Parliament House protests

Waiting For Godot said :

I had first hand experience of this in 1978. There was a teachers’ strike on and a group of us high school students decided to hold a small protest outside (Old) Parliament House in support of the teachers. We had started the protest and it was going well, then a mini bus full of Young Socialists pulled up complete with Eureka flags and forced their way into our demonstration.

We couldn’t do anything about it, they outnumbered us and hijacked the demonstration chanting slogans and holding up placards which had nothing to do with our original reason for protesting. The TV cameras turned up and footage was shown on the local TV news that night. As soon as the TV crew left, so did the Young Socialists.

We went away after the demonstration having learned a salutory lesson about the politics of protest and how it can go all wrong so easily.

The same thing happened to the Nuclear Disarmament Party and, on a larger scale, the Democrats. Both of the major parties are small enough in membership now that a concerted push from just about anyone could take them over. I think the licensed clubs people have made a good stab at the ALP.

Henry82 said :

schmeah said :

Sadly, I think the majority of these protesters are pushing an agenda that is not squarely Indigenous focussed. Having spent too much of my youth in student politics and having attended rallies of all shapes and sizes I came to realise that politically divisive issues involving any minority nearly always get swamped by protest-happy fringe groups who override the agenda, wave their own flags and start chants that are not related to the key message. They’ll boycott any forum just to get a headline.

When I saw all that went down at the Lobby by first impression was that it probably had less to do with the Tent Embassy and more to do with such trouble-makers.

+1 couldn’t have said it better myself.

I had first hand experience of this in 1978. There was a teachers’ strike on and a group of us high school students decided to hold a small protest outside (Old) Parliament House in support of the teachers. We had started the protest and it was going well, then a mini bus full of Young Socialists pulled up complete with Eureka flags and forced their way into our demonstration.

We couldn’t do anything about it, they outnumbered us and hijacked the demonstration chanting slogans and holding up placards which had nothing to do with our original reason for protesting. The TV cameras turned up and footage was shown on the local TV news that night. As soon as the TV crew left, so did the Young Socialists.

We went away after the demonstration having learned a salutory lesson about the politics of protest and how it can go all wrong so easily.

dungfungus said :

The water cannon could have been sponsored by ActewAGL.

Like they sponsor the annual Christmas lights follies? This’ll play well in Charnie.

schmeah said :

Sadly, I think the majority of these protesters are pushing an agenda that is not squarely Indigenous focussed. Having spent too much of my youth in student politics and having attended rallies of all shapes and sizes I came to realise that politically divisive issues involving any minority nearly always get swamped by protest-happy fringe groups who override the agenda, wave their own flags and start chants that are not related to the key message. They’ll boycott any forum just to get a headline.

When I saw all that went down at the Lobby by first impression was that it probably had less to do with the Tent Embassy and more to do with such trouble-makers.

+1 couldn’t have said it better myself.

schmeah said :

They’ll boycott any forum just to get a headline.

I think you mean ‘hijack’. But otherwise I suspect you’re quite right.

Erg0 said :

Why the rainbow flags? Do those belong to the rent-a-protesters?

Sadly, I think the majority of these protesters are pushing an agenda that is not squarely Indigenous focussed. Having spent too much of my youth in student politics and having attended rallies of all shapes and sizes I came to realise that politically divisive issues involving any minority nearly always get swamped by protest-happy fringe groups who override the agenda, wave their own flags and start chants that are not related to the key message. They’ll boycott any forum just to get a headline.

When I saw all that went down at the Lobby by first impression was that it probably had less to do with the Tent Embassy and more to do with such trouble-makers.

Skyring said :

dungfungus said :

Where is that water cannon the Government acquired for riot control?

Christmas Island?

The water cannon could have been sponsored by ActewAGL.

Please don’t burn my flag and attack my leaders! There I said please… Build and official embassy and be nice.

dungfungus said :

Where is that water cannon the Government acquired for riot control?

Christmas Island?

Where is that water cannon the Government acquired for riot control?