THE TIDE IS TURNING

The corporate media coverage of the student protests in London yesterday was inadequate but are we not surprised? Are we are not surprised the mainstream media focused on the sensational, the convenient images of student protesters jostling with the police?

The focus was on the so-called 'violence' of some students. This 'violence' amounted to a few broken windows at the Conservative Party head office and the police getting into a fluster because they didn't expect over 50,000 students to march and consequently didn't have enough officers on duty.

But the British Establishment were quick to pounce on the fracas, declaring it to be the work of 'anarchists'. Whenever there are militant protests - whether it be London or Seattle - its always the work of 'anarchists' or, just for a bit of variety, 'Trotskyists'.

London Mayor and all round Tory Git Boris Johnson could be heard condemning the 'anarchists'. 'It's not the British way' pronounced Tory Git, erasing from history Britain's long and proud radical and revolutionary tradition

Let us recall Robert Owen, Charles Kingsley, Anna Wheeler, William Morris and, of course, Marx and Engels - not to mention the Chartists and the Tolpuddle martyrs, the Levellers and the Diggers.

It was this same radical and revolutionary tradition that gave rise to Tom Paine and The Rights of Man.

Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, also has little regard for British history. Porter is a rather obnoxious young man, who is clearly upset that the activities of some of his fellow students might have jeopardised his chances of ever becoming a Labour MP.

Porter could be heard snivelling about the 'disgusting' activities of a few 'anarchists'. 'Anarchists' is basically just shorthand for 'dirty people who never shower and are not like us'.

Porter was all over the British national media but instead of using it as a platform to attack the savage austerity measures of the Con-Lib Dem government, he tried to demonise some of his fellow students.

in my book a few broken windows pales into comparison against cuts to welfare, education and health services, the vicious attacks on the poor and vulnerable

While you would not have got this impression from either TV1 or TV3's dismal six o'clock coverage of the protest, this was a tremendous and significant demonstration by young people who have previously been labelled by the media as 'politically apathetic'.

The tide is turning.