Speaking up
November 4th, 2002 10:22 amI wasn't really sure what to expect but in the end there were about 500 people there all gathered round the steps to the Sheldonian listening to various councillors/CND types denounce the idea of attacking Iraq and the US government for their hypocritical behaviour. In one sense, I wondered what the point was - the only non converted to be preached to were the policemen hemming us in (for some reason we warranted 8 mounted police and 2 battlewagons worth of foot policemen - perhaps the central oxford branch haven't really got anything better to do). It occurred to me to wonder whether any studies have ever been done on how doing protest duty affects the beliefs held by policemen (if at all). I suppose that in the end they weren't speaking to us, just as we weren't really there to hear. We were there to be seen, to make it clear that we don't support this mad idea of starting a war, hoping that, like letters written to the advertising standards, the presence of one person will be assumed to represent another 10 or so who agree but are not interested enough to actually get out there. Like I normally am.