What Time Does It All Kick-Off Tomorrow Guys?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Doffs cap in Piers direction

[SeanMacGabhann]

Besides, whilst everyone is waiting for this damp-squib of a firework display to "kick-off", keep an eye out on other headlines. The ones buried on page 16...

[MrBen]

I'm now locked in a building off Bishopsgate - surrounded by a ring of steel. Strong police presence with 8 anti riot vans parked in our lane alone. Helicopters overhead. Police observers on roof tops.

I came in my jeans but you can spot a dressed down city boy a mile off so wont make much difference. I agree with lots of the reasons behind this protest (and would join the peaceful demonstrators) but I also risk a smack in the face by the virtue I make a humble living in this area. There is a feeling you get when an uprising of the people is in the air - it makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. And I have not seen it for a long time.

I'll try to keep you posted....the sandwich run could be interesting.

MrBen

[Jeremy]

Yep, I was imagining all these city workers trying to "blend in", in their slacks and loafers.

I'm at home right now, but need to get into the Liverpool St area soon... I'd better get my slacks ironed.

[Mikecg]

Went out for a cigi and saw a number of soap dodgers riding bikes and a middle class voice over a tannoy ranting about RBS and carbon trading.

[Moos]

Mikecg Wrote:

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

....and a middle class voice over

> a tannoy ranting about RBS and carbon trading.

How disgusting, and with a tannoy probably stolen from the mouths of the poor.

[Mick Mac]

Yes - interesting dress sense in our office. Have to say some of the girls look good in jeans, bit of a fashion show type opportunity for them i think. The guys don't look so good - I was expecting chino / polo shirt combinations but some of them actually look a bit intimidating, I might feel safer outside, but then I'm locked in.

I agree with Mr Ben - some of us work hard for a humble enough existence. Seems we are all being treated as being guilty of something.

[Siduhe]

I'm also in my office in the City, but by the sounds of it at a (much smaller) company which taking a slightly more laisse faire attitude to the whole thing. I can't help thinking that the amount of hype/spin which has been put out into the media makes this a win/win for the police and a lose/lose for the protestors.

Either the whole thing passes off without incident (in which case the police can claim to have successfully managed potentially violent protestors and justify the enormous amount of money spent on this operation) or the whole thing kicks off entirely (in which case the police can claim that these are dangerous anarchists/terrorists and justify the enormous amount of money spent on this operation).

I've worked through several of these kinds of events before and AFIAK the only one that has ever really caused any serious damage/violence in the City was in 1999 - and my impression at the time was that the police entirely provoked that confrontation (I had a great view of the whole thing). It's been to the City of London police's credit that they've not used those tactics since.

Besides, I'm guessing the really serious protestors have been smart enough to keep their real objectives and targets quiet. I suspect they're nowhere close to the City - but I guess time will tell.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Win/Win for The Police as its either successfully and peacefully handled or the Boyz and Gals can get stuck in.....

"Get into them! Get into them!....:))

[AllforNun]

mmmm half of europe's here ladies

[Brendan]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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

> I agree with Mr Ben - some of us work hard for a

> humble enough existence. Seems we are all being

> treated as being guilty of something.

That is exactly the type of thought the right wing press would like to hatch in people's minds. Create an, us and them feeling. 99.9% of the people protesting are not protesting against individuals who happen to work in the city.

The agenda are variously: calling for the protection of people?s savings and pensions and putting a stop to exploitative practices in financial services, calling for political action on the use of fossil fuels, calling for an end to military action oversees and calling for domestic policies of job creation and social stability.

It is not, ?We the crusty unwashed seek the blood of the sanctimoniously suited.?

That is just what they (yes them again) want you to feel.

[LegalEagle-ish]

"In a dictatorship, the elite use the military to control the people. In a democracy, they use the media."

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Brendan:

The agenda are variously: calling for the protection of people?s savings and pensions and putting a stop to exploitative practices in financial services, calling for political action on the use of fossil fuels, calling for an end to military action oversees and calling for domestic policies of job creation and social stability.

Well Said.

[LegalEagle-ish]

Just watching it on BBC News - lots of fresh faced, middle class younguns so far. Not sure how scary they are to the shark-like city w@nkers who've been hyped up almost as much as the police.

[Mick Mac]

Brendan Wrote:

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

> Mick Mac Wrote:

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

> -----

>

> > I agree with Mr Ben - some of us work hard for

> a

> > humble enough existence. Seems we are all being

> > treated as being guilty of something.

>

> That is exactly the type of thought the right wing

> press would like to hatch in people's minds.

> Create an, us and them feeling. 99.9% of the

> people protesting are not protesting against

> individuals who happen to work in the city.

>

> The agenda are variously: calling for the

> protection of people?s savings and pensions and

> putting a stop to exploitative practices in

> financial services, calling for political action

> on the use of fossil fuels, calling for an end to

> military action oversees and calling for domestic

> policies of job creation and social stability.

>

>

> It is not, ?We the crusty unwashed seek the blood

> of the sanctimoniously suited.?

>

> That is just what they (yes them again) want you

> to feel.

I understand the official line Brendan - but there is no doubt whatsoever that there is a general dislike for Bankers/Lawyers/the City in general running through society at the moment. People do want something to blame for the current downturn.

In the same way the official line is that this is a peaceful demonstration - however we will find out later if this is the case and if normal people on normal salaries are affected, there is certainly some apprehension affecting City workers of all levels this morning irrespective of the intentions of the organisers.

I completely disagree with your 99.9% statistic. A lot of these people on the streets today will have a more general dislike of the city and a poor understanding of what has caused the current economic downturn and will be protesting against the causes of the downturn and will have been provoked into doing so by the effect the downturn has had on them personally.

[LegalEagle-ish]

It's not just the banking criminals that they are protesting about. I was going to go on the 'Justice' march who are calling for Blair and Bush to be indicted in the International Criminal Court. There are also climate change protesters and anti-war protesters.

I would also like to say that most demonstrations I have attended are made up of people who are far more aware of what is happening in the world than regular armchair commentators, as there are always emminent speakers at these demonstrations, whose speeches you get to hear in full, rather than the butchered edits that people who rely on mainstream media for their 'information' get served up.

[Mick Mac]

There are a lot of unhappy people in the UK at the moment - did anyone see the Robert Peston visit to Newcastle, he was besieged. I think this downturn is caused principally by the securitisation and incorrect risk catagorisation of sub prime debt.

If these demonstrators succeed in bringing about increased stifling regulation then the financial system will be incapable of being competitive to the level it was previously and we will all have problems. The UK does not have much else to rely upon if the City is no longer a world leader.

[*Bob*]

I think Robert Peston has caused at least a third of it.

[Brendan]

Yes there are a lot of unhappy people at the moment but it has been brewing for some time. These people have every right to have their voice heard.

What is often spun as 'stifling regulation' is merely protection for individuals from corporate greed and happens all over the world to varying degrees.

Every bank is not going to pull out of London and move to Guernsey.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

I think Robert Peston has caused at least 40% of it.

[Brendan]

67% of statistics are made up on the spot.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Brendan Wrote:

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

> 67% of statistics are made up on the spot.

Well at least the other 34$ are accurate..

[mockney piers]

If the City is all the UK has to rely on then we're already up shit creek without a paddle frankly.

There are ways out of this and endlessly propping up the banks while falling for the continued calls for light regulation as the way out (pure pure fantasy land) that I keep seeing, is as far from the right path as its possible to be.

There is so much we do need to invest in, getting education right, pumping money into the universities, into the sciences, into research, into new technologies and the clean energy industry of which we could become world leaders, not to mention propping up our crumbling infrastructure which sooner rather than later will need to be done, and pumping tax payers money through 'private' enterprise so tah only shareholders reap the erwards of public investment is certainly not the way....grrrr....must....go....to....lunch...and ....calm....down

Might jsut bash someone in a suit on the way though, just in case it helps solve global poverty ...or something.

[MrBen]

12.28pm

I'm outside Bank of England, Cornhill side. A New Orleans jazz band is playing "We shall not be Moved". Mardi Gras feel as colourful skeletons of bankers and other effigies are hoisted aloft. Cheers as another march arrives from Moorgate....

[snorky]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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

> There are a lot of unhappy people in the UK at the

> moment - did anyone see the Robert Peston visit to

> Newcastle, he was besieged. I think this downturn

> is caused principally by the securitisation and

> incorrect risk catagorisation of sub prime debt.

> If these demonstrators succeed in bringing about

> increased stifling regulation then the financial

> system will be incapable of being competitive to

> the level it was previously and we will all have

> problems. The UK does not have much else to rely

> upon if the City is no longer a world leader.

The Banking crisis is another symptom of the mailiase & the City is an easy - if weatlhy - target. Why not target Richer sounds or any of the uesless/expensive shops in ED ? they are all part of the problem.

Greed is the infection and we are all carriers, even if unknowingly & unwittingly