Army protest march 24th July 2012.. what a letdown..

I am writing this as a report on my visit to the protest march today.
I hope many of you have been following this thread;
British Army To March On London

Yes, it was a massive let down here in Plymouth...
But whose fault was it?

It's not so much the peoples fault or the fault of the troops.. I feel it was the medias lack of coverage which was most probably told to keep quiet from above.

Why were the troops not here?
According to one person who came along this morning, it is because they all got sent up the line to London first thing this morning in order to 'secure' the Olympics.
London 2012: More troops deployed for Olympics

From the very little media coverage we did have (which was the day before) some people did manage to turn up.
Plymouth mum's protest as soldier son faces redundancy in Government cuts

Plymouth, as many of you may know, is where the Pilgrim fathers sailed from, it has a massive military and naval presence and has done for a very long time. Sir Francis Drake watched the Spanish armada crash onto the rocks here whilst Drake continued to play bowls...

This is the 1st and 2nd world war memorial. It is rather large with thousands of names on it.


Each one of the dark blocks you can see on the memorial look like this on close up inspection..
full of names;


When I arrived there was one other person there waiting.. This guy, bless him.. 79 yrs old. He has family in service now.


We chatted for a while and we were both wondering where everyone was..
At 10.45am there was still no sign of anyone until this guy and a TV crew turned up, shortly followed by a van full of police..


We waited... and waited.. discussing why were each were here and simply amazed at the disgusting lack of interest by anyone else..
Then, finally some others did turn up;

And then approximately another 6 people arrived..

I have to asmit that I was impressed by the amount of media reps that arrived.. one from a newspaper, two from TV, one from radio and a couple of others from similar backgrounds.. Being outnumbered by the media was bizzare..

Of the people that were there, they were generally shocked as to how many people did not bother to come.

I really must apologise to each and every person in the forces who has suffered and will suffer at the hands of proposed cuts. The poor performance at todays protest was unexcusable.

We held two minutes silence in respect of the fallen and released a bunch of balloons.


Various interviews were carried out by the respective media and we are hoping to see some coverage on tonights local news and in the papers tomorrow.


We then all marched (strolled) down to the council offices only to be greeted with one final slap in the face...this sign..


A big thank you to ALL that attended..
and a big "where the hell were you??" to all those that didn't make it..
If you're in the forces and were being shipped to London, you're forgiven
Anyone else.. shame on you..


I hope that you are all able to report on your days experience at any of the protests that also occurred around the country..

I did wonder where some of my fellow British ATS'ers had wandered off to.

Yes it was a shocking letdown. Perhaps it was just badly timed just before the Olympics hoohar and has unfortunately been swept under the carpet by the media in general. The only thing I know of locally is that over 10,000 have signed to protest against the scrap of the Staffords 3rd Battalion of The Mercian Regiment

reply to post by Suspiria


I think it is worse than that..
I think it was deliberate..

I think the G4S scandal was just a bit of a ploy to get troops away from any possibility to do any protests.. Keep the troops busy and occupied right up to the point where they get kicked out of the forces..

Not ONE active soldier turned up this morning.. and what's worse is that there is a Royal Marine barracks slap bang on the Hoe...right next to the memorial.. a walking distance of three or four minutes..

Someone, somewhere, pulled some very strong strings in order to keep this out of the publics eyes and minds in order to get this swept up..

I can totally relate to this thread.

I thought i'd go along to Southampton's war memorial, i figured a big city like that with it's own regiments would probably muster up quite a gathering.

At 11am i was stood in front of the cenotaph with....wait for it....two other vets. That was it. No serving members, no family members, nobody. The press out numbered us.

I got there at 10am but as i wasn't too fussed about being filmed, i sat across the road and waited for the crowds. I saw one guy chatting to the film crew and a couple of local press. Then a guy spotted me and walked across, he was a veteran and we chatted for a while before going across and joining the one guy already there.

We had a brief chat to the press, said our piece, even they said it was a shame more couldn't turn up.

We did a couple minutes silence in front of the cenotaph before holding a very informal vigil nearby. More of a chat really but the organizer shared poems and prayers that people had given.

I won't point fingers and ask why people weren't there, i appreciate some work or have other things on. Just a little surprised there was just us three. I'm actually glad serving soldiers didn't turn up, i'd have been quite embarrassed for them seeing so few people there.

Thumbs up for those who worked hard to attend and organize this event though, as i said to the reporter today when she asked about the cuts, "People won't know what they've got till it's gone.".

CX.

reply to post by Extralien


I can't really argue with you there. It does in all honesty seem suss which ever way you look at it.
I'm just waiting to see if my local rag reports anything occurring today. It's not like my lot would let this slide without someone turning up, even if it's just a load of golden oldies.

Boy say's there's been plenty of chatter about it at Cadets, but he's not heard of any turnout locally happening. I'm sure he'd be required to turn up if there was. He usually is.

reply to post by CX


I'm sorry to hear that you had less than us turn up.

We did have a couple of poems read out to us by the 79yr old..

here they are;



One thing did touch my heart today... and that was the passion all of these people had in their hearts in respect for the troops and their serving family.
One couple turned up who were happy to anounce they had nobody in the service but were just there to offer support.. fair play to them..

Just found this tucked away on the BBC news web site...

Parents of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are protesting against planned cuts to the British army.

Demonstrations are being held at 61 war memorials around the UK, including the Cenotaph in London and in cities including Glasgow, Leeds and Cardiff.

The action was organised earlier this month by Dee Edwards, of the Protest Against MoD Cuts group.

Francesca Williams BBC Newcastle, at Old Eldon Square

The demonstration, billed as peaceful, is just that.

There are perhaps 50 people, some clearly veterans of conflicts, wearing their medals

www.bbc.co.uk...

So now the event is over, they make it news.. and just had to mention the 50 that turned up..

So, out of three locations, we currently have a total of about 80 people who managed to get out of bed this morning.. Am still waiting to saee what happened at the Cenotaph and other places..

Originally posted by Suspiria

Boy say's there's been plenty of chatter about it at Cadets, but he's not heard of any turnout locally happening. I'm sure he'd be required to turn up if there was. He usually is

Funny you mention cadets..

There is a school next to me that has a rather large amount of students that are cadets and regularly go to school in their camo..
I often look at them and wonder if they have any idea what they're letting themselves in for if they ever get to be taken up by the forces or how let down they'll be when they find there are no places for them.
Many times I ponder asking them questions but I'm sure they'll think I'm some loony conspiracist nutcase trying to brain wash them..

Nice to know that the chatter is going through the cadets though.. kinda heart warming when the young are getting the gossip too..

Originally posted by CX

At 11am i was stood in front of the cenotaph with....wait for it....two other vets. That was it. No serving members, no family members, nobody. The press out numbered us.

WOOT!!!

Your report of three people at your location is confirmed
I'm so glad you were there..

A series of low-key protests have been held across the country against proposed Government cuts to the Army.

The small-scale demonstrations, which involved parents of serving soldiers, were held in several cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle, Cardiff and Southampton. A protest was also carried out at the Cenotaph in central London.

In Southampton, three former servicemen gathered to hold a two-minute silence at the Hampshire city's cenotaph.

www.standard.co.uk...

Notice they say 'low key' yet the plan was to apparently swamp them with troops..

10 in Leicster...

In Leicester, around 10 people gathered at the war memorial in Victoria Park where they said prayers for soldiers and held a two-minute silence.

and here's what they say about the Plymouth gig...

In Plymouth, a city with strong military ties, protesters released 20 yellow balloons in support of the thousands facing redundancy under current plans.

Sharon Privett, mother of Lance Corporal Richard Privett, a member of the 23 Pioneer Regiment unit in Bicester which is due to be disbanded, said the protest was designed to chime with a national feeling of upset over defence cuts.

Speaking from the Devon city's war memorial, the 46-year-old said: "This career is what my son has dreamed about since he was tiny, so we are disgusted that it could be taken away from him and others. A city like Plymouth with a strong military tradition needs the armed forces. It is part of the make up. David Cameron came here on Armed Forces Day and shook people's hands - I hope he is listening to the protests now."

It's almost 5.30pm and am waiting for the TV news.. hopefully we'll get to see some of the protests today and maybe catch them online to post here.. just to remind all of those who didn't go exactly what they missed ..

Yahoo have simply copy/pasted what the Standard has said..
uk.news.yahoo.com...
The same for Wales online !!!!
www.walesonline.co.uk...

Do these people just buy the same story? Don't they do any of their own footwork anymore?
Maybe they've faced a 20,000 made redundant situation as well and were too embarassed to report on it!!!

reply to post by Extralien


Just reading through the reports now, looks like they used the same report for many newspapers too.

Lots of different sites now talking about it, but like you say, why now and not before when it mattered.

CX.

reply to post by CX


Yesterdays news is usually more talked about than before an event.. nothing to gossip about before hand I suspect..

Looks like they shipped the same story around the country whithin an hour of it being releaased.. only took the "media" people a few moments to upload it onto their relevant sites.. Check the time stamps..

City protests against Army cuts

A series of low-key protests have been held across the country against proposed Government cuts to the Army. The small-scale demonstrations, which involved parents of serving soldiers, were held in several cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester,...
Selby Times, today, 13:59

City protests against Army cuts

A series of low-key protests have been held across the country against proposed Government cuts to the Army. The small-scale demonstrations, which involved parents of serving soldiers, were held in several cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester,...
Dinnington Today, today, 14:01

City protests against Army cuts

A series of low-key protests have been held across the country against proposed Government cuts to the Army. The small-scale demonstrations, which involved parents of serving soldiers, were held in several cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester,...
South Yorkshire Times, today, 14:03

City protests against Army cuts

A series of low-key protests have been held across the country against proposed Government cuts to the Army. The small-scale demonstrations, which involved parents of serving soldiers, were held in several cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester,...
Bridlington Free Press, today, 14:04

City protests against Army cuts

A series of low-key protests have been held across the country against proposed Government cuts to the Army. The small-scale demonstrations, which involved parents of serving soldiers, were held in several cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester,...
Brighouse Echo, today, 14:08

City protests against Army cuts

A series of low-key protests have been held across the country against proposed Government cuts to the Army. The small-scale demonstrations, which involved parents of serving soldiers, were held in several cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester,...
Dinnington Today, today, 14:21

www.newsrt.co.uk...

Seems others had fun and possibly had a better turn out..

Dee Edwards Mbe
Just home from London. I could see all the posts coming in on fb but couldn't reply while I was on the train. I am so incredibly proud to have been a part of what we all did today, and to know that nationwide, and in Germany, Arnhem, France, Holland, NZ, Australia and Soweto others were standing in their own towns and villages doing the same. I have heard people say that in some places there wasn't a lot of people at the vigil but this is a Tuesday morning when most people are working and its only the beginning, whether there was 1 person or 100 people it was all about doing our bit to show the armed forces that we support them and to show the Government we disagree. The police and the press have been brilliant today too and every single vigil was peaceful as we said they would be. 61 vigils across the country and not a single incident. Well done and thank you to everyone. Great to meet the vets at the Cenotaph this morning - oh how lovel...

www.facebook.com...

June Collie
Peaceful Vigil went so well,good turn out,more for the Next One...

www.facebook.com...

So what, though, if it was a Teusday morning.. people had a month to book the time off work..
And the amount of people on these FB pages that said they were going? Just what happened?
Going (2,624)
6,887 members
!!

Still...none of this has put me off and I will still support this.. This thread is in no way designed to discourage..
It's more to give people a shake and get them awake..

So far on the BBC evening news.. nothing..
Just waiting for spotlight news now, although some of the people on FB (linked above) are saying they're waiting for their local news too..

landslide in Dorset..
fisherman is a hero..
police raid a house after a gang of dealers... that's the headlines.. might get something..

oohh.. we're on..
yup...got us..

O my word!!!

They've shown my interview... blimey..

oohh.. I'm on twice..
Hecky thump..
showing the balloon release too .

WOW!!!
Am I pleased with that ..
Really glad we got a decent bit of coverage

Thanks so much spotlight..
gonna try to find this online now..

reply to post by Extralien


Lol my dad just phoned and said he'd seen me on the local news too in Southampton, he said he'd taped it lol.

I didn't even want to be on camera, but couldn't help it when we were stood in front of the cenotaph. If nothing else it will be video evidence to remind me i need to lose weight lol.

CX.

reply to post by CX


hahahahahaha...
Exactly the same for me too

What a day..

One thing I'm proud of.. we went, we were there.. we did our bit.. and will again.
I've recorded mine, but my player wont connect to my pc for me to copy it.. trying to find it online might take a while.
Will definitely post if I get it..

Originally posted by Extralien

So what, though, if it was a Teusday morning.. people had a month to book the time off work..
And the amount of people on these FB pages that said they were going? Just what happened?
Going (2,624)
6,887 members
!!

Thats what i can't understand? How many of the soldiers facing the chop went to the London one?

Considering the amount of "Braveheart style" quotes, bravado and pictures being banded around the net, i really thought this was going to be quite a momentous day.

Maybe many had been reassigned to the Olympics? Who decided to hold it on a weekday anyway? Bit stupid that. Maybe last weekend would of been better.

CX.

reply to post by CX


Yeah.. did you notice there was no national TV news coverage of this.. only local news reports..
Yes, the UK gets to hear about it, but not in the way it was intended to be heard by the protestors.

I stand by my idea that this has been deliberately hushed up in order to stop the potential bravado as displayed in many a post/thread and FB comment..

The last thing the UK gov want is its citizens getting the idea that the army are on the move against them..
What with cuts in the police force, the bank scandal and the trillions in hiddoen off shore banks to avoid taxes, the bristish people would surely side with the army and rise up against the gov...

Where's EvanB and StuMason when you want them???

Originally posted by Extralien
reply to post by Suspiria

 

Someone, somewhere, pulled some very strong strings in order to keep this out of the publics eyes and minds in order to get this swept up..

This is what i am thinking too.

What i find weird is this, i can understand if the soldiers had been posted somewhere else like the Olympics. I could semi understand it, and half expected it if the soldiers were read the riot act by the CO's and RSM's about going.

What i can't understand is why when family members have stated in the news that they will be going, didn't?

Example...

PARENTS of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are to take part in a demonstration in Southampton as part of a national day of protest against plans to reduce the size of the Army.

Events are also expected to be held at war memorials in cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle and Cardiff on July 24.

Southampton demo against Army cuts

Yet there were just 3 of us, ex-forces, no families, no civvies. Maybe they were at other war memorials in Southampton, i just thought they would have gone to the main one? If they were at other memorials, then i apologize.

I did hear someone say today though that one of the Hampshire regiments that were due to be cut had been saved, so i hope it wasn't a case of, "It's not happening to ours so we won't bother".?

I'm just venting really, feel a bit bad for those we were supposed to be demoing for. I feel like phoning the press officer of the local regiments up and asking if they were advised not to go? Hopefully EvanB will be able to shed some light later.

I think it should have been a weekend day.

CX.

Just spoke to a friend of mine in your infantry
He's told me his entire station has been subject to a leave ban ( not able to take days off ) due to the Olympic security debacle
Hmmmm convenient !
And as he stated
If someone was to skip work to attend, would have been charged as AWOL thus subject to disciplinary action and possible time in military prison
The Brits is called the glass house ( or was in the 90's when I swang by that way )
Not the most pleasent of places to go !
But it's not as it was now

Please excuse the sound quality.. done the best I can as am not yet able to get higher quality online.