Student day of action
A day of action by students opposed to the recently announced increases to tuition fee
A number of students attempted to protect a police van from further damage after it had been attacked
This photo was taken on November 24, 2010.
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Roo Reynolds, timloganphoto, absentbabinski, adamamyl, and 180 other people added this photo to their favorites.
ZigZagNowhere (30 months ago | reply)
extra ordinary...
absentbabinski (30 months ago | reply)
It's an amazing shot and makes quite a statement
adamamyl (30 months ago | reply)
Outstanding.
IHphoto (30 months ago | reply)
Well done to those brave girls and an interesting and refreshing view in probable contrast to tomorrow's papers. Nice 1 Phil.
paul_clarke (30 months ago | reply)
amazing picture - really well done
thereminwar (30 months ago | reply)
well done
ChrisB_uk (30 months ago | reply)
That is an extraordinary & poignant photograph. Top shit, extremely well done. Makes me feel slightly tearful
julian fraser photography (30 months ago | reply)
Great capture, and really great set all-round. I watched a fair bit on the news... Just how bad was it?
Guy Glover (30 months ago | reply)
It is worth pointing out that this is inside the first kettle. The kids, and everyone else, had been there for a couple of hours at this time and were not let out until very late in the dark and cold night, maybe 8 hours later. I hope they dress warmer next time.
I don’t agree with the objectives of the protest but the policing decision to stop it following the agreed route, to kettle everyone until very late and then to photograph and take details of everyone before letting them go (they have no power to do this) were all completely wrong.
Having a right to peaceful protest and to free expression without intimidation are fundamental to any effective democracy. It was denied to thousands today. It should be the role of the police to defend these rights for the peaceful protesters and to deal with the tiny number of violent spoilers.
Instead the police will use the initial trivial vandalism as an excuse for the kettling of the peaceful majority that they knew would inevitably lead to far greater damage.
cddsfv (30 months ago | reply)
brave girls,
davidpridige (30 months ago | reply)
Genuine students protesting peacefully. That is what the day is about, unfortunately rent a mob get in the way, grab the headlines and ultimately destroy all the good work that these brave young people are striving for. Excellent photograph.
thespyglass (30 months ago | reply)
Wonderful.
Thiefree (30 months ago | reply)
These pictures are incredible. These protests are incredible, too. I protested in Cardiff, and will do again tomorrow.
Tamsyn Strike (30 months ago | reply)
The Guardian's caption for a photograph similar to this, is that they were trying to stop the van moving... not that they are trying to stop the violent protestors from doing more damage. Typical isn't it?
kycamlewis (30 months ago | reply)
@ Guy I totally agree, any excuse to supress free speach. If they make it such an unplesant experience I'm sure they are hoping some will be too frightened to ever march again, I'm disgusted with it all. They are going to have a long fight on their hands!
chris.homer (30 months ago | reply)
THIS IS RETARDED
- The van had already been smashed up, what are these silly little girls going to do ? Turn back time?
- If the anarchists wanted to, they could very easily push the little school girls aside; they are weak and pathetic, like girls
Did the police have kettle these little children? What a retarded decision, heads should roll at the met for this. I mean, how fucking stupid do you have to be to think it's a good idea to abuse children's liberty? It's bad enough when they fuck over adults, but this is just so fucked up.
I wish nothing but ill to Michael Gove & Nick Clegg, I hope they both die of AIDS.
Stew Dean (30 months ago | reply)
The van was a plant. No number plates, police stickers stuck over rust and a 'police aware' sticker on the front, the type left on abandoned vehicles.
Ian_ian_Ian_thats_me (30 months ago | reply)
This van was a decoy pinata. strategically placed to soak up aggression and keep us in one place so they could kettle us in. We should have gone after Downing street and Bank of England.
backdoorbroadcasting.net/2010/11/slavoj-zizek -violence-re...
ggailer (30 months ago | reply)
kingduckman (30 months ago | reply)
this is how students should behave. not like the thugs that seem to have taken over these protests
Ian_ian_Ian_thats_me (30 months ago | reply)
To isolate and kettle different groups is a strike breaking tactic established a long time ago. The police need to know we are all on the same side. They are being used as the first wall. The second wall is government and in the middle what we need to get to is the corporations and the banking cartel. In the name profits they will flick the police away like bogies and they too will lose their jobs too.
Harrisimo (30 months ago | reply)
Reminds me, I really must put the second St Trinians film on my LoveFilm list.
danielcoysh (30 months ago | reply)
"they are weak and pathetic, like girls"
Fuck you, Chris Homer, you sexist piece of shit. Some progressive you are.
Nice comment about the AIDS, by the way. Stay classy.
Now, re. the police van: This van was a junker, with a "Police Aware" sticker on the windscreen (standard for abandoned vehicles), no number plates or tax disc and an outdated paintjob.
It was placed there solely to create a target for anger and a subsequent excuse for police excesses.
philcovers (30 months ago | reply)
These girls show a WONDERFUL sign of strength. I bet the press though will concentrate on the bad stuff. The students have a perfectly legimate reason for their demonstration, and I strong support them. The finances of not just UK but of the world are in a complete mess. Growth has been fuelled by ficticious money, and the rich bankers just want to stay rich. Why should they loose their money, if they can make the poor pay? Students had no hand in the financial madness, why should they have to pay. Most people have no idea how serious the financial crisis YET.. If you think it is bad now...Just wait. I support the students wholeheartedly, just not the physical violence. Those girls in that picture are probably the bravest, and most dedicated.
Chris
lundypete (30 months ago | reply)
Whatever you r position on the protests, these girls are clearly making a statement regarding the need for some peace. That takes guts in a pressured environment like that, and deserves high praise. As regards the earlier comment that they appear to be stopping it moving: I think its clear it was not capable of that with or without their assistance, so thats just misleading.
I would of course be interested what the Daily Mail makes of a multicutural group of kids acting in such a mature, civilised, dare I say "british" manner?
R P Mishra (30 months ago | reply)
outstanding !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
razmanlop [deleted] (30 months ago | reply)
why she hug the van?
Charles Budd (30 months ago | reply)
Amazing shot.
hasan.mahmud (30 months ago | reply)
Mind Blowing .... carry on
nemo20000 (30 months ago | reply)
LOL at the conspiracy theorists who think the van was a trap because it was a bit rusty. Fools.
Imagine you have a choice of which van to send to police a potential riot. Do you send the nice shiny new one, or the rusty old one?
Roo Reynolds (30 months ago | reply)
Interesting bit of footage talking to some of the people seen here: youtube.com/watch?v=gZoxzwlDeC8
Jenny Mccabe (30 months ago | reply)
what an amazing image!
tijo (30 months ago | reply)
Fully in agreement with Guy Glover about the kettle tactics. It is a horrible tactic and having experienced it first hand during G20 protests I would say they are essentially trying to defeat the right to protest by wearing (peaceful) people down by detaining for long periods, not allowing access to toilets, food, water, shelter, etc. In future police want to make sure you never get near a protest again for fear of the kettle. They can't seem to just kettle the violent abusive few.
As for chris.homer, it is always the anonymous twats who come out on t'internet with the foulest of comments to rile people. Clearly to be ignored or preferably deleted.
bristly pioneer (30 months ago | reply)
I can just imagine them getting congratulated in school assembly by the headmistress. "Well done girls, peaceful protest has been historically shown to claw back the rights of the poor against rich, the oppressed against the oppressor, the Iraqi's against the US, the ermmm? it got women the vote, errrrr"
mr-greenjeans (30 months ago | reply)
This shot would be so much better if one of them were holding a puppy.
bigheart_live (30 months ago | reply)
Hey you girls arre great.... MY WIFE JOINS ME IN SENDING A BIG PAT TO YOU ALL... AFTER ALL THE NEW GENERATION IS ALL ABOUT RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR...!
Nate1481 (30 months ago | reply)
Decoy or not, "too late" or not, this is the spirit of many at the protest well done to the girls for having the courage to stand up to those who try and hijack legitimate protests to their own ends.
Girl b - Barbara Taylor (30 months ago | reply)
to phil: thanks for taking and sharing this photo
to the girls (if you see this): i'd be SO PROUD if you were my daughters. Hey i'm proud of you anyway! it must have been frightening, but sometimes doing the right thing is. thank you for being so brave. i hope others follow the wonderful example you have set.
hannatutj (30 months ago | reply)
You did the right thing girls
wherediditallgoright (30 months ago | reply)
So, these very kids were kettled? What happens when they need a wee wee? Can any of them step forward and let us know what happened?
All protests attract troublemakers; often leftist extremists.
This is all Nick Cleggs' fault. I am deeply disappointed with that Tory cunt. I'm off Lib Dems for life.
GresaMusa (30 months ago | reply)
girls like this give me hope for the future
Guy Glover (30 months ago | reply)
ggailer I dissagree with your version, some started to be allowed to go at 6:30, the last got out after 9:30. Read this:-
www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2010/ 11/children-...
Valerose (30 months ago | reply)
Goddesses. Gandhi and Emmeline Pankhurst are beaming down at them, no doubt about that.
Valerose (30 months ago | reply)
When did the portaloos come in Holly? Or was that a cheeky aside? My bladder would have been pleased to use the toilet in Trainspotting, was in much discomfort... :-(
greentashfan (30 months ago | reply)
solidarity!
An extraordinary example to us all. I read about Zoe Williams in the front page of today's London Metro newspaper, and inside the standard.
I'd love to get to the bottom of the portaloos rumour. It would be doubly shocking if this turned out to be one of those police press officer lies, because there is a human right to use the loo in private and it's bad enough that meetings like Copenhagen went on for hours with no break.
As for the issue itself one student told me "
"I'm hear largely because I'm angry with tuition fees... largely because I'm angry with the government's assertion that art and design doesn't matter in society."
A Blind Man (30 months ago | reply)
The irony is that those schoolgirls will be amongst the first to suffer the crazy tuition fee hikes in a few years' time.
chris.homer (30 months ago | reply)
These silly little girls were OBVIOUSLY just playing up to the cameras. There are big, strong photographers around to protect the van (or at-least act as a deterrent by taking evidence).
People who fall for this baloney are incredibly gullible; I can't help but pity them. I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed.
chris.homer (30 months ago | reply)
Again, I will state this fact. Let's take the EMOTION out of this. These small girls are weaker in comparison to fully grown adult men. The van had already been trashed. They could have been gently lifted aside by the anarchists, just by lifting them.
I'm just throwing out facts that no-one can rebut. This is proof that I am right.
raysto (30 months ago | reply)
chris and others: there were people around the van at the time who had clocked the fact that the old police van was left there as bait to get the right wing media to take pictures of the trashing. there are youtube vids of people saying "you're just giving the right wing media (Camera pans to reveal a bank of photographers eagerly snapping said damage in action) an excuse!".
the bbc, sky, others, they're all part of the problem. thankfully, due to the Internet, we are able to have a debate about this and about police tactics at demonstrations up and down the country. The demo on 10th November at Millbank, tory HQ: that too could be seen as a tactic by the state to turn potential supporters of the students against them and split the larger movement against western govt corruption and corporate greed, i.e. put a small no. of cops at the HQ, let them trash the place and let the robot media channels film it all .. Keep up the pressure everyone! we will win!!
Kradlum (30 months ago | reply)
@Chris.Homer: Obviously, full grown adult men could have gently lifted aside the girls, but they didn't. The big strong photographers could have protected the van, but they didn't. Of course they didn't, they were more interested in taking photos of the van being smashed up.
Which is kind of the point of the girls doing it. Brains and beauty win over mindless violence. Your "facts" conveniently ignore the reality of what actually happened.