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Original poster

Thinking of going to XR Big One in London on Sat...but will it be very full-on?

218 replies

Noteverythingisasitseems · 20/04/2023 08:25

Want to go, and take DC. I'm not amazing with big crowds, but can handle it if it doesn't get too pushy/shove-like and full on. Never been to an XR gathering before - if you have, what should I expect, please?

OP posts:
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5
Devoutspoken · 22/04/2023 13:48

There are plenty of people who live and work in london who will still be able to get to wherever they plan to go to, albeit a possibly longer journey in some cases, but lots of people can walk, cycle, scoot, take alternative bus routes, train lines etc - there is alot of catastrophising on this thread

Devoutspoken · 22/04/2023 13:50

Satsumastocking, sorry I was referring to the poster who said someone's neighbourhood wasn't normal, whatever that means in this particular context

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 14:59

Devoutspoken · 22/04/2023 09:01

Yes, but is that 'normal' enough?

I regard myself as normal, even boring at times, but that's subjective and you might take a different view. I hope you wouldn't describe me or anyone else as abnormal.

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 15:36

Bamboux · 22/04/2023 11:41

Like I said, to another poster who doesn't live here but was getting her panties in a bunch about disruption,

what a nasty sexist metaphor to use. And I DO live in London- and it has forced me to cancel my plans to visit a terminally ill friend, as I said above.

what made you think I don't live here? Admittedly not within 15 mins walk of Parliament Square, no, but close enough that it's having a negative impact on my life this weekend.

Show quote history

@Bamboux why would I not think you live in London. It's a big place, there are a lot of us.

It's regrettable that you felt the need to cancel your plans to visit your terminally ill friend. Travel in the area affected by today's event appears fine to me, but we must all make our own decisions based on our personal circumstances.

You said that you'd attended a number of events. They are guaranteed to have caused inconvenience and disruption and possibly made people cancel their plans. But you went ahead because you thought your interest was important.

Why is any other interest of no importance because you don't agree or you don't like the people holding those views?

According to you I have no right to express an opinion because you don't like where I live. Other people are middle class wankers or have the wrong colour skin. Excuse me if I'm wrong but I think it was you who objected to a woman and her child disco dancing in front of Buckingham Palace. What on earth could be wrong with that? The front of Buckingham Palace is pedestrianised so they weren't holding up the traffic and probably gave the tourists something else to take pictures of.

What do you think are legitimate matters for peaceful public protest in the United Kingdom? What are not suitable causes, and what powers do you think the police and the criminal justice system should have to stop them and punish the offenders?

If the protest does turn ugly, what do you think should happen to the protesters, police who may have criminally assaulted them or members of the public tempted to take the law into their own hands?

This government would be really keen on your thoughts. They are seeking to aggressively curtail the rights to public protest and would also like to withdraw the right to strike from a raft of workers and portray them as enemies of the state and the ordinary public - including the ones the public generally like such as nurses and doctors.

If this government brings in laws to curtail people's right to peacefully protest, do you think Suella Braverman will say: "Oh, except the marches that Bamboux wants to go on. Can we put in a clause saying the Met Commissioner has to ring her to see if it's okay before going ahead?"

I don't think you do, but I don't understand why you would seek to put any more restrictions on the right to protest. That is what you are asking for.

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 15:51

Devoutspoken · 22/04/2023 13:50

Satsumastocking, sorry I was referring to the poster who said someone's neighbourhood wasn't normal, whatever that means in this particular context

@Devoutspoken sorry to you too. I think I misunderstood you. I am fairly normal though.

My update from the frontline is that (a) the static police helicopter has been up since 8am but the noise isn't that bad. I think the wind is in the other direction; (b) I saw three girls dressed as bumblebees buying snacks in the supermarket. They made me smile but as a middle aged woman who worries about these things now, I hope they've brought coats because it is turning a bit nippy; (c) I also saw a man who'd probably come to stay in a local B&B to compete in the marathon tomorrow, because he was wearing a jacket with his running club logo on it. He and his wife were loading up on chocolate.

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 16:20

Qilin · 22/04/2023 08:22

Most people will be using public transport that would be running regardless. It's not like they put extra trains and coaches on for it..

Special coaches ARE being put in for it.
There are definitely special coaches being out in specifically for the protests/rally from my northern town. I know people going on it.

That's good. The most environmentally sound way of travel to London for a political protest would be to walk, but they haven't really done that in a big way since the Jarrow March.

Trains would be the next best option but rail fares are beyond the reach of many people.

That leaves coaches. It seems like a good idea to put 50 people on a coach to London each so they can express their opinions and Westminster politicians can see how strongly they feel. The alternatives are that they get in their cars or worse, stay at home so they can be ignored

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 16:43

AuntieStella · 22/04/2023 08:29

No, of course I wasn't thinking of any particular individual when I wrote about the size. Just posting what I thought was meant by disruption.

And then adding some thoughts of my own, about the sheer scale of crowds on Sunday.

Because I do think that some posters, in posts scattered across the thread, have not fully grasped how enormously busy the finish area always is. Nor how far round you'll need to walk to reach places that are usually only minutes apart. I noticed a couple of posts saying to bring a map. That's good advice, as phone signal always struggles around the finish, and you may need to navigate round closures and choke points.

Show quote history

Sorry. I live close to the finish line and I didn't realise how long it would take there on the day. Me and my mum had to go all round the palaces. It was three times as long as it would normally take to walk there.

We collected my husband in St James's Park in his section - it was under trees with his surname initial on them. I thought: "Oh fuck! I'm late again." But he was too tired and happy to notice. He even gave me his free sandwich and let my mum wear his medal.

People should be much more prepared for disruption than me, but I agree with you it is a lovely and special day.

Qilin · 22/04/2023 16:51

XR have specifically stated they will not disrupt the marathon.

Apologies, you're right XR have. It is Just Stop Oil, who are also protesting in London this weekend, who have refused to rule it out.

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 17:06

Sausagenbacon · 21/04/2023 21:00

I feel sorry for the runners who will have trained all year to run the London Marathon. Some self-righteous twit is bound to disrupt it, then XR will say 'ah well, we're a very horizontal organisation, we can't control what people do'

The other thing I remember is the protester who tried to wrestle the Olympic torch from Konnie Huq as she ran with it into Parliament Square in 2012 before the start of the London Olympics.

He didn't get very far because he was jumped on by the Chinese state special services people running alongside the plucky little Blue Peter presenter.

He was described as a self-righteous twit who spoiled things, but at the time I wondered why our Home Secretary Theresa May; the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson; and the Met Police commissioner (can anyone remember which one that was?) thought it was okay for a foreign government to send their security services to crush legitimate political dissent in Britain and stand by while it happened.

And now I read about Chinese police stations https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/20/explainer-chinas-covert-overseas-police-stations

Explainer: China’s covert overseas ‘police stations’

Two men in New York are accused by the FBI of being covert enforcers for the Chinese government. Such operations are being uncovered worldwide

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/20/explainer-chinas-covert-overseas-police-stations

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 17:35

Bamboux · 21/04/2023 21:17

At least one poster on this thread has said there are special dedicated coaches being put on from their Northern city.

So yeah, there are

Show quote history

@Bamboux what is your objection to people travelling from various parts of the UK to London, the centre of government, for a political protest? People are always saying the country is too Londoncentric and demanding a voice. So why can't they come?

Let me tell you a story...

In 1984 the miners' strike was going on. I was involved in trade union activism in London and our union invited two NUM members from Yorkshire to speak to us and they agreed as part of their other fundraising and other links with fellow trade unionists in other industries.

It was a lovely day in July and we arranged a meeting in our favourite pub garden. They were horrified. I never realised the police, South Yorkshire but others, were stopping people and arresting them for travelling in their own country without good reason. I wouldn't have believed this if I hadn't heard it, but I did.

We met indoors and bunged them some money for their strike fund. So tell me again why you think the government should have more powers to stop protests?

Bamboux · 22/04/2023 17:38

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 15:36

@Bamboux why would I not think you live in London. It's a big place, there are a lot of us.

It's regrettable that you felt the need to cancel your plans to visit your terminally ill friend. Travel in the area affected by today's event appears fine to me, but we must all make our own decisions based on our personal circumstances.

You said that you'd attended a number of events. They are guaranteed to have caused inconvenience and disruption and possibly made people cancel their plans. But you went ahead because you thought your interest was important.

Why is any other interest of no importance because you don't agree or you don't like the people holding those views?

According to you I have no right to express an opinion because you don't like where I live. Other people are middle class wankers or have the wrong colour skin. Excuse me if I'm wrong but I think it was you who objected to a woman and her child disco dancing in front of Buckingham Palace. What on earth could be wrong with that? The front of Buckingham Palace is pedestrianised so they weren't holding up the traffic and probably gave the tourists something else to take pictures of.

What do you think are legitimate matters for peaceful public protest in the United Kingdom? What are not suitable causes, and what powers do you think the police and the criminal justice system should have to stop them and punish the offenders?

If the protest does turn ugly, what do you think should happen to the protesters, police who may have criminally assaulted them or members of the public tempted to take the law into their own hands?

This government would be really keen on your thoughts. They are seeking to aggressively curtail the rights to public protest and would also like to withdraw the right to strike from a raft of workers and portray them as enemies of the state and the ordinary public - including the ones the public generally like such as nurses and doctors.

If this government brings in laws to curtail people's right to peacefully protest, do you think Suella Braverman will say: "Oh, except the marches that Bamboux wants to go on. Can we put in a clause saying the Met Commissioner has to ring her to see if it's okay before going ahead?"

I don't think you do, but I don't understand why you would seek to put any more restrictions on the right to protest. That is what you are asking for.

Show quote history

What in any of my posts makes you think I think we should have restrictions on the right to protest?

I don't think that XR should be prevented from doing what they're doing. I think they're a bunch of stupid, narcissistic, egomaniacal wankers whose actions are doing far more harm than good to their cause.

There is ample evidence that they are racist fucks who happily exclude minority ethnic and working-class people from their movement. They are not remotely interested in listening to those voices.

Excuse me if I'm wrong but I think it was you who objected to a woman and her child disco dancing in front of Buckingham Palace. What on earth could be wrong with that? The front of Buckingham Palace is pedestrianised so they weren't holding up the traffic and probably gave the tourists something else to take pictures of.

I think you misunderstood my post. I don't think she should be prevented from doing it. I think the fact that she's proud of it and thinks she actually achieved something by doing it is pathetic and wrong. I think it's self-serving bullshit. But I don't think anyone should stop her.

So no. I don't think anyone should be stopping the 'protests'. I don't even think they deserve to be called protests, to be honest. It's a fucking jolly for a bunch of tossers. I hate them, but I don't think anyone should be stopping them (other than when they're blocking ambulances etc.)

I am glad the people at Canning Town had the sense not to get themselves arrested by giving those wankers what they actually deserved.

NetZeroZealot · 22/04/2023 17:43

OP, I hope you went and had a great time.

I know lots of other people who went.

I decided not to because I don't think it will change anything, sadly. I took my DC on The Wave - a climate march in 2009 linked to the Copenhagen climate talks. It was massive, one of the biggest peaceful demonstrations of its time.

My kids are adults now and it feels as if literally nothing has changed in politics.

I hope I am wrong and that The Big One has the impact its organisers want.

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 17:48

@Bamboux so even if people are "stupid, narcissistic, egomaniacal wankers" and you're not, you believe they share your right to protest?

I'm glad we've cleared that up.

Devoutspoken · 22/04/2023 17:55

Bamboux, So it's OK if the protests you attend, screw up others travel plans? Just ones you agree with?

Bamboux · 22/04/2023 17:56

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 17:48

@Bamboux so even if people are "stupid, narcissistic, egomaniacal wankers" and you're not, you believe they share your right to protest?

I'm glad we've cleared that up.

Yes.

I don't believe I've said anything to suggest otherwise. I hate XR. I think they are (provably) racist fucks who, like Just Stop Oil, are almost certainly funded by Shell etc.

I think there are a lot of useful idiots who like to think they're doing something virtuous, while not being prepared to make even the tiniest differences or sacrifices in their own lives, and who stick their fingers in their ears and go 'la la la' if you try to draw attention to e.g. what non-white people say about being alienated and excluded from the movement. I think people who deliberately ignore those voices are racists.

I think the movement as a whole is doing infinitely more harm than good, and that many people who are really concerned about climate change have been permanently alienated from doing anything about it.

I think anyone who thinks that a couple of people 'disco dancing in front of Buckingham Palace' are doing anything at all other than enjoying themselves is either a liar or an idiot. I don't think that it is a protest in any meaningful sense whatsoever.

I still support their right to protest, and would rather you didn't say otherwise, because i haven't ever suggested that.

I don't know why you said, repeatedly, that I suggested removing the right to protest or to strike, because I support both of those rights 100% and would oppose any attempt by this or any other government to take those away. It would be nice if you acknowledged that you made that up.

Bamboux · 22/04/2023 17:58

Devoutspoken · 22/04/2023 17:55

Bamboux, So it's OK if the protests you attend, screw up others travel plans? Just ones you agree with?

I support the right to protest. I hate XR for all of the reasons stated in the comment I just posted, and also on the other thread. I don't think XR is a protest, I think it's a load of self-indulgent, narcissistic, racist wankers doing nothing meaningful and has zero chance of bringing about anything positive.

I still think they should be allowed to do it. Doesn't mean I am happy about it.

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 17:58

I think there are a lot of useful idiots

@Bamboux we agree on that one

Bamboux · 22/04/2023 17:59

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 17:35

@Bamboux what is your objection to people travelling from various parts of the UK to London, the centre of government, for a political protest? People are always saying the country is too Londoncentric and demanding a voice. So why can't they come?

Let me tell you a story...

In 1984 the miners' strike was going on. I was involved in trade union activism in London and our union invited two NUM members from Yorkshire to speak to us and they agreed as part of their other fundraising and other links with fellow trade unionists in other industries.

It was a lovely day in July and we arranged a meeting in our favourite pub garden. They were horrified. I never realised the police, South Yorkshire but others, were stopping people and arresting them for travelling in their own country without good reason. I wouldn't have believed this if I hadn't heard it, but I did.

We met indoors and bunged them some money for their strike fund. So tell me again why you think the government should have more powers to stop protests?

Show quote history

So tell me again why you think the government should have more powers to stop protests?

This is a lie. I don't think this. It is not even a misinterpretation or distortion of something I've posted - it's an outright invention that you have made up ou of thin air.

Will you retract it? Or are you just going to carry on lying?

Bamboux · 22/04/2023 18:00

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 17:58

I think there are a lot of useful idiots

@Bamboux we agree on that one

It wasn't subtle last time. Carry on with these playground attempts at insulting me within the talk guidelines if it makes you happy.

It's pretty shit to keep doing that while simultaneously lying and pretending I've said something I haven't.

commonground · 22/04/2023 18:01

I am in Pimlico. I can see the Houses of Parliament from my balcony. I think I am quite normal. We have a Sainsburys and a Tesco and a Waitrose (OK, maybe not so normal). A laundrette, electrical shop, carpet shop, library, high school and primary school. Pizza Express. Um, loads of chazza shops. Market. Social housing. I have not been impeded today - it's quiet off the main routes.

Lots of people in St James Park, but it was the mini marathon for kids so loads of little ones running and being cheered on - was v fun. I didn't realise that was a thing, but it's a good idea before the main event - makes it worthwhile putting all the barriers out. Plus the weather's been pretty nice, so yeah, a pretty regular day so far.....

JustDanceAddict · 22/04/2023 18:06

I was up near the protest today - dh and I went to see an exhibition. We didn’t even know it was happening and had to cRoss over Lambeth Bridge to get the tube home as no way through on the other side! There were a lot of police around but I saw no issues.
It looked very busy and rammed so def not for young kids. There was a well-being area we walked through but not many people there!!

MNHQ
KimMumsnet · 22/04/2023 18:09

Hello, all. Just dropping by with a reminder to please try to keep posts on-topic and avoid personal attacks. Many thanks.

SquirmOfEels · 22/04/2023 18:20

Devoutspoken · 22/04/2023 13:48

There are plenty of people who live and work in london who will still be able to get to wherever they plan to go to, albeit a possibly longer journey in some cases, but lots of people can walk, cycle, scoot, take alternative bus routes, train lines etc - there is alot of catastrophising on this thread

Mote useful, take the tube and go under the areas with road closures.

The Marathon disrupts some bus routes, with closed roads (no cycling either) and limited, marshalled crossing points.

XR in central London is a drop in the ocean compared to the closures for the Marathon, but the Tube is running pretty normally.

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 18:25

I don't know why you said, repeatedly, that I suggested removing the right to protest or to strike, because I support both of those rights 100% and would oppose any attempt by this or any other government to take those away. It would be nice if you acknowledged that you made that up.

@Bamboux but that's the consequence of what you have said, repeatedly.

Only when the people are the right colour or social demographic or live in the right place (I thought that was just me, I didn't realise that extended to people who want to travel to London by coach) or just do anything you deem pointless or wanky, can they protest.

Meanwhile, you reserve the right to do it when it suits you and sneer at or smear others.

I haven't made any of that up.

If XR's tactics are not good, and I agree they are not, then they will fail. Just like the NUM under Arthur Scargill did. He was tactically inept but there was a lot more to it than that, including people being told the miners were disrupting our lives.

We'll wait and see.

The right to protest is just one of our human rights which are under attack by this government. I don't understand why anyone would support that.

limitedperiodonly · 22/04/2023 18:27

commonground · 22/04/2023 18:01

I am in Pimlico. I can see the Houses of Parliament from my balcony. I think I am quite normal. We have a Sainsburys and a Tesco and a Waitrose (OK, maybe not so normal). A laundrette, electrical shop, carpet shop, library, high school and primary school. Pizza Express. Um, loads of chazza shops. Market. Social housing. I have not been impeded today - it's quiet off the main routes.

Lots of people in St James Park, but it was the mini marathon for kids so loads of little ones running and being cheered on - was v fun. I didn't realise that was a thing, but it's a good idea before the main event - makes it worthwhile putting all the barriers out. Plus the weather's been pretty nice, so yeah, a pretty regular day so far.....

Me too

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