I arrived in Trafalgar square at approximately 8pm on Saturday night and was greeted by a positive carnival type atmosphere. Sounds of the samba band could be heard from Picadilly station and contrary to the wording on the banners Trafalgar square was definitely no Tahrir square. Exiting Picadilly station I noted a police officer having fun and endulging in some good 'P.R.' doing a highland dance with a Scottish bagpipe band.
The images below are chronological. The body language of the crowd in the top left image reflects the relaxed atmosphere. An atmosphere that changed very quickly. I was standing behind the Olympic clock, taking a picture of the banners that were still hanging. Police flooded into the square and in moments a peaceful protest was under attack. There was retaliation, and blood was shed.
I am yet to hear and read much of the mainstream reporting on what happened in Trafalgar square. I am sure however, based on the titbits I have heard, that they have not been fair and unbiased. I would expect different? Lying by omission and selective weighting the usual tactic.
I ended up having a privileged vantage. When the storm-troopers broke their lines and walked straight past me I momentarily assumed that i had absorbed some Kryptonite, perhaps radiation from Fukishima. It would seem having a camera hanging from your neck sometimes makes you invisible. At least I assume that's how I managed to film some extremely peaceful and articulate protesters getting a 'kick-in' from a not so peaceful Police Officer.
The video contains some brief commentary. I still have several large video files to look through, so there may be more of this to come. If anybody has any skills or equipment that could improve or 'lighten' this footage, please let me know. The first 'kick' in this video was hard, what follows and is relatively more easy to see is relatively minor. I hope the footage is representative on your screens.,Laptops may be less favourable to desktop. There is also some sound which is barely audible. One police officer rubbing his hands 'who we gonna arrest tonight then'. As the protester I spoke to in the footage remarks 'They've been told to arrest, they've stepped it up, it's reached a new level'
The images below are chronological. The body language of the crowd in the top left image reflects the relaxed atmosphere. An atmosphere that changed very quickly. I was standing behind the Olympic clock, taking a picture of the banners that were still hanging. Police flooded into the square and in moments a peaceful protest was under attack. There was retaliation, and blood was shed.
I am yet to hear and read much of the mainstream reporting on what happened in Trafalgar square. I am sure however, based on the titbits I have heard, that they have not been fair and unbiased. I would expect different? Lying by omission and selective weighting the usual tactic.
I ended up having a privileged vantage. When the storm-troopers broke their lines and walked straight past me I momentarily assumed that i had absorbed some Kryptonite, perhaps radiation from Fukishima. It would seem having a camera hanging from your neck sometimes makes you invisible. At least I assume that's how I managed to film some extremely peaceful and articulate protesters getting a 'kick-in' from a not so peaceful Police Officer.
The video contains some brief commentary. I still have several large video files to look through, so there may be more of this to come. If anybody has any skills or equipment that could improve or 'lighten' this footage, please let me know. The first 'kick' in this video was hard, what follows and is relatively more easy to see is relatively minor. I hope the footage is representative on your screens.,Laptops may be less favourable to desktop. There is also some sound which is barely audible. One police officer rubbing his hands 'who we gonna arrest tonight then'. As the protester I spoke to in the footage remarks 'They've been told to arrest, they've stepped it up, it's reached a new level'
