war within a breath

Demonising Demonstrators

08.21.07 - 09:23am

The media breathlessly parroted the police line that the camp had been “infiltrated by troublemakers”, only it was all nonsense

The mainstream media owes the Heathrow climate camp protesters an apology.

For weeks now, reaching a crescendo during the eight or nine days of the actual camp, these peaceful, democratic and obviously well-informed protesters have been subjected to a sustained series of fabrications and exaggerations.

“Hoax bombs to cause alerts. Assaults on airport fence … Protest leaders calling themselves ‘The Elders’ advised ‘clashes with police will happen’,” shrilled the Evening Standard.

“A hard core of anarchist demonstrators are drawing up plans to bring Heathrow to a standstill using an array of tactics including disguising themselves as ordinary holidaymakers to cause havoc in the airport terminals,” screeched the Daily Telegraph.

Newspaper reports, and to a lesser extent the television news, breathlessly parroted the police line that the camp had been “infiltrated by troublemakers” and was being taken over by monstrous “anarchists”, who cared little for the stated cause but were simply out for a fight with the police.

All of it was nonsense, as pointed out by a bemused George Monbiot in a column written from within the climate camp itself.

The issue I am concerned with here is not the cause itself, although the scientific consensus on climate change is overwhelming, but rather with how protest, direct action and in fact any active concern over public policy which does not go through the soporific “normal channels” is treated by politicians and journalists.

Events such as the climate camp are actually very instructive for any honest media observer. At the first sign of “direct action” the media rallies around the establishment and peddles any number of fabrications with little regard for the facts. Those with power have some redress when they are attacked by the media. But activists and grass-roots protesters have little influence and are thus fair game for reporting filled with the most egregious falsehoods.

When they were not peddling alarmist nonsense, bemused media commentators were questioning whether such protests were worthwhile. Why didn’t the climate change protesters just go through the normal “democratic” channels? Why didn’t they cut their hair and get jobs?

But social and political progress is not simply handed down from above by the wise men of the political establishment. Often, governments and politicians have to be dragged kicking and screaming to implement changes which are later viewed as obviously right and proper, whether it be the end of slavery, votes for women, black civil rights in the US or any number of other causes.

These movements start with the activities of a relatively small number of committed people, people who are often alternately snarled at and lampooned by conservative forces.

Yes, the mainstream media owes the climate camp protesters an apology, although I fear hell may freeze over before they get it.

And for pure entertainment, here is some footage of the climate camp protesters escorting police off the campsite. I happily acknowledge that the police were more restrained than might have been expected but their leading officer’s “report” of events to his superior is priceless.

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