations not in support of establishment worthies. What an uneven battle it is. The establishment have the fire power, the resources, manpower and technology in excess on their side and they get to call all the shots of when where and how. A David and Goliath contest of epic proportions, it is a wonder that any public demonstrations ever occur such are the enormities of the obstacles the establishment puts in their path. It has to be pre-prepared, it has to be pre-agreed and the route, destination and marshalling all are to the approval and satisfaction of the establishment. The establishment are in pole position to orchestrate the CCTV coverage, data collection on all participants and being well versed in media manipulation have a huge advantage in tipping any media response to a direction that suits their aims. What chance then for the demonstrators. Neutralised, any spark of ire quenched before ignition, pacified, reduced to a tamed crowd under the control and direction of the very expression of forces they have risen up against. All they have left is quantity, their raw voices having been emasculated.


Thank goodness then for the Dean of St Paul's for allowing  the demonstrators to gather on his forecourt, refused access to any other more meaningful location to express their outrage at the financial institutions. Not a protest I agree with, to vague and flabby as to intent and purpose. But all power to them for the public expression of contempt with these mega organisations that are compromising our lives. Not easy to forego home comforts, not easy to jeopardise your future, not easy to stay reasonable and contained, not easy to be stuck in a limbo of wanting to stir discontent but refused any modus for spreading it. The establishment have retained the upper hand and can be seen working away in the background trying to find the silver bullet which will finally win over a public demonising of these protesters into layabouts, benefit dodgers, cheats and part-timers. Once the successful image gets planted then the establishment will have their free-hand to clear up the mess, with the public on board. Damned if they comply with establishment rules and damned if they flout them. They fully deserve all of our support, irrespective of whether you agree or not with their objectives. They are representing our battle to retain a freedom to protest. A freedom we will for sure have a need to use in the near future.