Friday 27 June 2014

To The People's Assembly and Beyond

So last Saturday we all headed for London and our Summer Solstice day of action. Full of anticipation and schemes of action, we headed to the meet up at Trafalgar Square, we soon bumped into “Megaphone” Mitch amidst a queuing crowd. Unfortunately Trafalgar Square had been taken over by a huge West End Show day and this hindered meeting up somewhat! I got down into the square by queue-jumping an angry crowd and decided to make us seen. I put up a huge #WaveOfAction banner in a sea of musical fans and removed my dress to reveal a very fetching BorisWatch baywatch costume and hoped we'd soon be spotted.

As much as I love a bit of the Phantom of the Opera and I really wanted to occupy the show with a mass meditation, I felt, spiritually, it was not the ideal venue to relax and enjoy the mediation for the Summer Solstice, World Prayer and Peace day, so we relocated to Leicester Square. I cant help but feel it blessing, as we found a nice grassy area and some trees to sit under. It was so peaceful, serene and, after the initial police interest, very uninterrupted.

David Wright led the meditation again with his Tibetan Sing Bowl, which produces the most amazing tones. He spoke a few words about meditation and things we might like to visualise and want to see more of in the world, such as like peace, change, hope, love. And for a moment in unity we became at one with each other, the busy London Street, the world and the change we all desire so badly.

After a hour or so and a regroup, we started preparing for the tube ride. We had a really great group of people with us dressed in various amusing beach wear. We handed out #WaveOfAction wavers, bubbles, inflatables and headed to the tube station. With such a witty bunch we soon had great slogans and chants flying around. We enjoyed a police escort to the Charring Cross tube station until the radios no longer had signals ;) lol, and gained a lot of attention from other commuters. On the actual tube ride passengers joined in clapping and blowing whistles, in fact, our chant of 'If you hate Boris Johnson Clap your Hands!' received a lot of claps from spectators throughout the march on the streets of London.

When we arrived in high spirits at the BBC and the People's Assembly we had planned to hit the Paedophile Statue above the main entrance, but security was far too tight to get close (we had a giant 'BBC fixed it for me' badge for the little boy to wear). We did, however, use poles get the badge high up on the side of the BBC. The numbers were already high when we arrived and people kept coming for a hour or more, as we waited in the blistering heat to march on to parliament in a mass show of our discontent to Government austerity and corruption. The march was jubilant, with chants bellowing out the whole way. We did a good job at leading our section until the voices caved in from shouting. We gave out bubbles and wavers to the kids along the way and bantered with the spectators.

We stopped by Downing Street and voiced our feelings. A spontaneous chant of 'David Cameron is a wanker' soon erupted across the masses and various groups made statements here. The whole march was good spirited and without trouble, which is the real reason for no mainstream media coverage, because plenty of media and news teams WERE THERE... We photo bombed them enough to know. They were there in case riots broke out or stand offs with police happened. They were there to demonise any action we take but when no such opportunity arose, they fucked off and never reported the tens of thousands of irate citizens, pushing for the democracy they were promised and the change we all so desperately need.

At Parliament Square we managed to occupy a patch of shade for the day and chilled, listening to the various speakers, catching up with old friends and plotting. We really had a fantastic day and everyone who attended should be proud to have made a stand. Big up the People's Assembly for getting it so right.

So That’s The Narrative Of Our Day, But What Has It Achieved?

For me it has achieved so much, it has confirmed what my heart has been telling me all along. Starting, as the day did, with meditation: our spiritual growth is fundamental, the more we open up to the realisation we are spiritual beings and take time to be be still, to contemplate our decisions, remove our egos and have empathy, the more just our actions will be. The more we understand ourselves, the better we understand others and the less we put them on pedestals or hold unrealistic expectations that can only lead to conflict and let down. The more we feed our spiritual need, the less we use consumerism to fill a void in our lives and the more we crave freedom and a return to nature. More than any march, that is our ultimate power - self reliance and non-compliance. Once people have regained these on a mass scale, the power balance will tip in our favour.

Loosing ego and brands, that's what Saturday was really about, and what I have been saying for a long time. Let us forget our group names/union/brand/who came up with what idea, and come together to support as much as we can. The People's Assembly did a really good job at reaching out and connecting the many different groups and unions, and united us were there should never have been divisions in the first place. If the NHS, Teachers, Occupy, The People's Assembly, Anti Cull are marching next week there is nothing stopping you/your group and banners joining to show that your group supports them. We need to support others more. We all have a common goal and common enemies - most of which falls under 'Anti Corruption'. Not one person is going to save us from the system, not a single group, even, but a collective of people and groups. A simple change of thinking by humanity as a herd can reshape the entire future and society for the good. We just need to connect and reach out.

I know I've said it before, but I'll keep on saying it till it sinks in: let's start connecting locally, join a local group or union, and if there's nothing near you, then start one! How many like-minded people like you are there searching your area for the same thing? Connect, talk to people about your views, lets get government corruption and conspiracies into everyone’s days-to-day conversations. As cuts get deeper and the cost of living continues to soar, fewer and fewer people are going to be able to afford to keep travelling to London for demos. But if we form local collectives, we can chip in for buses and cut costs. We can mobilise across the country for combined national action and hit areas not used to dealing with sizeable protests. The People's Assembly has regional groups, as does Occupy, Anonymous, and various unions. Join in!

We need to adapt fun, quirky methods of reaching out and engaging with the masses. Our flashmob tube ride was a great success on that front. We made a political statement in a non-threatening, funny way. We disrupted no one, but people questioned and joined in. This is very much our way forward. We will attend and support events, but start doing more flashmobs and political stunts, that may make people laugh and share online, therefore reaching people who maybe would not think of attending a protest.... Well, not just yet anyway ;)

This also helps with the lack of mainstream media. If tens of thousands can march in Manchester or London and not make the news, maybe we need to find alternative ways to reach the people. Think along the lines of 'the Revolution will not be televised' and the fun we can have and the numbers we may reach. If this sounds up your street, get in touch about getting involved or set out and do your own.

A Final Word

Hats Off to the organisers and volunteers last weekend, you put on a great march. We really hope people continue their support and the momentum just keeps growing! 

For more great photos click here 













































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