Having transformed “from 100% activist to 30% activist and 70% homeless” in 11 weeks, Parliament Square’s “Democracy Village” is no more.
Hat-tip: Kevin Brennan
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Rich in spirit, poor in spelling: Conor Pope reports from Parliament Square's "Democracy Village"
Parliament Square's "Democracy Village": rich in spirit, poor in spelling
As you may recall, this part of the Scrapbook machine ventured to Parliament Square on Friday to see what would happen when the 4pm eviction notice deadline for the protesters there was reached. After chatting with a few people, I realised I had forgotten to charge the camera battery experienced technical problems outside my control, hastily deduced that nothing more would happen and retreated to the pub.
On my return yesterday it became apparent that if I had stuck around a little longer I would have witnessed a sit-in on the road that resulted in “around five” arrests. Speaking today to Democracy Villagers “Dot” and “Raga” (who also featured in The Grauniad) was more informative than my previous chat with “Friend” but – alas – not as amusing. Perhaps it was the Catholic guilt kicking in but I just couldn’t bring myself to mock them:
The protesters are not filled with confidence that their hearing on Friday morning will clear the way to lodge a formal appeal against the evictions. But their determination to stay on, however, doesn’t preclude a respect for a bit of law ‘n’ order.
Shortly before my arrival the Village had held a meeting to discuss how they might deal with resident/visiting alcoholics and the discarded syringes left at night by heroin addicts. Understandably, some feel this gives the Village a poor image, as well as making its citizens feel unsafe.
This raises questions as to divides within the encampment. Last week I reported how a man who, though against the war, didn’t share the Village’s prevailing view on capitalism had been booed off the platform while speaking. Can they call themselves ‘Democracy’ Village if they exercise such censorship? Dot told me that he favoured an open commune and that no one should feel they cannot express themselves as they wish; those with alcohol or drug problems were equally welcome, as they are vulnerable people who would benefit from the atmosphere and environment.
Scrapbook will report live(ish) from Parliament Square following the court hearing on Friday.
Stay of execution: a video report from Parliament Square's "Democracy Village"
Conor Pope reports from SW1A
Friday afternoon at 4pm was the deadline given to the permanent protesters in Parliament Square’s “Democracy Village” to vacate the area, at which point their occupation of the land would become illegal. It is well documented that many of the campers had no intention of leaving. So armed with nothing but a camera, an intern stolen from Portcullis House and a strong sense of justice, this Scrapbook reporter braved the end of the week rush hour traffic (there seem to be no pedestrian crossings onto the Square) to do some serious investigative blogging and find the real story. You know, the one Murdoch wants to blind you from with his paywall, man.
Being right next to Big Ben gave an odd sense of foreboding, a collective countdown. Not that this stopped one man trying to convince us all that it was four o’clock at 3:58 and that the politicians, sat up there in their castle, had secretly changed the most-watched clock in the world to trick us. Why they would want to confuse us in this way wasn’t clear to me, but it was no doubt part of some wider sinister scheme. Machiavellian bastards.
Unfortunately, very little else was happening, other than people with megaphones shouting. Oh, except for the guy who was against the war, but didn’t hate capitalism – he was booed off (Woo! Free speech!). One protester strummed an acoustic guitar wistfully so that he could get in the paper oblivious to those photographing him. Meanwhile, I tweeted contradictory unsubstantiated rumours from stoned hippies which surely lost me any small amount of respect I may have had in the serious investigatory blogging community, and filmed this:
It would’ve been nice to get an interview with Friend, but technical difficulties were encountered and an executive decision was made to track proceedings from the pub. Maybe next time.
Despite the overtly mocking tone of this piece, I thought it was quite a nice place really; surprisingly clean, a laid back atmosphere and the people are genuinely lovely so long as you pretend to agree with them. I think my moonlighting intern was less impressed. “I remember when there used to be grass here,” she remarked as we arrived. Good job she didn’t go to Glastonbury.
Scrapbook will continue to keep its beady eye on happenings at the doomed encampment.