Half a dozen protesters confront the NATO deligates in Edinburgh, as they leave their post-meeting bash.
On Saturday evening, news was recieved in the NATO WC convergence space that but 100m down the road, the NATO deligates had book the Signet Libert Hotel for the evening, to hold a post-meeting party. At such short notice, only six protesters (and one photographer) could be gathered, but with one banner saying "Smash NATO!", they braved the cold and headed down to Parliament Square for a picket.
As the protesters arrived and unfurled their banner, they where greeted by a very heavy police presence, who immediately and aggressively pushed them back, away from the front entrance of the hotel. Almost before they had recovered from this initial assault, two FIT teams turned up with cameras, swiftly followed by a mobile police CCTV van, which trained it's cameras on the protesters.
The FIT squads proceeded to take several close up photographs of the legal protest, which, coupled with the fact that the ratio of protesters to police was, at several points, more than 1:1, led to a general feeling of intimidation amongst the banner bearers. Not even the independant photographer who accompanied them was spared the attentions of FIT.
After FIT had satisfied themselves that enough photographs where taken, one of their number moved along the line of protesters, trying to intimidate them into giving their details. One chap, who was inexperienced with the law, was tricked into giving them, and, once he realised that he'd been tricked, he left, dispirited. Everyone else present declined to give details, much to the disapointment of those coppers present. However, after this, the FIT teams backed off and remained very much in the background for the rest of the evening.
After this initial hassling, the police took a back foot, choosing to try and engage protesters in conversation, mining them for information ceaslessly for the entire two hours of the picket. Needless to say, everyone remained tight lipped. The cold and constant hassling took it's toll on moral, and soon the inital six where down to three, who remained at the picket until the delagates left the party.
As the NATO delagates started to leave, the remaining protester started chanting "Blood, blood, blood on your hands!", but this soon got monotonous. The novel idea was hit upon of singing. This had a threefold effect. It kept up moral in low moments, it made the picket appear less confrontational and it was very effective at drawing a supportive crowd of onlookers. Even some of the deligates appeared less stoney on being presented with a knot of protesters bellowing out the opening words of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen!
Photos will be hopefully forthcoming.
