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    Re: Tony Greenstein not happy with this "doing down one of the most succesful protests in recent times" 📂 Archived Message

    Posted by Ian M on September 20, 2025, 3:16 pm, in reply to "Tony Greenstein not happy with this "doing down one of the most succesful protests in recent times""

    Disappointing from TG. If the definition of 'success' in this instance is overturning the proscription of PA then the DoJ protests have not been successful. In theory the strategy could work, but it remains to be seen. Meanwhile, as Bevin points out, the experience of all the other groups who have tried the 'get loads of people arrested' tactic has been one of complete failure apart from token gestures that don't cost the ruling class anything (declaring a climate emergency, temporarily halting new oil exploration licenses in an economic context when they're questionably profitable). The judicial/prison system has so far been able to absorb the extra arrests and convictions, and the increasingly draconian legislation makes it less likely that groups will continue to get fodder for their causes in this way. The only 'victory' these groups can point to is in the nebulous concept of 'consciousness raising' or supposed moral victories of making the establishment look bad by forcing it to arrest grannies etc. But the establishment doesn't care about looking bad, it just cares about meeting its priorities of resource & population control.

    If it's not just about stroking egos and virtue signalling - or actively serving the intel agencies in some cases - maybe it's time for activists to try a different strategy?

    cheers,
    I

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