...following an encouraging talk by the university on what they are all about. This was at the Anthropology teach-in last monday at Goldsmiths University and was pretty productive, not least in getting more involved in the UfSO. Watch the mini-lectures here, or on Yootooob
Following that they embarked on a course of optimism par excellence, inviting the public to join in the protest on thursday, with roses and hearts and other such nice things. Video here.
But the one that impressed me most was the action on the day itself, the 9th of December, by all those who protested, I might add. We all know the bill passed but it isn't about that; the coalition have been shaken, and will continue to be shaken as the students and the unions unite, and those not represented by unions too. In short, everyone who is being effected, and its a fair chunk of the populace. On this day, the Uni was holding a conference on violence on the front line, where they conversed with public and police alike, attempting to fuse the respective discourses so often at odds with one another. Alas, the police don't contribute too much, preferring to stick with the more hands-on approach - maybe this is wise, for who knows what could happen if they started to speak? Gotta remain responsible, these boys and girls in blue, and yellow. Stick with brute unthoughtout force, it's not like they could ever be made accountable for that. I'm rambling. Watch the video, and note the cheeky dubstep.
Nina Power's illuminating blog led me to another illuminating blog, which follows nicely from the UfSO's most recent post. It is http://www.brutalpoliceblog.com/ and it compiles thoughts and documentation on the behaviour of the police not only at the student protests in London recently, where Alfie Meadows' encounter with a truncheon left him needing brain surgery, but at the TopShop protest, Dublin protest, way back to the Ian Tomlinson incident. The videos are downright shocking and deserve a good peruse.
"Why, 'scuse me officer, could you point me to the nearest post office?"
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