Student Protests
Discussion
So i'm not any level a press tog (i'm a student), i was on the front line of first violence (even got on TV) but am very jealous of Matt Dunham's shot.
Anyhow here is one of my sets from yesterday
http://www.demotix.com/news/532551/students-protes...
More to come
Anyhow here is one of my sets from yesterday
http://www.demotix.com/news/532551/students-protes...
More to come
Some of the behaviour was terrible yes but...
1) The protest was peaceful until we reached Parliament Square, good atmosphere, music was being played and people were dancing. This changed as soon as we realised that we'd been kettled. Then people got angry (yes maybe this isn't the best thing to do) and that is when it all kicked off.
2) Reports that protestors went off route. Frankly thats bulls
t, the proposed route was blocked off by police so the route was changed.
3) There is always gonna be pricks on stuff like this. It's the same on a night out there is always a group of people out looking for a fight, the genuine protestors are always gonna be infiltrated by anarachists/vandals.
I was there solely for photography.
EMA cuts- i don't give a toss to be honest, i went through school not getting EMA because my parents earnt just over the limit, yet people whose parents had split up (and recieved money from both) together would earn way more, would get it. I had to get a job as soon as i was 16 (paperround 4 years before that) just so i could go out, buy photography gear etc they could sit around knowing money would come in each week.
EMA is just like benefits there's ways round it and people exploit this.
University fees being raised yes that's not on. But to be honest it is the same as now as in repaying it. You won't have to payback till earning over 21k, government will still give loans (well they say they will but since Nick Clegg said he'd fight rises) so it won't stop less advantaged people from going to uni.
I see the passion of people in the protests and alot are genuine fighting for a cause, they are there to fight with their voices and they aren't going to go smashing stuff up. It is just a small minority out of thousands of protestors.
As for not wanting to be there, once your in the midst of flying snooker balls, police hitting you with batons (i managed to only get jabbed once) the adrenaline gets going. Whenever i have a camera in front of me it's a shield i forgot about what could happen to me. It's the same with when i'm photographing animals - adders, sea snakes, bears etc
But since in a ideal world i want to go out to Afghanistan, Gaza etc to photograph conflict those protests were pretty tame
1) The protest was peaceful until we reached Parliament Square, good atmosphere, music was being played and people were dancing. This changed as soon as we realised that we'd been kettled. Then people got angry (yes maybe this isn't the best thing to do) and that is when it all kicked off.
2) Reports that protestors went off route. Frankly thats bulls
t, the proposed route was blocked off by police so the route was changed.3) There is always gonna be pricks on stuff like this. It's the same on a night out there is always a group of people out looking for a fight, the genuine protestors are always gonna be infiltrated by anarachists/vandals.
I was there solely for photography.
EMA cuts- i don't give a toss to be honest, i went through school not getting EMA because my parents earnt just over the limit, yet people whose parents had split up (and recieved money from both) together would earn way more, would get it. I had to get a job as soon as i was 16 (paperround 4 years before that) just so i could go out, buy photography gear etc they could sit around knowing money would come in each week.
EMA is just like benefits there's ways round it and people exploit this.
University fees being raised yes that's not on. But to be honest it is the same as now as in repaying it. You won't have to payback till earning over 21k, government will still give loans (well they say they will but since Nick Clegg said he'd fight rises) so it won't stop less advantaged people from going to uni.
I see the passion of people in the protests and alot are genuine fighting for a cause, they are there to fight with their voices and they aren't going to go smashing stuff up. It is just a small minority out of thousands of protestors.
As for not wanting to be there, once your in the midst of flying snooker balls, police hitting you with batons (i managed to only get jabbed once) the adrenaline gets going. Whenever i have a camera in front of me it's a shield i forgot about what could happen to me. It's the same with when i'm photographing animals - adders, sea snakes, bears etc
But since in a ideal world i want to go out to Afghanistan, Gaza etc to photograph conflict those protests were pretty tame
CarMac said:
So these people are our country's future are they?
I find that quite a scary thought. I think we're doomed. I can understand why people want to emigrate!
Do you think that the people who get photographer being violent and destructive are representative of most students then?I find that quite a scary thought. I think we're doomed. I can understand why people want to emigrate!
Really good photographs, you've documented the day very well. 
Haliatus said:
... University fees being raised ...
Now, without wishing to get into a big political debate here as that is not what this forum is about, but firstly you do realise that they are not actually putting fees up don't you? They're just changing the person footing the bill. Secondly, again I hope you're aware of just why this is being done, it's because UK PLC is frankly skint and needs to make a huge amount of savings.SamHH said:
Do you think that the people who get photographer being violent and destructive are representative of most students then?
Did I actually say that? Whatever the reasons for the change in mood of the crowd, is that an excuse for such violence? Not wishing to start a fight but, everybody seems to be feeling sorry for the 'poor students'. What about the Police who were pulled to the ground from their mounts and kicked and beaten? Is that acceptable behaviour?
I think the increase in university fees is diabolical. My daughter's just finishing the final year of a degree and is going to leave massively in debt. I hate to think how much she would owe if the fees were increased to the levels they're talking about now.
But, however much you disagree with something, violence is not the way to get your opinion heard. All that will be remembered about this is 'students' causing a riot. :/
CarMac said:
Did I actually say that?
Whatever the reasons for the change in mood of the crowd, is that an excuse for such violence? Not wishing to start a fight but, everybody seems to be feeling sorry for the 'poor students'. What about the Police who were pulled to the ground from their mounts and kicked and beaten? Is that acceptable behaviour?
I think the increase in university fees is diabolical. My daughter's just finishing the final year of a degree and is going to leave massively in debt. I hate to think how much she would owe if the fees were increased to the levels they're talking about now.
But, however much you disagree with something, violence is not the way to get your opinion heard. All that will be remembered about this is 'students' causing a riot. :/
No, you didn't say that. That's why I asked you the question: to understand what you meant.Whatever the reasons for the change in mood of the crowd, is that an excuse for such violence? Not wishing to start a fight but, everybody seems to be feeling sorry for the 'poor students'. What about the Police who were pulled to the ground from their mounts and kicked and beaten? Is that acceptable behaviour?
I think the increase in university fees is diabolical. My daughter's just finishing the final year of a degree and is going to leave massively in debt. I hate to think how much she would owe if the fees were increased to the levels they're talking about now.
But, however much you disagree with something, violence is not the way to get your opinion heard. All that will be remembered about this is 'students' causing a riot. :/
If the violence depicted in the photographs is not representative of most students (again, I'm asking a question, not stating what you've said
), why are you saying that the country is doomed and you understand why people want to emigrate?Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff