Interesting viewing

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 31 March 2006 22:05:13

Tonight I was watching I predict a Riot on Bravo which made interesting viewing. It was about protest turned violent, partiularly anti-capitalist protest.

As a half hour programme featuring a range of actions it couldn't go into the required depth and so simplified the situations to some extent and over emphasised the way that the spikeys anticipated violence and the police reacted. Having said that they did cover elements of the brutal tactics of the Met. All in all for that type of programme not wonderful, but not too bad. Bit of a Guardian style production really. If you do tune in I would suggest you supplement with extra reading (e.g. 5 Days that Shook the World by Alexander Cockburn, Jeffrey St. Clair and Allan Sekula) to get a better understanding of the underlying issues.

Wonder how long it will be until the Stop the War protests during Condeleeza Rice's visits will be replayed in one of these types of programmes. Oh I forgot, nobody remembers peaceful actions.

On the note of the visit, whilst I fully support the use of the occassion to express opposition to the war and make note of her role within the Bush administration I have to say I feel the fact she has made that visit is brilliant and should be commended. As she and Jack Straw have both stressed it is getting politicans out of capital cities and back to the people and that is important.