Anti-Mubarack Protest Oxford, UK 9th Feb

BREAKING NEWS: New Blog Post

Over the past 48 hours plus, BBC News and almost every rolling news channel and station in the world that I know of, has been reporting about the situation in Egypt. This is important news, however on late Sunday 31st, I noticed that the banner ‘Breaking News’ had been on the BBC’s rolling news channel for around 48 hours. Is an event that has been going on for two days is it still ‘Breaking News’? Or, rather isn’t simply, ‘News’?

I guess broadcasters use the term to underline the importance of the situation, and the problems in Egypt, when resolved, will change the political landscape of the world. It is important. However, so are many other things that happen in the world that are not treated as ‘Breaking News’. Not every statement by a President or Prime Minister are reported, not all deaths of important people are treated the same way. Protests in Manchester and London against Cuts and Fees were never treated that way, and there are some countries that are largely, though not entirely ignored. Japan would be a case in point. Yes there often is a correspondent in Tokyo, but there is a Volcano erupting as I type this that only makes it on to websites and Twitter, not the News channel.

Do not mistake me, I love Twitter, but what it lacks, but journalism can provide, is sensitive discrimination. I would not expect this blog post to make the news, I would expect Protests in Britain to do so. The weather do not change half-hourly – even when there is snow. I would also expect events around the world to be covered more widely, and I am still waiting.

Still, I am off to tweet this!

Protestweets: Student Protests on the 29th January

As I said in my last blog entry, I wanted to be at the Manchester Protest so badly. Many who were there have sent messages to me. Since I really love Twitter, I followed it religiously on the day of protests, looking at some from Manchester and some from London. My interest was awakened when I found that my last tweet advertising my latest blog entry, had been retweeted by ‘belledejour’ the Twitter name of Dr Brooke Magnanti, to whom I am most grateful. InTwitterland, I am ‘Peckitt’ and our story in Twitterland starts with:

belledejour_uk RT @Peckitt On Coming Student rally in Manchester http://bit.ly/fjiFH9 about 8 hours ago via web

Please remember that the carbon copy of twitter messages was taken at 19:30 – 20:00 on the 20th of January. It was very kind of belledejour_uk to retweet this, and I am in her debt. It continues:

EdinUniAntiCuts Manchester walking north - loads of police - reaching uni - seen one arrest (red coat male) about 6 hours ago via TweetDeck

EdinUniAntiCuts were in Manchester and will feature highly in this blog entry, they really blogged well.

Then:

thespyglass I'm with a small group who've avoided the Deansgate kettle. Deansgate kettle reportedly being moved somewhere else. #demo2011 #dayx about 4 hours ago via Socially Mobile

thespyglass was also in Manchester and has posts, which at times, are very humourous. For example after being ‘kettled’ into a pub:

sukeyData BREAKING NEWS: Manchester police have kettled students IN A PUB. Since when do police enforce lock ins? #sukey #demo2011 #irony about 3 hours ago via web

thespyglass In the pub. Sorry, kettled people. If it makes you feel any better the bouncer's having a go at us for Millbank last yr. #demo2011 #dayx about 3 hours ago via Socially Mobile


There were some worrying posts:

kaygeeuk Manchester kettle released given a Section 12 warning not to gather for 24 hours. Guess that's aimed at tomorrows @ukuncut actions about 3 hours ago via web

EdinUniAntiCuts Kettle now fully dispersed - sections 12, 50 And 60 used #mancdemo about 3 hours ago via TweetDeck

However, all was not well, in the state of Manchester as Aaron Porter was virtually given trial by rough music. It was reported at one point that anti-Semitic chants were shouting at him referring to him as a ‘Jew’ or ‘Tory Jew’. I hope and believe that it was a miss heard statement (and tweets since them seem to confirm my hopes), as the followings tweets testify to:

SophiaCR I heard and remember all the chants directed at Aaron Porter. None were anti-semitic. #demo2011 about 2 hours ago via Dabr

EdinUniAntiCuts Reports #Manchester chanting 'you're a Tory jew' to Aaron Porter today - Not true - actual chant was 'You're a Tory too' #demo2011 #dayx 12 minutes ago via TweetDeck

Now, I am going to be a bit paternalistic again. I can appreciate the student’s dissatisfaction with Mr. Aaron Porter. However, what they may be unaware of is the politics of 1997 – 98 – my own time as an undergraduate, around the time tuition fees were first introduced. At that time, the NUS, in my opinion, was essentially an arm of New Labour. They did have demonstrations, but too late. However, this generation has a chance to change things, but it will not do so by shooting themselves in the foot, which is what they are doing by attacking Aaron Porter. I do not believe for a moment that anyone mentioned ‘Jewishness’, but the fact that someone thought so speaks volumes, whether it was misheard or wishful thinking. If HE students have truly lost faith in Mr.Porter than he should go, but there better ways to achieve this than shouting him off the stage – he was after all unable to speak.

However, the students of this day are heroes to me, they are doing now what my university generation never did.

Finally the demonstration both in Manchester and London ended with:

littlemisswilde any plans for a post-protest party/drinks anywhere? #sukey #demo2011 #solidarity #alcoholism #gin about 2 hours ago via web

SophiaCR I heard and remember all the chants directed at Aaron Porter. None were anti-semitic. #demo2011 about 2 hours ago via Dabr

B3nB3ach Swarm shuts a Boots singing "We are the Tax Enforcement Society" Demo2011 #Solidarity about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone

alphabetofbeing Group now very small. about 1 hour ago via ÜberTwitter

Peckitt Finally...positive footage of manchester march on C4 40 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®



I wish all the students good luck and once again thank belledejour_uk at:

http://belledejour-uk.blogspot.com/

Manchester Saturday 29th January 2011: This is the Eve!

In a few hours time students from Leeds, Hull, UCL and many others up and down the country will gather in Manchester to protest against the cuts to the EMA and and the hike in tuition fees. I really wish I could be there, but I cannot. I have cerebral palsy and have trouble negotiating a pub sober on a Friday night, never mind a crowd in Manchester. Do not mistake me I do not believe either protester or police intend any problems, it is simply, without sarcasm, physically difficult for me to attend such rallies. I will stay in, glued in hope to the goggle box (yes I am that old) to see if the demonstration will be covered by BBC or BSkyB.


I must confess to having almost paternalistic pride in the students, I was a undergraduate when tuition fees came around the first time around, and then, even the supporters of tuition fees were complaining that students were apathetic – and I my view they were right, although that has changed.

For example at Leeds Trinity they have achieved some great demands from the Senior Management Team. This is from Leads Trinity Against Cuts:

“After continued negotiations between Leeds Trinity University Management and the student occupation which has been based in the senior common room we have finally come to an agreement.

Management have met two demands that were put forward by the campaign, this being to not penalise any students for taking part in their legal right to protest against the cuts to education and wider society which is still to be revised so that we are satisfied, as well as this they have agreed to meet our demand of a permanent office space in which to continue the campaign from, as such we will be using this space to co ordinate our campaign and set up events that will further allow the student body to get involved.

As a result of meeting these demands Leeds Trinity Occupation will be ending on Saturday the 29th January 2011, we will along with other students and staff be marching to the coaches that will be taking us to the National demonstration against cuts taking place in Manchester that day.

Thank you to UCU, Unison, Youth Fight for Jobs & Education and all the support we have received through the campaign so far. We will of course continue to campaign to defend all jobs and courses at Leeds Trinity University College.”

Well I wish you all good luck, and from my house proclaim – ‘This is the eve!’

Police 'hitting protester' at EMA Demo in Leeds (BBC)

The Leeds Trinity Occupation is not over!

I have been in contact with the Leeds Trinity Students Against Cuts Occupiers, who have been threatened with eviction.  I have it on good authority, in fact from one of the occupiers that, as of the morning of 27th they have not been evicted, as the following quote from their website: http://ltsac.wordpress.com/2011/01/ states:

"Well, yesterday was interesting and contrary to popular belief, the occupation is still on. There were some misunderstandings from upstairs but we think we have those sorted now and things are back on track. Well, mostly anyway. We are negotiating for a new suitable room that is not going to have building work in it but this is actually a bit of an imposition. Occupations are supposed to be contentious, they are supposed to stop operations and they are supposed to make some people annoyed, some people stressed and some people supportive. We have acted with nothing but integrity and find the insinuation that we have done otherwise insulting and offensive. In the few weeks since coming back into occupation, we have caused considerable positive press and have done nothing but raised the profile of the university.

We have been accused of bringing the name of the university into disrepute and this is also offensive. Anyone who has been following the campaign, reading the articles we have been in and written, heard the interviews on radio, looked at the blogs and planning campaigns can clearly see that we have stuck to a message of “we are here because the teaching standard and time with each student is so high and that is why we feel we must save Leeds Trinity University College”. There are a number of messages we could be sending out that would certainly damage recruitment and there have been considerable conversations about whether we should or not but the point of those discussions and every discussion is whether we would be seen to be acting with integrity to do so. Our demands have the sole aim of ensuring that Trinity continues to offer the ethos we came here for and we chose this university for being forward thinking enough to provide that. If there has been any damage done to the university, then it was done by a failure to reassure students of their position in a timely manner and having everybody rely on what little information is available."

It is best to go to http://ltsac.wordpress.com%20to/ to see the rest, just I would spread the word.

More on Leeds Occupation and Protest

Today I was told that the Leeds Trinity Students Against Cuts were given an enviction notice - for more info see http://ltsac.wordpress.com/ I do hope that they will continue.  Also, during a protest in Leeds against the cuts affecting the Education Maintanence Allowance a student was "struck twice", for more information on that see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12294061

I do hope Leeds Trinity will continue its protest and wish them luck.