March for Tibetan Freedom, Photos - Saturday, 10th March 2012

The march heads towards Trafalgar Square.
Photo by Joe Briscoe

"China lies, people die!"
Photo by Joe Briscoe

China: End occupation of Tibet!
Photo by Joe Briscoe

Tibetan Singers
Photo by Joe Briscoe

Tibetan Singers
Photo by Joe Briscoe

Tibetans are sacrificing themselves.
Photo by Joe Briscoe

"What do we want? Free Tibet!"
Photo by Joe Briscoe

"When do we want it? Now!"
Photo by Joe Briscoe

Any photos used must be properly credited. 

#OccupyIOW - How many people make an 'occupation'?

It began in New York with Occupy Wall Street, and first hit the UK in London with protesters camping outside St Paul's Cathedral - annoying both the Church and Frank Miller in the process.

But with the whole world seemingly going into the obscurity of 'occupation', where exactly does the Isle of Wight fit into all this?

Feature and Video Report

by Joe Briscoe

AFTER the many hundreds of people that turned out earlier in the year for the Stop the Cuts March in Newport on the Isle of Wight, the fifty or so protesters that "occupied" St Thomas' Square last week seemed something of a disappointment. Indeed, that figure probably also includes the various members of the public that curiously stopped by for a quick listen.

But as one of the speakers at the rally, Unison branch secretary Mark Chiverton said: "It may not be a huge gathering in terms of numbers, but I think symbolically it is very important."

 Mr Chiverton was himself present back in February for the far larger rally, sparked by the Isle of Wight Council's cuts to local services. Back then however, his message was very different, saying that the huge number of people that turned out sent a clear message to the council that the Island was opposed to the cuts, even calling it "the biggest demonstration on the Island for many years, if not ever."

Back then, organisers estimated more than 1,000 people took part, while a less enthusiastic headcount put the number at a still respectable 500. But with #OccupyIOW continuing to receive coverage in the local press, radio and online, and with protesters themselves going on air to defend the numbers, the question which many islanders are asking is: "does a mere fifty people really equate to an occupation?" 

  

In his speech on November 5th - a symbolic choice of date if ever there was one - Mr Chiverton, who disappointingly chose to appear without a Guy Fawkes mask, went on: "This kind of meeting or "occupation" is really multiplying all over the world" he said. "If you look at websites like wikipedia, it's just an indication of how many such gatherings there are at the moment."

And he's right. If the sheer ubiquitousness of the occupy movement is any indicator of the level of support for it, then it continues to do rather well indeed, with new cities and counties going into and out of occupation every day. Gary Younge of The Guardian wrote this piece on just how widespread the protests are only a day after the rally in St Thomas' Square - even going so far as to mention the Island's antics in it.

So is 50 enough? Let's look at the numbers of some of the other local occupations around the country. Two hundred people turned out in Exeter. The same in Norwich. A hundred in Birmingham - more than enough to get the attention of shoppers in the area and make it into the local paper.

But even away from the big cities where fewer numbers are to be expected, the sheer boldness of the protesters has ensured their credibility. An example of this is the BBC coverage of the ten or eleven people who camped out at Occupy Bournemouth and, mirroring the larger scale protests in New York and London, have been fighting their own legal battle to remain. Even the few up in Nottingham and the handful in Bradford - while having even less turn out than on the Isle of Wight - at least had the determination to bring their tents to the party.

 

 So while the speeches of those that gathered on the Isle of Wight show that the protesters may indeed have valid points to make, it seems that many in the area are just not listening. And while attempting to increase the reach of their campaign may be a risky strategy which could result in sympathetic ears becoming crowds of annoyed christmas shoppers, I can't help but feel the local movement is in need of one of two things.

                                                                                        Either they desperately need to increase their number of supporters to a regular three digits (not the ten people that appeared in St James' Square a week later), or they need to unpack their camp beds, wrap up warmly, and pitch their tents outside County Hall or in St. Thomas' Square. Maybe then, people would take more on an interest in finding out just what this is all about.

                                                                                 "I'm as p****d off with everything else as the rest of you"



Read here on Island Pulse.

"I wanted to say something"

It is not often that one hears the honest words “thank you” spoken to a conservative at a ‘stop the cuts’ rally…

But then this was an interesting day.



The police closed traffic around the town to allow the protesters to march
Photo by JOE BRISCOE

THE HIGHEST estimates reckon a thousand and the local press said 500, but however many people really took to the streets of Newport – county town of the Isle of Wight – it was clear that people were nearing the end of their patience.

For me though, the most fascinating story of the day, wasn’t the drums beating steadily at the front of the surge of people, nor was it the way in which the protesters calmly but defiantly overran the town, forcing police to divert traffic every which way.

No, for me the most interesting moment of this smile-raising display of democracy and the right to congregate came ironically at the very end, as it was all winding up. A number of UNISON representatives had been giving rousing speeches, shouting things like “Egypt yesterday, Isle of Wight tomorrow!”, “this is people power in action” and “contact your councillor and give them hell!”, and the requisite booing of David Pugh, head of the IW council, had been conducted as if he were a pantomime villain.

Footage by Joe Briscoe

And when the final cheer had gone up, the crowd, which has seconds before been baying for blood, slowly began to saunter off home to a cup of tea and an evening of Dancing on Ice. How British.

But then the microphone clicked back on.

“I, I wanted to say something” came the voice, trembling. And the exodus halted.

What followed was an emotional speech from a visably affected man - an ex-conservative politician who had heard the march from nearby and felt the need to speak out against the cuts and his party.

Granted the heartfelt speech went to pieces early on, and a polite smattering of applause signified his cue to hand the mic back prematurely, but the point had been made.



"Andrew Turner welcomes you to the 1980s"
Photo by JOE BRISCOE

After the crowds had once again started to leave, I cornered him and asked him why - as a conservative -he had come down in the first place.

“I didn’t realise it was going to kick off but I heard it. Basically, I’m on the other side" he told me.



"I know the game. I’ve played the game of politics. You’re on a hiding to nowhere. The only way you’re going to change it is to get these people out at the ballot box. I’m a conservative but we need a change of direction."

At that moment, a man from the crowd spotted the still shaking man, came over, and thanked him. "It means a hell of a lot” he said.

I asked him why out of all the people standing around he felt compelled to speak out.

“There’s too much apathy. The world has changed. I’m fed up". He replied.
"I’ve been there. I’m conservative and I supported Mrs Thatcher. Right?”



"But I’ve just about had enough of it. For a start the IOW is the most poverty stricken blackspot. And what’s being done to upgrade it and give life some sort of status or quality? Absolutely nothing."

But while the turnout was surprisingly good, I suggested that surely there are many more people who didn't come down to oppose the cuts. What would he say to them?



Library cuts sparked the outrage on the Isle of Wight
Photo by JOE BRISCOE



“It’s not for me to say why people should come out. But here is so much apathy - so much apathy in this country. I’m not promoting revolution or anything but I’m just saying that there has to be a sense of what’s reasonable.” He looks up as we are again interrupted, this time by a young lady.

“I just wanted to say thank you – that you did that” she smiles.

He looks back at me: “I know an awful lot about the running of the council.”

I push: "But you’ve never felt the need to speak out like that before?

“Never. Well I can see deterioration in what I would call moral principles. I just couldn’t help it, I just heard what was going on and…” he trails off.

And while it is always reassuring to see hundreds of people take to the streets in an attempt to make things right, it is equally as important sometimes to see just one person, who for whatever reason feels the necessity to stand up, take the microphone and speak their heart.

They say cut back, we say fight back, indeed.

Footage by Joe Briscoe

Footage by Joe Briscoe

Free Tibet - 52 YEARS LATER

SECURITY in Tibet has been tightened, and suffocating restrictions on travel in the region have been imposed ahead of the anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising of 1959.

The area has effectively been closed to foreigners, and where once it was very difficult to get entry permits to the roof of the world, it is now virtually impossible.

 

Cosham: Do people in England really care about campaigns
such as Free Tibet?



Back in early 2009 when I was there, it was possible to slip away from your minders and speak to people - even though it was only 8 or 9 months after the 08 riots. It was strictly forbidden of course, but certainly do-able, as we found out.

But at this time of the year, when the anniversary of the largest challenge to Chinese rule comes around, the Chinese police show up for work with just that little extra fire in their step - their fists clenched just that bit tighter.




Emotions are high among the Tibetans still, though hearing that from someone inside Tibet is rare. The Dalai Lama is still blamed by the government for virtually every incident that happens, even though he has made it clear multiple times that he no longer seeks independence - just meaningful autonomy.



Lhasa - the capital of Tibet and the site of regular
protests against Chinese rule.
Photo by: Joe Briscoe



But back over here in England, when many are taking to the streets and waving banners and boards more likely to read 'Stop the cuts!' rather than 'Free Tibet' does anyone actually care anymore?

When the race for labour leader was nearing it's final stages last year, I must say that even though my head knew David Miliband to be the best choice, I still hoped against all hope that he would be beaten by his brother.

Why?



Because of this article in the Telegraph, dated January 9, 2010.

An excerpt:

...a remarkable statement from the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, slipped out on the FCO website on October 29 2008, just before representatives of the Dalai Lama were due to hold talks in Beijing on the future of Tibet.

Buried in the statement was Britain's recognition for the first time that, like "all other members of the EU… we regard Tibet as part of the People's Republic of China". The historic significance of this change was not lost on Beijing, since until then Britain, with its unique role in Tibet's history, had for 100 years been very careful not to recognise Chinese sovereignty over Tibet. The group known as Free Tibet noted that Miliband's concession gravely weakened the position of the Tibetan envoys without getting anything in return – commenting how extraordinary it was that Britain should have "rewarded China in such a way in the very year that China has committed its worst human rights abuses in Tibet in decades, including killing and torture".



The Chinese military constantly patrols the Barkhor Square in Lhasa - the
spiritual home of Tibetan Buddhism and site of regular protests.
Photo by: Joe Briscoe



In one move, Miliband had undermined what so many people had been working so hard towards. Whether there were any gains from the concession we don't know. What did the Chinese offer our government in return for such a statement? But, whereas an admission of such a kind about a multitude of places would have made national press and ruffled feathers, this one slipped past virtually unnoticed. The Telegraph and the New York Times being the two major exceptions.



So the mighty Free Tibet campaign has failed. There is afterall, no hope.

Not so fast.

While the peace loving Dalai Lama grows old and frail and talks repeatedly of 'retirement', a younger generation of Tibetan youths outside of Tibet are growing impatient. They are less tethered to the anti-violence mantras of their spiritual leader, and more outraged than ever before at their lack of a home land. And if the hope of a free China seems so distant, then it is in the hands of this volatile and firey younger generation that the future of Tibet rests.



Lhasa: Tibetans, gathered outside the Jokhang temple in the city centre.
Photo by: Joe Briscoe



Whether or not that is a good thing I can not say - only time will tell. But what would restore my faith in the people of England and the west in general, is an effort to show solidarity. To breach the almost impenetrable wall of lies and propaganda that encircle China and Tibet, and to prove to the world and to ourselves that we care about more than just budget cuts. That while we are able to protest against such problems here at home, we are also able to stand up for those who not only have no libraries or public toilets, but even don't have their own country, or basic human rights for their families.

Today is March the 10th - a very special day in the history of a very special country.

A country which remains bound and chained and tortured.

And while John Humphries may have been suckered in, those of us that truly know China are not fooled.

Free Tibet indeed.

What a day that would, and still could be.

 

England: Cosham railway station.