Sunday, March 27, 2011

AN AFTERNOON IN LONDON ............

Up to 500,000 people took part in the Anti-Cuts march in London yesterday, the biggest public demonstration in England for a decade.

We are free to protest in this country, or so I have always believed.

There were "only"201 arrests, but they are of some concern to me, as they include my daughter who is 19 years old, barely 1.62m and who is the most laid back, easy going character you are ever likely to meet, completely unlike her father !

Of course I am biased, but she has never had an evil thought in her life, let alone committed a bad deed and was peacefully protesting in Fortnum and Mason, as were a hundred or so others, when they were rounded up and arrested, most probably for actions which took place outside the building, late yesterday afternoon.

17 hours later she in still in custody and I just hope that she and her friends are not going to get "shafted" as the easier targets for arrest. Do you really think that any real "mob of raging activists" as I have just seen them described in the more right wing UK media, would simply occupy and wander around a building in full view of CCTV cameras for over two hours, it is plainly ridiculous. Similar, lower profile occupations have been going on all week at Deptford Town Hall without trouble.

I hope they release all the students ,who are just finding their political feet, without charge and try to find the real trouble makers. As nothing happened yesterday further than two feet from a camera, it should not prove too difficult.


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