i cycled down to mayday event with a big world flag tied to my bike - when i arrived there were many cops few partyistas so i went and rode around george square in the sunshine and pointed out where event was taking place to a few people - then went back and spoke to several pairs of cops saying what a beautiful day it was and getting them to smile - then found top cop 'in charge' and we had a nice conversation about why they felt it necessary to pen mayday the previous 2 years and that there had never been trouble at glasgow mayday and they had no reason to do what the london met police had taught them during the g8 about penning and that it just antagonises people who are out to dance and celebrate - and he aqreed as i told him that people want to party as they have done for hun dreds of years on mayday - he was smiling a lot and seemed to take in what i was saying - i don't claim to have instigated the lack of penning but the human interaction helped the cops relax and not expect what they had no doubt been told at their briefing - anarchist toublemakers etc etc - and no doubt the static mayday fllummoxed them soemwhat and all in all it was one of the best mayday events i have been on - then i had a good conversation with another cop with pips on his shoulder while i was dressed as cupid on the way to the park and again he was talkative friendly and smiling so i think the cops have learned that we are not the 'troublemakers' they thought we were - so next time go and chat with them and they are more likely to treat us as the human beings they are themselves - even the conversations with the camera crews about why they were there why i was there and what happens to the pictures they take still had them smiling and talking as i informed them i know that special branch/stasi spend hours mulling over such pictures and pass some on to the national public order intelligence unit in scotland yard - they know from my demeanour that i am no threat even though they have been told to expect us to be violent thanks to everyone who made glasgow mayday the great time it was

It was ok if you liked fluffy stuff, but we were herded round the back streets like sheep, and the guy with the sound system negotiated a route with the police without consulting any of the other folk there (we then policed ourselves). They herded us up back streets away from traffic and main roads etc. There was a really poor turnout - less than a hundred folk, maybe even just 50. It wasnt even a fun carnival/party type event, the atmosphere wasnt very fun or enjoyable - so i dont think it was any good even on that front. There just wasnt enough people. Im not saying we should have started breaking shopfronts like they do in germany and london, that is really pointless, especially when ther are so many pigs. In my opinion we should just not all turn up in one spot next year: if a dozen autonomous groups do direct action in lots of different places all over the city we would have a much more productive mayday: 'Direct Action Day' - with a dozen different corporate and political targets blockaded, offices occupied or redecorated. the police have learned a lot about policing mass actions but they cant do fuck all about small symbolic clandestine type things. look at the Fuck The War Coalition, and the brand street blockade action, really good actions, great propaganda by the deed. We need to play to our strengths, rather than turn up in one place outnumbered by riot cops. bollocks to the fluffy stuff - this nation is inflicting structural violence on the global south every day, we need to get organised and do something about it.

Mayday was a laugh, yes, but in terms of achieving anything we fell well short - the part that annoyed me the most was the descision taken by one person on behalf of the entire group to agree a route with the cops, as the previous post says, well clear of anywhere we'd want to be and hidden away in the back streets. Do we not understand the point of making descisions collectively and not trying to represent people unless they want to be? I think the point was missed. it also lead to a situation where, when the march wanted to continue forwards, a couple of people along with the cops were telling everyone to turn right - how do we expect to reclaim streets when we cant reclaim our own descision making? Troublemaking is no bad thing, the purpose of Mayday is not to conform or go quietly. The best way of avoiding getting penned in is not to be nice to the cops and enshrine their authority, but to not put ourselves in that situation in the first place. In agreement with the previous post, taking decentrilised direct action all over the city might be more effective.

I can see why people might be disappointed, but I think there is some confusion that needs to be sorted out here.As the original call-out on indymedia scotland made clear, (http://scotland.indymedia.org/newswire/display/4024/index.php) the event at the top of buchanan street was a static, chilled-out May Day party with music accompanying the information stalls. Nothing more, nothing less. In that, I think it worked quite well. The call-out said: "The aim of this is to provide a space, a centre of attraction, to play music, display banners, distribute information, talk to passers-by without (hopefully) being surrounded by hunners of polis and herded through the streets. Of course, this does not preclude anyone from also touring the streets in a mobile reclaim the streets stylee" That event was a success, with several thousand leaflets distributed to city workers and other passers-by giving a brief background to International Workers Day (http://scotland.indymedia.org/usermedia/image/6/large/maydaya5.jpg. ) Info stalls were available. People stopped and asked questions and chatted in the sunshine. The reclaim the streets thing never materialised this year. Apparently no one turned up for it at the traditional meeting point (Buchanan St underground), or those who did were so small in number compared to the cops in vans, on motorbikes, on foot and on horseback that they went to the other, static, event at Donald Dewar statue instead. Towards the end of the afternoon, the sound system guys were going to pack up and move to Kelvingrove Park to play for a bit before setting up again at the evening event (Industrial Workers of the World fundraiser). It was suggested instead that they keep the music going on the way to the park, so they happily agreed. The cops at this point were closing in with an intimidating double line. The cops were told to chill out: the party was ending, and the sound system was heading to the park. People followed the sound system, which took the quickest, shortest, most direct route to the park. As it happened, this route passed through the busiest part of the north city centre - sauchiehall st pedestrian precinct. This was interesting - As far as I know, there has never before been any kind of procession through a shopping zone in Glasgow. I'll admit that engaging with working class people in the street, and talking with fellow-workers about the origins of May Day (organised workplace-based anarchist and socialist class struggle agitation) might not be to everyones taste. But if you wanted to do a "reclaim the streets" parade, or carry out direct action attacks on symbols of the state and capital, then you had all day to do so. Collective decision(s) could easily have been made, if any collective will was there. For those who are dissapointed by the lack of action on the day, perhaps you should look to your own plans and organisation, not those of others. What plans did you have, what organising did you do? Or were you just waiting for a sound system to follow, like rats to a pied piper, sheep to a shepherd? I agree with the suggestions of the first comment: "...not all turn up in one spot next year: if a dozen autonomous groups do direct action in lots of different places all over the city we would have a much more productive mayday: 'Direct Action Day' - with a dozen different corporate and political targets blockaded, offices occupied or redecorated. Next year, eh? It's up to you. It's up to us. But whatever you do, don't leave it til May 1st. There are 365 days each year to challenge the ruling class.

I couldn't agree more with "confusion" the comment was bang on. May Day is a time to get our message out to all that apolitical horde that wander our streets, I'm sure they are all looking for something. We can work at it all year but that one day of concentrated effort and mass chatting and leafleting can have a tremendous effect. Who knows what spark will light the fire?

BLAH BLAH ANOTHER MAYDAY ANOTHER SOUND SYSTEM IN THE PARK/CITY THAT SHOWED THEM

ha,ha i agree but having a good time now and again is verry important, i mean hey we are all human