Protest – Trouble & Squeak

Paul Mason Is Wrong To Oppose The Brexiteers Demonstration

November 10, 2016May 25, 2021Posted in Europe, Politics, ProtestTagged Brexit, Capitalism, Constitution, Demonstration, EU, Liberal, Nigel Farage, Paddy Vipond, Paul Mason, Protest, Sovereign, The Guardian1 Comment

This is a guest post in response to Paul Mason’s recent article in The Guardian: “Bond traders, Trots, and mumsnetters must unite against Farage’s mob”

I was a huge admirer of Paul Mason for his decision to go to Channel 4 in order to escape the confines of the BBC that had stymied his ability to report economics accurately. Last year, I heard him speak in Athens on the state of the economy. It was something of a Marxian argument – technologies have developed to such a degree that we don’t need to work like in the days of old and can be liberated from the fetters of inefficient drudgery.

My admiration was in large part hopeful – “if he continues his line of reasoning, perhaps he will come up with something interesting”. But on the basis of his latest piece on Brexit, which was published in The Guardian (see link above), this hasn’t happened.

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Monotonous, Repetitive Failures – We Need To Change The Way We Protest In 21st Century Britain

March 6, 2016December 8, 2019Posted in Politics, Protest, SocietyTagged Activism, Audience, Battle of Millbank, Communication, Coverage, Demonstration, Mark Duggan, Martin Luther King, Millbank, Protest, Protester, Riot, TACT, Tactic, Target1 Comment

In 2011, during my second year of university, Time Magazine chose The Protester as their Person of the Year.

On the one hand this is a great cause for celebration as the millions of individuals committed to the struggle were, in some way, rewarded for their actions. The hours of work, the days of organisation, the minor victories; whatever it was, their efforts were now recognised, and praised, on a global stage.

One of the reasons given by Kurt Anderson of Time Magazine for choosing their Person of the Year as The Protester, was because protest had once again become “fashionable”. (So long as it was being conducted in the MENA region and toppling dictators).

But this representation of “the protester” did not sit well with me. No protester wants to be on the cover of Time Magazine, and if they do it would be for the wrong reasons.

Continue reading “Monotonous, Repetitive Failures – We Need To Change The Way We Protest In 21st Century Britain” →