Disarming

Sheffield United v Watford

Saturday 28^th April

The coincidence of the meeting of Disarm DSEi (Defence Systems and Equipment international) at University of London Union, five minutes from home, with Watford’s long journey to Sheffield for a game which would have no impact on our season (bar our pride) had made the decision to write up some leaflets and go recruiting (as well as get some ideas for the “Stop the Arms Trade Week” of June 2^nd to 10^th) an easy one. I met Becky outside the ULU as police cameramen took pictures of the many people milling about, most of whom had nothing to do with the event. We went inside and took seats but a roar went up from outside indicating the arrest of one of the activists, who turned out to be a fourteen-year-old boy, and we went back outside to see if we could do anything and be photographed for our troubles.

The core of the spirally arranged ensemble were uniformed in black and the talk of action was restrained by the fact that this was a “public meeting” (about 30 people were there) and the fact that many of the actions the group planned would obviously be illegal. A woman at the back dressed in a summer dress pointed out that some of the people she knew who would like to be involved were put off by the presence of the police but implied heavily that it was the appearance of the activists that was also a problem. Dressed in a red T-shirt, I knew what she meant. I did put in a word or two about London Campaign Against the Arms Trade but inferred from a reaction or two that we weren’t hardcore enough. I saw a guy I knew from ISM London and the fact that he ignored me said a lot about the gulf between the “serious” protesters here and the people they were supposed to be welcoming. Non-violence is not an option for some.

Still, I did meet a couple of people I’d been in e-mail contact with in my role as co-ordinator of London CAAT, and a few people approached me for details and seemed keen to get involved so I think we took something more from the meeting than a distinction between those who’d been “failing to shut DSEi down for six years” and those who were hoping to be inspired to get involved for the first time. As well as suggesting that I could make a map using Platial or Google MyMaps as a resource for activists, I also offered to put in the time and effort to organise a public demo/protest for September 11^th, and will have to see if anything comes of signing up on the email list.

After a beer I came home and decided (with no plans for tonight – we went to Hampstead New End theatre last night to see a so-so play called Charlie and Henry) not to look up the scores but wait for MoTD. It was much more suspenseful that way and I enjoyed the matches in the race for the title (ManU™ won after going two down but Chelsea were pegged back after taking the lead) nearly as much as watching Clarke Carlisle almost getting sent off for two silly fouls, including an elbow to the face of Jon Stead. Marlon King hit the bar with a lob but that was after Chris Powell had deflected a shot in past Ben Foster and that was the only goal of the game, the first time in two seasons that a game between these two sides had ended in a home win.