Protest porn!

[sabotabby]

My camera's battery died during the surprisingly massive protest yesterday, but fortunately, himy and John B. have already posted their awesome demo photos.





Himy's photos.


So the news said that there were a couple hundred demonstrators. That is not very accurate. Our estimates range from 3000 to 7000, and considering Toronto's political scene and how cold it was, that is fantastic.

John B.'s photos


I just think the composition in this one is fantastic.

A few I took:


For once, there was decent street theatre, as these folks dressed up like prisoners and the woman with a megaphone read out the names of dead Iraqi detainees. Half the march veered off to take pictures of them and the IS marshals had to yell at everyone else to keep moving.


These people were overdoing it a bit with the gigantic-ass flag.


Strangely, we only got two or three counter-demonstrators—fewer than on IWD. They were American. OCAP went over to bother them and the IS kicked one of the OCAP guys out but not the counter-demonstrator. Anyway, the one guy with the flag started screaming, "Death to America" and one of the marshals snarked, "I thought that was our line."

And now, also courtesy of himy: Spot the sabotabby!



New Gaybortion!: Skihead.

Comments

[1in8.livejournal.com]

*sigh*

[sabotabby]

I'm worried about M. too...

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

wow. I didn't expect you to be carrying a Bathurst United Church banner. I guess you are self-hating like all those all4israel folks say. ;)

[sabotabby]

Spotted! How do you like my moustache?

I don't think the people at all4israel ever found out I was Jewish; they pretty much banned me instantly.

[lovableatheist.livejournal.com]

There were two counter-protesters in Ottawa. Some folks wanted to go harass them, but we decided that they (the counter-protesters) would probably get too big of a kick showing the world how leftists are all bullies. We decided to let them have their fun.

I dont have any cool IS stories from this march, but about 2 months ago, there was a solidarity march for Haiti and a fellow wobbly decided to hand out some anti-vote pamphlets. One IS woman came up to him and told him not to hand them out because they were too confusing. He told her to fuck off and she came back to say that she wasn't telling him what to do, to which he replied "you'd be the first Trot not to." We all had a good laugh.

[sabotabby]

Hahaha. I like a lot of Trots, actually, and I even played nice with the IS yesterday. (It was captured on camera by a former IS member, possibly forever ruining my reputation here.) The IS make the worst marshals ever, though, and they've been known to point people out to the cops.

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

The IS make the worst marshals ever, though, and they've been known to point people out to the cops.

I think that the concept of marshalling involves handing over authority to cops should things get out of hand.

The reason why one marshalls is to avoid creating "trouble", i.e. to prevent whichever activity is deemed to be crossing the line. Once that line is crossed, if the objective is still to avoid being blamed for trouble, then the logical conclusion is that marshalls will point out the trouble-makers to the cops in a show of good faith.

I don't mean to say that there aren't any marshalls with good intentions, but if the idea is just to give directions, then they shouldn't be called marshalls. 8)

I think the worst marshall job I've ever seen was the large march in Québec City in 2001 for the FTAA summit... Basically their job was to divert the march away from the protest. Even us with TVAC, trying to film some action, were being pushed off the street because we weren't part of the herd, even if the street had been blocked for hours by the cops themselves. If CUPE members hadn't been at the crucial intersection urging people to go left (!) towards the protests, I don't think that the marshalls would have let anyone through.

[sabotabby]

I think the definition of "trouble" is also relevant. Clearly, an imported Protest Warrior is going to be more of a problem than an OCAP guy. But yes, you're right, which is why I tend to not be very fond of marshals.

[jaymoh.livejournal.com]

I missed the protest yesterday. The Anarchist bookfair was scheduled the same day. :( I haven't missed a march in a long time. Looks like you guys had a lot of participants!
I agree about the black and white photo- really nice.
Love the new gaybortion! Mind if I link to it on the badtattoo com?

[sabotabby]

Who schedules an anarchist bookfair for the same day as a protest? That's weird...

And there's a new badtattoo community? Where is it? (And yes, link away!)

[jaymoh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I kind of wondered about that, but they have it in Golden Gate park, so they may have only been able to get a permit for yesterday. A lot of folks come into town for the protest so maybe they figured they would get some overflow. Anyway, it was good -saw Ward Churchill speak- great as always.
badtattoos_4 It's closed and moderated- due to an idiot troll. Please join! You always had great posts!

[sabotabby]

Will do. I've got a bit less time for the next little while, but I miss the entertainment.

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

People that plan their bookfair far ahead of time. :]
Anarchists with organization! Who knew?

[sabotabby]

Considering the anarchists here can't organize where to go for lunch....

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

The bookfair dates are always booked for about a year in advance. Bad luck. It's not like the stupid ANSWER folks holding a demo for the same day as the Folsom St Fair. ;)

[sabotabby]

Now that doesn't surprise me.

[threeliesforone.livejournal.com]

found you pretty instantly. heh.

i was wondering if you were there, though. we walked past the demo after it stopped at the consulate. we probably would've joined, but sunday was my first time being downtown in probably a year & i wasn't doin' so hot.

[sabotabby]

Aww, too bad. It was fun.

[dobrovolets.livejournal.com]

Strangely, we only got two or three counter-demonstrators—fewer than on IWD. They were American. OCAP went over to bother them and the IS kicked one of the OCAP guys out but not the counter-demonstrator.

You now have me fantasizing about smacking ISers/ISOers. That's not nice.

[sabotabby]

I know someone who did. I mean, she's a bit of a Stalinist, but it was still really funny.

[terry-terrible.livejournal.com]

Stalinsists and Trots beating on eachother? If you got that on camera, you could sell it as porn.

[sabotabby]

The Stalinist is the only attractive one. I asked her if she had footage, but it was more of a spur-of-the-moment thing.

[goodlookinout.livejournal.com]

woah, this was yesterday??? how did I not know about it?

[sabotabby]

There wasn't much of a buzz besides the posters and flyering at IWD.

[pretzelsalt.livejournal.com]

Oh shit - I need to get on hosting my pictures!

You are fast!

[sabotabby]

Nah, I just only had a few photos. himy, who takes approximately 1,000 per rally, is fast.

[rohmie.livejournal.com]

Given your icon, it is probably safe to say that you have already seen this (?)

[sabotabby]

I've seen most of those pictures, sans title, on a different page. I'm fairly certain that the last kitty belongs to someone on LJ.

[nullstr.livejournal.com]

We had maybe 50-, 60-, 70-thousand in London, though it went largely unreported:

...probably the biggest anti-war protest since 2003...
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/andrew_murray/2006/03/dont_mention_the_antiwar_march.html

Genius gaybortion, btw ;)

[sabotabby]

I don't know why anti-war marches are effective enough that someone would want to cover them up. Heh.

London always wins for turn-out, at least in the First World. I envy you folks.

And thanks!

[terry-terrible.livejournal.com]

It kinda systematic. I was told by a instructor in Journalism school that journalist by a general rule round down figures given by protest organizers and to round up police figures. The thinking behind it is that organizers will inflate thier stats and police will usually under report.

An interesting side note, there was a journalism professor in the lates 60s whoundertook a study using every photo he could get of one protest and counting every single person in it.

[ocicat-bengals.livejournal.com]

I always thought the bookfair in GG Park later in the year. Am trying to remember back to 1999 when I went. Homesick as always. Any mention of SF perks me up. The march in SF look well attended.

[sabotabby]

It seems a bit early for it, but I don't know when it normally is. The one in Toronto is usually in the fall, and Montreal's is always in May.

[lopukhov.livejournal.com]

Nazis are coming to L-town this weekend. They're gonna try to march on the Capitol steps. Should be interesting.

[sabotabby]

Have fun!