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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to take 7 yo DD on an EDL march?

106 replies

bejeezus · 04/07/2012 09:59

Id like to encourage a bit of political activism
Or at the very least, political awareness
show her that you can stand up against what you believe is wrong
you're either part of the problem or part of the solution etc etc

or do EDL protests get rough?

OP posts:
Scheherezade · 04/07/2012 12:36

What pombear said.

BrittaPerry · 04/07/2012 12:37

We take our two and five year old dds on political marches etc, as well as general politicalised events like the Durham miners gala. Dd1 even has her own placard that she mde with a sad face and 'David Cameron, stop it!' that she did for the November strike last year. They both sing the red flag, have appeared in leaflets as 'young familes' and so on. They love it, and I think it very very important.

I wouldn't take them to an anti edl march. DH once got arrested for deviating from the course of an anti nazi march because the NF were throwing rocks so he was running away.

imnotmymum · 04/07/2012 12:39

Sorry EDL ???

AKMD · 04/07/2012 12:43

I wouldn't, on either side! The town I live in has regular protests like this and we always make sure we're away for the day after seeing people in ski masks heading into the town centre the one time we were here.

rockinhippy · 04/07/2012 12:46

NO - DON"T DO IT!!!!!

Where as I can understand your reasons for wanting too - not with your DD - I've got caught up in a couple accidentally when crossing town & YES, they can get VERY rough & IME its not even safe to go near, let alone take part usually down to heavy handed Police tactics herding them away from the expected route

I've had a couple of very hairy experiences trying to get 9 yr old DD out of the way & to safety, whilst watching non local Police ram raid on horse backHmm - really P'd me off actually as I try to bring her up to respect the Police & I had to answer a lot of questions that I was none to happy aboutAngry - protesters were lovely though & it was thanks to a couple of them that we got the heads up it was kicking off

FatherHankTree · 04/07/2012 12:49

It's not a good idea. There was a march in a nearby town a few weeks ago and the police contacted schools, saying everyone should avoid the march as they considered it likely it could turn violent. It didn't, mostly due to a huge police presence.

Original poster
bejeezus · 04/07/2012 12:50

yes, I can see now, what a fucking stupid idea it was really Blush
i think EDL marches/anti marches probably become very personal and not so political

just read this;
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-18694422

Maybe Pride instead!

Latara I am very wary of bring my dcs up to trust and respect the police implicitly, actually

OP posts:
FreudianSlipper · 04/07/2012 12:55

no. they will not care that you have a young child, they will still swear, be aggressive, spit and it could easily turn violent. i have been in a protest that turned violent and i was 18 it is vey very scary and can escalate so quickly and easily get out of control. and remember many edl supporters will be going to cause trouble

wait for a few years

FreudianSlipper · 04/07/2012 12:58

pride is a much better idea :)

WorraLiberty · 04/07/2012 13:00

Lol it didn't take long to be talked out of it, were you ever really going to take a 7yr old on a protest march like that in the first place?

I agree with everything Squeaky has said.

Let her be a child and you can go on your marches without her.

You don't need to drag them along and place them in danger to influence them...there are many other ways.

manicinsomniac · 04/07/2012 13:01

When the EDL came to a town near me all the local churches organised a clean up operation the next yday.

Is there anything like that that you could both go to instead? It would teach her the message without the danger maybe?

squeakytoy · 04/07/2012 13:04

I just dont think there is any need for a 7 year old to have political activism and awareness foisted on her at all.

She is 7. She should be innocently playing with her mates, not being dragged on marches and protests for things which 7 year old have no need to be aware of.

Why cant you just let her be a child for now?

rockinhippy · 04/07/2012 13:06

I'd second taking her to Pride, DDs been going since tiny & LOVES it Grin -

Though stick to the the main event, not the street parties, especially later in the day when the beers been flowing - made that mistake one year, couldn't get her out of there quick enough Shock

Latara · 04/07/2012 13:08

bejeezus - i understand re: the Police; i don't trust them either - but i'm just thinking that it's useful for your DD to not be too scared to call them in case she ever becomes a victim of crime or witnesses a crime (eg. mugging, burglarly etc).

rockinhippy · 04/07/2012 13:09

Oh - & the only name link the DCs in School have ever made to Diana, has been when learning about Ancient Greece & they were all jealous she had such a cool name :)

rockinhippy · 04/07/2012 13:10

Blush Think I just added to the wrong threadConfused

Latara · 04/07/2012 13:10

burglarly - sorry i don't know how to spell it Grin

girlpancake · 04/07/2012 13:10

I am all in favour of political awareness but I would give this a miss. I went on one where the old style bnp turned up and I nearly got eaten by a police dog.
There's lots of lovely intercultural melas on right now ( Asian music festivals). They are usuaally v family oriented, great food etc. would really show her the positive side of a more varied society.

Original poster
bejeezus · 04/07/2012 13:12

very interesting though rock Grin

OP posts:
MissM · 04/07/2012 13:14

Was about to write pretty much everything Bandersnatch said. Absolutely agree with taking kids on marches. We were taken on all kinds by my parents in the early 80s and my dad kept a very close eye out so he could whip us away at the first sniff of unpleasantness. But I would be nervous of anything anti-EDL or BNP. Completely disagree though with people saying that it's not ok to show your kids what your views are or that these things aren't appropriate. How about taking kids to church? Isn't that doing exactly the same thing in terms of imposing views?

Latara · 04/07/2012 13:16

girlpancake - my sister knows a police dog-handler; during a chase the dog went into the wrong garden & 'caught' the homeowner mowing the lawn. Doh!! Dog ended up retiring young & got turned into someone's (very lively!!) pet; homeowner ended up terrified of dogs....

WorraLiberty · 04/07/2012 13:29

When I was about 14, the Police knocked at the door and asked my Dad if they could go through to the back garden as they were arresting someone in the next street, and thought they might leap over the back fence.

I was in the lounge eating a fry up on a lap tray (slob) and as my Dad led the Police officer and his dog through, the fucking dog buried its head straight into my plate and nicked a sausage! Shock Angry

I always thought they were better trained than that Grin

Original poster
bejeezus · 04/07/2012 13:31

Grin Grin Grin worra

see....even the police dogs are shifty

OP posts:
StuntGirl · 04/07/2012 13:32

squeaky It sounds like your parents just hammered the message home without trying to make it interesting/relevant to you. No wonder you were turned off it!

I have always been involved in environmental/political issues and thank my parents for discussing these matters with me and letting me get involved. I would do the same for my kids without a doubt.

girlpancake · 04/07/2012 13:35

worra and latara was totally my own fault. I looked at the length of the dog lead and stepped back. Unfortunately forgot to allow for the length of the policemans arm, as the dog leapt towards my face.