Ctrl.Alt.Shift @ Anti-Militarist Network Gathering
The Cowley Club is the revolutionary's dream - protest call-out flyers cover the walls, and radical texts line the shelves, covering topics from guides on how to be an urban guerrilla to why capitalism is a joke. Or in my eyes, home sweet home.
I was down in Brighton for a two-day gathering of the newly-formed Anti-Militarist Network, and my first experience of the organisation, in the build-up to the Smash EDO mass street party slash demonstration on Monday 4th May.
There was a lot planning to be done - in particular, preparing to mobilise for the NATO Parliamentary Conference, due to take place in Edinburgh in November. After my anti-NATO protesting experiences from Strasbourg, who knows what the Scottish capital will witness later this year.
Being at the AMN gathering was a fascinating experience, and it was a privilege to be a part of something which I could imagine achieving serious goals in the future. When the newspapers report that NATO have dis-banded under the sheer pressure of "a nation of millions", at least I can say I was there at the start, while the revolution was nothing more than a glint in the eye. Or maybe I'm dreaming. The time it took to make decisions could get a little frustrating at times, for example spending half an hour deciding what date to put on the flyer, but on the other hand, it did feel like solid progress was being made, and it was clear from this gathering that the commitment and solidarity of a few could far outweigh a huge but disunited movement of activists.
It was good to see that the majority of the AMN were young people, again completely discrediting the mass media myth of our "apathetic student generation" - can someone please show me where they are? I'm not saying that every student in the UK is advocating the overthrowing of the British government, but I hope those who aren't wake up and smell the coffee some time soon.
It was also nice to get a free lunch... even if it was [tragically] vegan.
We returned to the building the next day for a series of workshops, the main one of which focused on methods of direct action, and possible police tactics in breaking up protests. The whole conference did have an air of secrecy, with the front door locked and participants asked to remove batteries from phones. It could have been percieved as paranoia...
...until me and my cousin walked out into the warm Sunday afternoon air, to be greeted by the Forward Intelligence Team giving us conspicuous looks and frantically taking down notes on our appearance.
"Wasteman in wheelchair, accompanied by scruffily-dressed juvenile [probably his carer]..."
As if taking notes is going to stop me.
Words: Jody McIntyre, 18. Jody is reading the best book he's ever read [by John Pilger].







If so, then discount ugg
العاب ديزنى العاب
Lucky to watch your post!
replica handbags s against
replica handbags s against human rights. ministers said that the system works well replica handbags fendi prada hermes and that it didn't need to be changed just to slavishly follow what they do in the Ctrl Alt Shift Anti Militarist Network Gathering Ctrl Alt Shift
ugg cardy boots ugg cardy
Thanks for sharing your
You’ve done a good job! Thank