G20

[Strawbs]

Im hearing news reports etc that next week is potentially going to be dangerous for peeps working in the city especially within financial houses..

Is all of it just hype or is it something more serious?

I have never been here for a g20 and will be at my new job at bank by next wed so wondering what people's thoughts are on it?

x

[Mikecg]

Everytime there was a G8 summit water cannons etc were used this time its bigger because lots of different groups are involved, I work at a major bank not saying which one but I am not looking forward to next week. memorys of the loudhaler incident are too fresh in my mind. I'm currently working on my emergency exit strat for next week.

[Keef]

Strawbs don't panic. There will be hightened security all week, and chances are, if someone wanted to do something bad, they'd do it when they were more likely to be able to do it and get away wih it.

Hope I'm not tempting fate there.

[SCSB79]

The big protest is being planned near Bank tube station. 4 different themed protests all heading towards Bank from about 11am.

The theme for the 4 protests is "The Four Horses of the Apocolypse". One is marching from London bridge, one from Liverpool St and the other 2 from other stations I can't remember... the idea is for a "peacful" picnic infront of the BOE but police are fearing a massive confrontation just like the protests in 1999. Lots of companies are beefing up security for the day and even considering teling people to stay at home... or if coming in to stay out of their usual suits and dress casually!!!

My mate is moving down from Glasgow to start a new job next week on the day the protests are planned... his work is about 200 yeards from the BOE!!! Should be a fun day for him.

[Asset]

Ach, he's from Glasgow - he'll be fine

[Moos]

There are also the usual threats of hanging pinstriped effigies off buildings and so on so if you're sensitive you may not want to wear a suit!

Our firm has asked us (on the advice of the police) to work from home if possible and if not to travel in casual clothes, not to move between buildings more than necessary and generally to keep heads down.

[Jeremy]

A lot of banks are telling staff to get in early, bring lunch with them, and not leave until the evening. I think RBS will actually be completely locking it's doors.

I think it's right that people are making noises, because some of the banks have a lot to answer for. But I am slightly concerned that there are people who don't have the capacity to distinguish between the decision makers, and the majority of staff who are just keeping their heads down and doing their jobs. (As well as the usual low-life who are intent on pushing their minority views, yet are still content to reap the benefits of a developed economy).

[Keef]

I think it's right that people are making noises, because some of the banks have a lot to answer for. But I am slightly concerned that there are people who don't have the capacity to distinguish between the decision makers, and the majority of staff

Spot on!

[snorky]

I wouldnt worry about it if you are a pinstripe wage slave & the range of groups are not violent towards people, just sometimes property - a apart from a handful of wankers who talk up violent revolution, but have probabaly never hit anyone in their lives , there may be a bit of a party - there is very little as exciting as being caught up in a riot

The city is not run by top hatted effete public schoolboys, but By streetwise Essex men & women, mixed with rugby playing toffs & thick necked guttaral colonials - not a group you really want to take on

go along and enjoy it, whatever side you are on - just take precations that you are not caught on the filth cameras if possible

the City institutions advising workers to arrive early/stay late is laughable exploitation, but some mugs will obey

if you are that concerned, stay at home and watch the fun on telly

[RosieH]

The media frenzy is very much based on the highly-funded and well coordinated PR efforts of the banks.

This morning I heard on the radio that pregnant women are being advised to stay at home. And a banker said that he and his buddies were geared up for it, had faced worse, it was like "the spirit of Dunkirk".

Some people on this site slag off PR and marketing. It's my industry and usually I don't agree with the haters (not even on the subject of Max Clifford). But today I'm utterly furious that the banking industry's PR machine is allowed to get away with such inflammatory bullsh*t, and completely unchallenged at that.

That propaganda likening bankers to WWII heroes and portraying the protesters as foetus-killers is allowed to go unchecked makes me utterly depressed about the state of the media. I can't blame the PR people - it's despicable behaviour on their part and the part of the banks - but I have a grudging respect for them for doing such a good job at it.

The protesters haven't a hope of putting a fair case.

[bigbadwolf]

Our site was visited by the police who've advised us (I wasn't present) to secure all the tools and even imobilize the excavators. I'd hate to see what a 55 ton 360 could do to a crowd.........one the other hand..........

[snorky]

The cynic would say create a climate of fear and create its victims and you have control over the populace

This is only the latest in a long line of supposed fears- Dirty Bombs, Liquid bombs on planes, 25 minute NBC warning, blah blah blah - non of which have any basis in reality - you are less likely to be assailed by a lumpen mass of crusties and lefties than you are by drunken wankers on LL at midnight

think about the issues & not the hype surrounding it

[????]

if you've been down the the Old Den a few thousand trustafarians isn't that scary

[Moos]

RosieH, you make an excellent point.

It surprises me that so many protesters haven't acquired media savvy by now - have a hook, get your point in the press beforehand, demonstrate peacefully, get your point in the press again - but if you google G20 or Financial Fools Day you'll see plenty of organisers talking about 'showing those financial morons a thing or two' (I made that quote up, but I don't think it's unjust) rather than about appealing to the mass media to bring people on side. If you think about the very successful Countryside Alliance march, they did a great media job, but for some reason very often protesters don't.

[Keef]

That's because the people that lead these things are usually really really nasty idiots.

I know it's a different thing, but look at these animal rights protestors who have caused physical harm to people, and even dug up an old lady's remains! That is not the behaviour of someone who really cares about the rights of a living creature, that is the behaviour of a twisted knobhead who wants a flag to march behind whilst spreading their poison.

Damned shame, as it takes away all the sympathy that the actual cause deserves.

[Asset]

If you think about the very successful Countryside Alliance march

*snicker*, they could afford it.

[Jeremy]

snorky Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The city is not run by top hatted effete public

> schoolboys, but By streetwise Essex men & women,

> mixed with rugby playing toffs & thick necked

> guttaral colonials

The streetwise Essex boys are getting pushed out to make room for French mathematicians in my experience.

[Moos]

Well, that's definitely true of a lot of the people in it, but a lot were perfectly ordinary country people.

Besides, being a toff doesn't necessarily guarantee good publicity but they did manage to get a huge amount of public sympathy because they worked the system well.

Edited to say this was a reply to Asset's post, as Jezza sneaked one in ahead of me.

[snorky]

To be honest Keef, the ALF are pretty much shunned by everyone else for obvious reasons - and the activists are off their heads, but find the ALF a nice banner to cling to.

there a very very few of these people, but they do have the effect of tarring everyone left of Laboor with the same brush -m the thing is, probabaly 1 in 5 of the hard core ALF are undercover coppers anyway - the only Non Islamic indigenous group to have such a high profile amongst the SB & Home service

for comparison - The Duke of Beaufort was dug up 20 years ago and thatn propelled a random bunch of lefty-ish sabs into the Modern equivalent of the SS death squads for readers of the tabloids.( it wasnt me I must reassure you, I had an alibai that night. a concrete one. with 4 witnesses. )

[Keef]

Don't get me wrong, wasn't suggesting that all protestors are nutters, just that these types of people do like to find a cause to join so that they can do a bit of shouting.

[snorky]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> snorky Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > The city is not run by top hatted effete public

> > schoolboys, but By streetwise Essex men &

> women,

> > mixed with rugby playing toffs & thick necked

> > guttaral colonials

>

> The streetwise Essex boys are getting pushed out

> to make room for French mathematicians in my

> experience.

wot.. Like Jerome Kervial (sp) ?

[RosieH]

Keef, I beg to differ, there are some nasty idiots, but by no means all the leaders fit that description.

Moos you make a good point but it all boils down to finances.

Your typical bank might be paying a PR agency ?20-30k a month to run these campaigns. More in a crisis, which is what this will be considered. That will buy a team of skilled, media-trained people who work round the clock to smear protesters and paint the protested-against in a positive light.

The protesters just don't have the resources to compete for share of voice unfortunately - if they put the small funds they do have towards going up against the banking behemoths it would just be p*ssing in the wind. No PR agency means no media-training and no carefully constructed soundbites, no designated spokespeople, so randoms spouting guff in the street which is why they come across as moronic.

[Keef]

Keef, I beg to differ, there are some nasty idiots, but by no means all the leaders fit that description.

Agree, thought I'd clarified with

Don't get me wrong, wasn't suggesting that all protestors are nutters, just that these types of people do like to find a cause to join so that they can do a bit of shouting.

[RosieH]

Ha, you're right, very sorry sir.

Am a bit frantic today and clearly didn't read it properly. But was just so mad and swearing at the radio this morning that I couldn't avoid sneaking back on here in between utter head f**ks to add my two pence worth.

[BigPhil]

the people who need to listen wont...

The people who will be affected are the minimum waged staff at mcdonalds and starbucks who may have a molotov cocktail or a rubbish bin turfed through the front window of where they work.

a few police will be injured , simply doing their job

a few protesters will be injured because they'll fight amongest themselves.

a few city staff may get abused or have a bit of paint thrown over them

cost of the actions will run into millions

who will pay the millions

US !! the taxpayer

thats what grinds my gears today !!