Protestors Against Bank Bailout Clash With Police In London

Generali

Any group of people where a significant minority are carrying Socialist Worker banners is, by definition, unrepresentative of the majority in the UK.

A mate of mine walked past these people and mentioned it over the weekend. He reckoned that the BBC coverage overstated its importance.

GracieP

Generali wrote: »

Any group of people where a significant minority are carrying Socialist Worker banners is, by definition, unrepresentative of the majority in the UK.

Well that's not true. The majority of the public appeared to be against UK involvement in the invasion of Iraq, and the SWimmers were notable at all Iraq war protests.

I did however think it was funny that a lot of the protesters were carrying "OUT - of Iraq and Afghanistan" placards. I'm actually opposed to the bailout and I'm hacked off enough to protest against it, but on the evidence of that picture I'm glad I didn't know about it in advance.

lostinrates

GracieP wrote: »

I'm actually opposed to the bailout and I'm hacked off enough to protest against it, but on the evidence of that picture I'm glad I didn't know about it in advance.

Could not agree more!!!!

withabix

sarkin wrote: »

Oh look, a small crowd of people who have collectively contributed virtually nothing to the British economy in their entire lives...

Commonly known as 'spongers'.

Realy

withabix wrote: »

Oh look, a small crowd of people who have collectively contributed virtually nothing to the British economy in their entire lives...

Commonly known as 'spongers'.

It could be an anti-soap demontration based on that picture.

GracieP

withabix wrote: »

Oh look, a small crowd of people who have collectively contributed virtually nothing to the British economy in their entire lives...

Commonly known as 'spongers'.

That is hardly fair. The majority are students according to the organisers, they will either be paying much higher taxes than we did when we started out, in order to pay for this. Or they will be lucky to get a job due to the recession. They have a right to be angry at those who caused this and they have a right to be angry that they will be called on to bail them out.

Undermining someones views based on their age or clothing style is closed minded in the extreme and undermines your own objections.

Based on that picture I'm glad I didn't go to the protest because it looked badly planned and dominated by the SWP, many of whom were carrying placards for the wrong thing. Also I've worked for NGO's for most of my adult life and the SWP hack me off. Not many of their members, who are just kids who want to do something to make a difference. But the way they are run and the way they attempt to dominate any protest that happens, even if the purpose of the protest clashes with their supposed ideals. And by doing so undermine everyone involved.

mizzbiz

Kez100 wrote: »

Be interesting to work out the net payment (or not) these 150 protestors have contributed to the Treasury since reaching the age of 16.

:mad:

So shortsighted.

These are the people that, thanks to student loans, wioll be paying this 'bailout' back at treble the rate of everyone else for the rest of their lives!!

chewmylegoff

mizzbiz wrote: »

:mad:

So shortsighted.

These are the people that, thanks to student loans, wioll be paying this 'bailout' back at treble the rate of everyone else for the rest of their lives!!

doubt it. the ones that bothered to attend this protest are probably rather unlikely to be generating a lot of future tax revenue for the country, being anti capitalist and all that. it doesn't sound as if they're going to be paying 40% tax on city bonuses any time soon...

baby_boomer

"Socialist Workers exploiting their opportunity for a bit of disruption and argy-bargy before taking a "well earned" [unemployment] break at the taxpayers' expense." :rolleyes:

Shouldn't they be protesting in favour of an end to bank bonuses, in favour of government control of the banking system and in favour of the collapse of share prices ?

Kez100

mizzbiz wrote: »

:mad:

So shortsighted.

These are the people that, thanks to student loans, wioll be paying this 'bailout' back at treble the rate of everyone else for the rest of their lives!!

Now you have confused me. What has their student loan got to do with the price of chips? Why will they be paying 3x the rest of us for the bailout?