We need to talk about the GRA - Glasgow

And I was to your right Agent!

Hi, terryleather!

@AgentProvocateur

I was sitting with you to your left and you told me your username cause I asked but I don't think I told you mine!

I would be keen to be involved online. My remote location makes central belt meet ups an issue. But keen to do what I can. Have been on here under this and 2 other user names for 4-5 years. Was on the Indy ref threads a lot under another username. Am on Facebook and happy to pm.

We don't even know it was a leak. Maybe the protestors just phoned up all potential venues in central Glasgow and asked them directly, who knows? Also it doesn't have to be that suspicious that activists got inside the venue, they could've just bought tickets like the rest of us and acted quietly enough until the talk began.

It is such a shame that these discussions have to be so secretive in the first place. I do understand it (and this is why I don't want to do stuff via FB) but it does make it harder to talk about any of this to people who aren't already on board. It feels like there's just so little public space where we're allowed to discuss the rights of women and girls - we're shouted at, shouted down, intimidated, have to talk in pseudonyms and meet in secret. I was speaking to someone I actually know there on Wednesday and we each had no idea the other would be going!

I wish we still had an equivalent of the second-wave consciousness-raising groups. It felt a bit like that on Wednesday.

I'm with Seeing and Lemon (hello both!) and would prefer to use WhatsApp.

I know it seems ridiculous that we have to go all this trouble but for so many folk being doxxed could cost them their job so it's potentially really serious.

It will be good to talk to like minded people irl as I think many of us are not able to do that, but for myself I would hope we can make plans to take specific actions like meeting up with MPs which I very much think will have more effect if done as a group.

So, purple hair protester (not Joanna) was among the last to leave Costa, but got to the Grand Central before Venice. That's reassuring, at least he didn't follow/come with Venice.

They were both still outside Costa, not speaking to each other, but both were among the last to leave.

There were two with purple-ish hair. Joanna, who sat at the front and asked questions, and the one that sat in front of me. The three that protested came in together, and I think they came in before Venice.

It's so sad that it has to be like this

I don't have FB, and I haven't been to any meetings yet, but I do want to be more active in the future. It's sad that people like me will be treated suspiciously. I'm not sure what the answer is though.

Also, I think we need a code which all members stick to to stop the scuffles? We should all agree not to get into shouting matches with the TRAs, for example.

Venice was with the purple headed trans protestor that was shouting in the room?

Can we stop with the suspicion? No ticket holders knew the venue until after 6pm - by which time the first venue had already been cancelled by transactivists, and the Grand Central hotel had been targeted from 5.30pm (see their FB post). The leak did not come from any women attending the event. It could only have come from the organisers/speakers.

I'll add that I was one of the last to leave Costa. Venice was still there with our purple headed friend. I walked the long way round to the hotel and both Venice/purple were there ahead of me. May have been coincidence.

I think we’re all getting paranoid now. Look, we’re intelligent mature women. We must be able to organise ourselves, vouch for each other and set up a method of communication. There was ONE TA there who could have been “one of us”. There other two must have got in on her coattails. I’m busy at work and out tonight, but I’ll have s think about how to do it. What about sending a screenshot of your event ticket, with your name on it, your MN name and your phone number to one person to set up a WhatsApp group?

Plectrum has already done the legwork of checking posters’ histories. This shouldn’t be beyond us, ladies!

I still can’t work out who I was sitting beside - two lovely people, immediately behind the protesters. But hello, whoever you are.

I saw the same young TRA woman at Costa, plectrum . I saw her again, hiding in the ladies loo at the central hotel and she looked terrified. I nearly asked her if she was ok and if she wanted to come and sit with me

I’m assuming that she was the person who disclosed the location and not anyone on this thread.

Yes we need to be careful but we can’t mistrust everyone.

I don't think anyone suspects that Plectrum

Don't worry Plectrum, I honestly don't think anyone thinks you were!

I've only just looked at thread since I last posted, just to say no, I wasn't a TRA & I merely listed the posters who posted originally who were interested in going/bought tickets & indicated they wanted to meet up. I did no more than check if they'd been long established posters and/or had posted anything on the trans threads. I had to leave out a few people as the search either brought nothing up or post only went back to point after thread started. 1 did confirm a name change so that was fine. Not everyone had PMs open either. I can't/couldn't vouch for anyone & in the end my organising wasn't needed as the GRA sent details of initial meeting point.

One of the protesters was sat outside the costa, next to me but a tiny distance away. She looked nervous/shy & I didn't recognise her as being a TRA - Venice just asked if people were there for meeting & told those who said yes - that included the TRAs.

If it's suspected that I'm a TRA then I'll not get involved & leave everyone to it.

I agree

I think we should ask for this thread to be pulled

For future meetings, we need to be clear that we don't engage with transactivists if they turn up, we ignore, and get them removed by security.

YouTube footage here

m.youtube.com/watch?v=R_260am03c8&feature=youtu.be

The woman with the grey hair and checked shirt who talked about self harm and the issues for lesbian partners of women who transition is Ruth Greenberg.

I took a lot of notes at the meeting if anyone wants me to check anything

I saw a few people filming the protestors at the start but didn’t realise any of that was up online yet. I’d also like to see it camomile - I was sat at the back and couldn’t see much of what happened after the ITN journalists went up with their cameras.

I've watched the video taken at speaker's corner multiple times and there is a woman dressed in red in it who is not part of the action, but who is waltzing up and down in front of it, weirdly not reacting to it, but grinning in her own little world and (seemingly) making sure she was front and centre . Right from the start that has made me uncomfortable. Is this woman Venice Allen? To be honest Julia Long on the megaphone also made me uncomfortable.