Here I am making an illegal speech to an illegal gathering.
I was witness to an extraordinary example of the use of “anti-terrorist” laws to deny democracy. The whole of Parliament Square, College Green and Canning Green were closed off with high Harris fencing, as were other spaces nearby. These were protected by a huge police presence. I counted 37 police vans. All this to counter eighty “Occupy Democracy” protestors wishing to highlight the alienation of the political class from the rest of us. That MPs feel the need to make Westminster look like the Somme 1917, to defend themselves against a few ordinary people, is proof that the concept of “democracy” is now alien to the Westminster system.
Some of this was surreal. There were signs up stating that voice amplification was illegal as was “sleeping equipment”. Just what is sleeping equipment? I have managed to sleep my entire life without such equipment. I just close my eyes and it happens. I didn’t even know you needed equipment to sleep. It is a curious thing that officialdom, when it becomes unreasonable, inevitably resorts to poor use of language. Nobody in normal life speaks of “sleeping equipment”. There is a simple English word, “bedding”. If they mean bedding, why don’t they say so?
The happy band of demonstrators had gathered just outside the entrance to the Supreme Court, in a small unfenced area. I used to sing regularly and seriously. Fortunately this has left me with the ability to speak very loudly at length and still with some modulation. If you consider that video is in an area of very heavy traffic noise and with no (banned) amplification, I hope you are impressed! I started speaking in order to fend off what seemed an imminent move by police to start arresting protestors for breach of the peace. This followed an argument over whether an old sofa and rug constituted “sleeping equipment”. A policeman stated that there were legal rulings that “sleeping equipment” included anything that could be adapted for the purpose of sleeping. I suggested to him that he confiscate my trousers, as these were capable of being rolled up and used as a pillow.
The Police Superintendent had just stated that refusal to give up the sofa constituted behaviour likely to lead to a breach of the peace, when I decided to change the dynamic by giving a talk, which peculiarly led almost all the police to withdraw immediately to about a hundred yards away. If you are interested, you can see something of this, and get a tour of the fencing, from this video by one of the protestors.
I say “if you are interested”, but really you ought to be interested. The fact that in Westminster, people who are obviously very peaceful are not allowed simply to express their political view, ought to worry everybody in the UK very, very deeply. We have slipped away from the fundamental precepts of democracy – freedom of speech and assembly, habeas corpus, freedom from torture. None of those exist any more. Lulled by the mainstream media, most people have not even noticed.
I shall be speaking outside the Scottish Parliament on 29th November, and in Dundee, Perth (and possibly Ayr too if I can work it out) on the 30th. I shall be speaking again in Dundee at the March against Austerity on 6th December.
Media ‘gagged over bid to report MP child sex cases’: Security services accused of aiding Westminster paedophilia cover-up.
‘It is almost inevitable that something is going to happen in the next few months.’
With there recent behaviour (and long standing behaviour in the middle east) we are blessed we’ve not had more so far.
Get the terrorists out of office and maybe we will be at less risk, Until then the extremists in our government will continue to put us all at greater risk from blow-back.
Craig Murray, Criminal.
Well, maybe not for protesting, Craig. But your support for those things that will bring about the demise of the UK and your contempt for ordinary people who mistrust the Establishment comes pretty close.
“But your support for those things that will bring about the demise of the UK and your contempt for ordinary people who mistrust the Establishment comes pretty close.”
Erm, would that be mistrust of the UK establishment. Should it not experience demise in that case?
Do you not see the contradictions in that strange post?
And I fail to see how any of that is “close”, But having been fired myself for ‘gross misconduct’ that did not actually amount to any official version. Well it does not shock me people twist things so.
Glenn_UK
“But it’s a bit much to say that CM was “complicit in murder” in the course of his duties as a diplomat. Have you read his book”
What do you think diplomats do? Discuss how they can help improve the natives lot over a cup of tea? Come on Glenn, you surely understand autobiographies can be partial. I imagine his books are part of his recovery process, rationalising what he has done, convincing himself, as well as you, he never had a clue, didn’t see a thing, gov, honest. But I’m guessing, I haven’t read any of his books.
Of course it depends what you hold as complicit. Are the coppers who watched Tomlinson being killed and then keep quiet complicit? I say they were. Perhaps you think otherwise.
You do not rise through the FO without being privy to all sorts of ugly shit. Presenting you with ugly shit is part of the process to normalise previously moral people into their dirty world. It’s part of the job. Interacting with MI6. Reading high security clearance memos. Privt to special forces operations. It’s a progressive training course. You don’t get to the top without playing the game on the way there.
From Craig’s bio page:
What do you think that means Glenn? How many hundreds of thousands died as a direct result of those vindictive sanctions?
[That pathetic qualification “particularly in the field of weapons procurement” is interesting. Has Craig ever written about the supergun/pollypeck business?]
Craig is on record for accusing ordinary people of being “racist” for opposing, even worrying about, the [UK] Establishment’s enthusiastic embrace of uncontrolled immigration. Overpopulation, wherever it is, is highly destructive and supporting it’s realisation is approaching criminality in a moral sense, if not a legal one.
Capiche? Or should I bring out the sock puppets for a dramatic reenactment that is more easily digested?
I wonder if this ban will extend to university’s like mine who seemed compelled at the time to broadcast (over the carpus radio) state lies making us all fear for our lives, so they could more easily invade another country.
If so it can’t be a bad thing can it. I can’t think of more blatant and harmful extremist terrorist actions.
Craig,
Like Oliver 3.34 this has really cheered me up.
I’ve had a bad day at work and wished I’d skived off to see you!
Great speech and with no notes…very impressive!
From the evidence on this thread, today seems to be “Do the dirty on Craig Murray Day”.
What, I ask myself, has brought the revolutionary masses to such a pitch?
*************************
Dump reals, rupees, rubles and renminbis, buy $, £, € and shekels!
@Phil: Actually, I think the police who stood by and watched poor Thomlinson get murdered by that thug college of theirs are entirely complicit, and criminally liable. They are duty bound to prevent crime, and to report it when seen, and arrest the perpetrators. They failed to do so. Moreover, the CCTV cameras – all installed at vast expense (ours) apparently didn’t see a damned thing, even when questions were being asked. So why are the operators of the cameras not being held to account? Either they are liars, incompetent, or have wasted untold millions on useless equipment.
This is surely the case every time a non-violent protestor gets assaulted by these thugs with uniforms.
Were it not for some passing Aussie tourist, the whole thing would have passed by as some regrettable accident.
But as far as enforcing the siege on the people of Iraq is concerned, that is rather worrying, I have to admit. We were complicit in a slow genocide there, that’s obvious even to me, some thick comprehensive school-kid who’s just read books on the subject.
Anyway. I’m not jumping up and down asking CM to “lead” me, and find his stance on a number of subjects rather disturbing – not least the way women get treated around him, for instance. Cheating on your partner is such a no-no as far as I’m concerned, but he’s actually gone around bragging about it. His fence-sitting on the impending disaster of climate change ticks me off, and calling someone concerned about open-door immigration (even when it was done surreptitiously by the last government) a “racist” is just silly.
However, at the end of the day he has taken a very brave stand and considerable personal cost. His insights are extremely valuable, he has insider knowledge which you couldn’t prise out of the Establishment with a crowbar. He’s generally “right-on” when it comes to social justice and particularly human rights (Iraq sanctions notwithstanding).
Bear in mind, he’d just got out of college and was hanging around with senior FO henchmen. He’s told he might well be destined for higher things, and now just go and work out how to implement these policies would you my good chap. It might not seem such an drastic thing to do. I’d like to think he’d consider the matter a bit more carefully now.
Lysias
I was waiting for you to put in an appearance so that I could remind you that you haven’t yet replied to a question I asked you a while ago.
It was when there was a mini-discussion on PPE at Oxford and in the course of telling me rather snootily that you’d be surprised if there wasn’t a Cambridge equivalent (actually, there is not) you let drop that you’d read Literae Humaniores (aka Greats) at Oxford.
But when I asked you your college, answer came there none.
Would you like to remedy that omission (or oversight) now?
“Do the dirty on Craig Murray Day”.
Tis today it seems. But not so different from other days on the whole..
Maybe it’s a closing of the ranks? Nobody wants to find they have suddenly got a lot of dirty pictures in there computer do they. No doubt they will use the corruption stemming from there own establishment to control, control and fear.
@ Habbabkuk: Well the title is “Craig Murray, Criminal” – don’t you think many posters are staying admirably on topic? 😉
Glenn_uk
They are indeed – which makes today a doubly curious one!
*************
Do you think we should have more of these “Days”? For example, instead of having every thread polluted by anti-Israel guff, we could have a “Hate Israel Day”. Idem a “Hate Kiev Day”, a “Hate the Coalition Day” and so on.
What say you?
Btw Ishmael – you said about education, “The whole system was created in Europe because they found populations not sufficiently obedient for war.
Actually, it was more about getting people into being useful for work, as the industrial revolution got underway. Training them to sit and perform repetitive tasks, for hours, at an early age. A bit of numeracy and reading skills helps a lot in the workplace. Actually getting people to show up for work sober was a bit of a challenge back then, too.
We could also have a “Conspiracy Week” from time to time.
You’ll understand why it’d have to be a Week and not just a Day? 🙂
@Habbabkuk: Not a bad idea, perhaps we could rotate through the usual list of rogues, with extra time and enthusiasm being devoted for the more egregious villains? We could have a dedicated “hate week” for Israel just for this year’s crimes.
http://www.scriptonitedaily.com/2014/11/21/spot-the-difference-modern-israel-is-looking-alot-like-nazi-germany/
Instead, our government/establishment fawns on them. We can only _really_ get into the swing of it here, when our own system can be shown to be at least partially responsible. As far as hating the ConDems are concerned, I find it hard to get that worked up. After all, what should one expect when a bunch of incompetent, self-serving toffs get elected? That’s like hating a rabid dog for trying to bite you – it’s just what they do. I blame the idiots who voted for them. Depressing, isn’t it?
Sure it was that also Glenn. But it seems there was other motivations in prussia, witch I understand to be the first mass schooling system, after they lost a war, as people refused to fight. etc. It ‘works’ for a lot of things I guess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeEWPbTad_Q
“We could also have a “Conspiracy Week” from time to time.”
Perhaps we could have a week off once every few years – even a day would be nice.
KingofWelshNoir, 6.24p.m. Me also.Have been wondering if I would awake and find it was an afternoon nap nightmare. Apparently not-just another Enabling Act. Makes one wonder where the point-of-no-return for a descent into fascism is-or was it passed long ago?
EU sanctions enabling war crimes…..ICC?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30078524
“He said the “economic isolation” of Russia would continue unless Mr Putin changed course.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s president ordered the withdrawal of all state services, including funding for hospitals and schools, from rebel-held areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions within a week.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/17/us-ukraine-crisis-mogherini-idUSKCN0J10J920141117
The EU foreign ministers called in a statement for “a halt to the continuous violations of the ceasefire, a withdrawal of all illegal and foreign forces, mercenaries and military equipment”.
The ministers called on Ukraine to redouble its economic and political reform efforts and urged Russia, Ukraine and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to intensify talks.
Mogherini expressed her own readiness to help resolve the crisis. “Russia is part of the problem but is also for sure part of the solution,” Mogherini said.
The former Italian foreign minister also asked ministers to discuss how the EU can re-launch a dialogue with Russia.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier will travel to Kiev and Moscow on Tuesday.
The EU’s 28 member states are deeply divided about imposing more economic sanctions on Russia, the bloc’s main energy supplier, fearing the measures and possible Russian reprisals COULD HURT THEIR OWN ECONOMIES.”
“Naryshkin said such an EU stance contradicts the norms of the international law and is in fact blackmail. “Undoubtedly, such steps have nothing in common with the principles of sovereign equality or the principles of respect towards history, culture and traditions of the partner-state,” he said.”
http://en.itar-tass.com/russia/761310
Russia-Member of ICC.
Craig, its great to see you talk and answer questions and I am very pleased to see this filmed and on your blog. Our country certainly needs more informed voices of dissent.
You talked about a catalyst for peaceful change being the break up of the UK but does it not also occur to you that the elite would also like a catalyst eg to roll back the welfare state such a catalyst has to be pretty big. Many times we see catalysts going wrong or not in the intended direction, or perhaps I should say not in the described or publicly predicted direction i.e. the energy once it starts to roll is not easily controlled indeed is not the entire Arab Spring such a phenomena eg Libya or supporting the anti-Alawi rebels in Syria. So a note of caution. Yes, we may have a stitched up centralised system but change should perhaps be gradual not sudden. ….. or so suggests this old fool..perhaps young fools are more lively…
“He noted that Ukrainian authorities have developed at least a six-year action plan that aims to ensure that Ukraine meets the criteria of entry into the EU and NATO.
Poroshenko added that the demands for reform in the country for membership in the European Union are largely consistent with the criteria that must be fulfilled by the country to join the security alliance.
In turn, Grybauskaite said that NATO is not only a military organization, as its members must also fulfill democracy and human rights obligations. She added that for Ukraine to join NATO it would have to undergo a deep process of reform.
“This applies to your membership in the EU, and to your membership in NATO. You need to show results, carry out a lot of work in your country. A country that will work and carry out the necessary reforms will be extended the possibility of NATO membership,” she said.
The statements come one day after German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he is against Ukraine joining NATO. In an interview with Der Spiegel, he said he considers “that it is possible for NATO to have a partnership with Ukraine, but not membership.”
http://rt.com/news/208311-lithuania-ukraine-military-aid/
“Yes, we may have a stitched up centralised system but change should perhaps be gradual not sudden.”
Imo once it really starts loosening up there will not be a lot of choice. As you implied, so if you want to effect it in whatever manner seems postive to you, fine, but I don’t think you will have much input trying to direct the pace. And I don’t know if it’s wise to try.
Hey. When you have to change the dressing on a wound, it’s best to rip the tape off quickly, rather than incrementally.
Scabs know this.
Glenn_UK
“We were complicit in a slow genocide there”
We were no such thing. Well I certainly wasn’t and I doubt very much that you were.
Craig was. Craig was hands on complicit in the death of hundreds of thousands of people.
Vote Murray Craig, Criminal!
Like sex, initially can be painful but most end up enjoying it, and it’s good for you.
Faster faster.
Lots of numbers were bandied about wrt Iraq civilians who died as a result of sanctions.
450,000 seen from population samples.
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001533
Who will answer for them or the coming dead and deprived in E. Ukraine? It is unthinkable and craven to believe that sanctions hurt anyone more than the innocent…young and old.