Police vs Anarchists + local youths in Edinburgh

[Filthy Ritch]

just watched the news footage of the riots in edinburgh today,this is the start of the bad feeling i have about the whole thing.makes me sick,why resort to violence,seriously wheres the need? bunch of fucken idiots

[evilheartedyou]

I was there!

I was wearing white but then I got a red action aid top and a banner saying "why subsidies the rich and not the poor?"

[Starla]

Originally Posted by evilheartedyou

I was there!

I was wearing white

OMG I saw this chick in white, was that you?

: D

[TNF]

Originally Posted by Filthy Ritch

just watched the news footage of the riots in edinburgh today,this is the start of the bad feeling i have about the whole thing.makes me sick,why resort to violence,seriously wheres the need? bunch of fucken idiots

Agree with that, people proclaiming themselves to be 'anarchists'. Its no way to get their (or anyone elses) point across to the "world leaders". The G8 countries will be thinking wft (in more depth). I doubt smashing things in Edinburgh is really going to benifit anyone. Its such a shame on the peaceful protestors who are trying to do whats right and show the G8 countries that they need to act to save millions of people from needlessly dying, when these few people go and give protestors a bad name.

[Keerin]

what i don't understand is that people moan about the gulf between the rich and the poor but how much money has bob geldof got from this whole live aid/live 8 thing? i'm not questioning his motives but he lives in a big fuck off house and lets face it, he's not really strapped for cash. i'd love to get that much money for having about 3 decent songs since the 80's.

if every band that played live 8 gave up the interest on their money for a year to help the poor nations get food, medicine etc then not only would they be raising awareness, they would be doing something worthwhile while actually raising money that is going to help. i think that giving money to charities that will help countries in heavy debt etc is a much better trend than silly wristbands and white tshirts. imagine if the pop stars acually set an example by doing what i suggested above and in turn it made it popular to give up your interest rather than pay £1-£5 for a rubber band. that would do more good.

don't get me wrong. i admire bob for getting off his arse and doing something while everyone just talks but really... he done a huge gig before. it was a massive success. it raised well needed public awareness for poverty in africa. did it actually help? not really. where is the proof now that it has helped.

lets face it, as morose as it sounds, these gigs are a great way to raise awareness of the acts that play, and not much else.

one last thing. where is the awareness for poverty in the uk? maybe its not as bad as in africa but its somethign we can solve in our lifetimes.

[trickyvicki]

Originally Posted by Filthy Ritch

just watched the news footage of the riots in edinburgh today,this is the start of the bad feeling i have about the whole thing.makes me sick,why resort to violence,seriously wheres the need? bunch of fucken idiots

I was actually in Blairgowrie today and there were about 7 minibuses full of police men and their riot gear parked up outside the hotel! I reckon that my guess that they are there due to the G8 would be pretty accurate. They are definately prepared for a lot of trouble. Lets just hope that this all passes as peacefully as possible, violence solves nothing, if anything it just makes the problem/situation worse!!

[TNF]

There were also 12 police vans and 6 police dogs sent to disperse a bunch of 10 students who were dressed as clowns in Edinburgh today.

[Keerin]

Originally Posted by TNF

There were also 12 police vans and 6 police dogs sent to disperse a bunch of 10 students who were dressed as clowns in Edinburgh today.

overenthusiastic police or overenthusiastic students. you decide...

[humndislocation]

All I can say, is thank fuck I'm not working at my old job. I was working in Rose Street, near Jenners, where everything was kickinig off today.

Also had a good chuckle at that guy on the news who was like "HAY STOP FILMING ME BECAUSE I AM TOTALLY AGAINST THE MEDIA, AND I AM RAGING AGAINIST THE MACHINE MAN AND I AM LIKE TOTALLY AGAINST IT"

Good going chuckles, you're totally not making the protesters look like teenagers attempting to be off the wall, and rebellious.

[AlanG]

Originally Posted by Filthy Ritch

just watched the news footage of the riots in edinburgh today,this is the start of the bad feeling i have about the whole thing.makes me sick,why resort to violence,seriously wheres the need? bunch of fucken idiots

the news footage on Newsnight was actually quite good in it showed how it kicked off and showed the police tactics.

The police blocked the road of a march then launched in with batons, then people fought back (there may have been stuff before but that was what was shown as the start)

Then they used the seal off and keep enclosed for hours technique which leads to lots of frustrated people who generally also need the toilet, amazingly this is kind of provocative.

I couldnt understand the throwing of flowers at the police, considering some of the groups involved do stunts where they dig up concrete to plant flowers etc.

As for that guy on newsnight if he'd said that he wouldnt speak because the national media will spin th ewhole situation against them and not present their view as a counter balance to police/state then fair does but he was being a RAGE AGAINST THE SYSTEM twat.

The news also showed some local residents supporting them so that makes a change.

[1010011010]

From what I've heard:

The police tactics involved herding people who weren't even part of the protest into "containment" areas, but then not letting them back out again. This included members of the public and also "teenagers who had been drinking alcohol".

Recipe for disaster methinks.

[AlanG]

Thats their usual tactic. It also kicked off the same as genoa and also oagreaves by the police riot squads wading into people.

Having checked some of the anarchy sites with pics etc:

Apparantly the main thing kicked off with THREE people occupying the standard life building. The usual response to this is to wait around half an hour with maybe 10cops to see if people get bored and eventually leave, being arrested/cautioned if theyve commited breach of the peace. What did the cops do? 12 van loads of riot cops along with a charge by mounted police to the area.

not heavy handed at all

as to the flowers thign I mentioned earlier apparantly a group returned later on and replanted some more flowers and watered them so its all good.

Later on local youths also waded into the cops, it was a very strange combination, they were urging the anarchists not to go near McDs etc but then teaming up toi defend the anarchists from the police assaults.

Early on in the day the police arrested the volunteer medics who were there to treat any injuries as well, thats the kind of "protecting safety" that was going on. Apparantly setting up a medic van to treat people who are hurt is against the law