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Brexit
Original poster

It's here! - the day we march against the chaos that is Brexit.

767 replies

OhYouBadBadKitten · 23/03/2019 07:48

A thread for those of us on the march today :)

Weather still looking good, (perhaps, possibly, even some sunshine?) temps around 12-14, a little gusty at times, cooling off in the evening, so bring an extra jumper if you haven't set off.

Travel safely and see you at the march!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
51
Peregrina · 26/03/2019 14:51

I think you will find that you guessed wrong Cherrypi. We had only just got to the Official start of the march at 2:15 and there were thousands of people behind us. I would say the peak times were between 1 and 3.

We weren't counting 'the number marching at once' - it was the total turnout which matters.

TalkinPaece · 26/03/2019 14:52

Cherrypi
Most of fullfacts articles are well sourced and checked
this one was not
they should withdraw it until they have more and better evidence

Cherrypi · 26/03/2019 15:01

Only listening to facts that agree with your view is what got us into this situation in the first place. They agree that there were more people than on the last march.

TalkinPaece · 26/03/2019 15:04

Cherrypi
I regularly read multiple sources on issues.
That fullfact is based on one source of somebody using a theoretical methodology for crowd density rather than cross referencing against the camera footage of the BBC, TFL and multiple other organisations.
It is not up to their usual standards.

If they use multiple sources and come to the same answer, I'd accept it
but they have not.

theDudesmummy · 26/03/2019 15:11

I arrived at Park Lane, by the Dorchester, at 11.30am. My Facebook post saying "still waiting to get going" is timed at 3.39pm. I was lying...I had in fact moved at least twenty feet by that time...

I got to Parliament Square after 5.30pm.

I have been on many marches, was on both the Iraq war marches and many since then. I have no doubt this was the largest.

TheElementsSong · 26/03/2019 15:14

Only listening to facts that agree with your view is what got us into this situation in the first place.

The point is, the "facts" in that Fullfact article are not the actual relevant facts. It's got sweet-FA to do with only agreeing with my own view.

It may be factually correct to state that my garden hose holds 314 cubic centimetres of water. But this is not the required fact if the water company wants to send me a bill for my total use in watering my garden for 5 hours.

Cherrypi · 26/03/2019 15:20

What was your methodology for a higher estimate? What are your sources for that? A lot of replies to that tweet on Twitter state a false police 2 million figure that never existed.

TalkinPaece · 26/03/2019 15:25

Cherrypi
TFL have given numbers

and the camera footage from the helicopters (whose image can be zoomed in to an individual) can be averaged / counted in 15 minute slots and then statistically checked

I am well aware that the police do not give numbers

it is also easy to compare crowd sizes with exact numbers
eg Twickenham kicking out after a Rugby international (88,000)
or the crowd coming out of the Olympic park after a gig (76,000)

BUT
the article is based on a theoretical density
so is not based on the multiple images from the scene

Cherrypi · 26/03/2019 15:33

People's vote tweeted a million marchers at 2:26 on the day so they weren't counting late starters either.

TalkinPaece · 26/03/2019 15:41

@Cherrypi
Were you there?

Cherrypi · 26/03/2019 15:42

They said using the whole area covered and maximum density of 4.5 people per square metre would only get to 700,000. People were going up the sides for a lot of the way so it definitely wasn't at uncomfortable bulging where I was. I did bump into people with my rucksack when they were walking across the crowd but not in the general shuffling.

Mistigri · 26/03/2019 15:44

I don't really know why people debate numbers with non-attenders. It will never be resolved to anyone's satisfaction. All we can say is

  • it was bigger than PV1 and probably than Iraq
  • it was so big that it got people's knickers in a right old twist

Hence the multiple attempts to detail and belittle, to which the only possible reply is to ask what the poster was doing on Saturday that was so important they weren't out demonstrating.

Cherrypi · 26/03/2019 15:51

I agree with both of those facts and I think the million figure is the one in the public consciousness so job done.

Mistigri · 26/03/2019 16:00

I would add that in big marches, personal experience is a poor guide to the size of the march, but people who were right at the back are probably better placed to estimate than those near the front. Anyone who got to parliament square for the speeches is really not in a position to judge - most of the march was behind you!

TheElementsSong · 26/03/2019 16:03

it was so big that it got people's knickers in a right old twist

Exactly this^

I see the convenient Wired and Fullfact articles (which are actually the same thing) are being quoted on various threads here. I can't be arsed to repeat myself over and over, unless I happen to be on that particular thread at the time. So please please please if anybody else sees these articles being quoted, do some debunking as a public service - I do not know if my various explanations on this thread have been useful (I like to think they are) but if you have found them useful, feel free to C&P.

BIWI · 26/03/2019 16:16

The march was at its peak at around 2:15

What does this even mean @ Cherrypi?

Helmetbymidnight · 27/03/2019 10:03

JRM said on the radio this morning about 200,000 - 300,000 people.

And the petition is all bots of course.

He also said, half a loaf of bread is better than no bread. (??)

What the fuck is with this man?

ErrolTheDragon · 27/03/2019 10:07

He also said, half a loaf of bread is better than no bread

Especially if you can eat cake...Hmm

Yaralie · 27/03/2019 10:30

London Transport counted 1.6 million passengers arriving at the thirteen "exit only" underground stations. Of course many came by other means - including hundreds of coaches from all over the country.

PortiaCastis · 27/03/2019 10:38

I went on the night train from St Erth and there were quite a lot of passengers with placards getting off when we arrived at Paddington about 5.30am.......

Motheroffourdragons · 27/03/2019 10:47

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ to protect the privacy of the user.

Helmetbymidnight · 27/03/2019 10:53

I think the argument about numbers is really revealing...

It reveals that Brexiteers think - or are pretending to think - that its only a tiny weeny minority of 'remainiacs' (to quote JRM) who don't like Brexit/want a 2nd vote.

But there's no reason it would just be a tiny weeny number, it just doesn't make sense.

Helmetbymidnight · 27/03/2019 10:55

Oh I guess it makes sense if the only thing you have in favour of your position is the 'Will of the people' claim - I guess you have to try and prove that the will of the people is with you at all times. (Despite growing evidence that they are not.)

[apologies, thinking aloud!)

twofingerstoEverything · 27/03/2019 11:02

Well, for all those saying the march wouldn't achieve anything, Donald Tusk seems to be paying attention at least.

NopeNi · 27/03/2019 12:29

I don't quite understand discrediting the numbers either when aerial footage and multiple eye witness accounts suggest record protests.

Instead, shouldn't they be saying, "look everyone, millions of privileged detached Londoners and EU citizens (along with some rich people who can just afford to pop to London for the day) are all ganging up on us and we need to fight harder than ever"?

Rather than a "nah, didn't happen".