It was fun, colourful and noisy. Our chant leader was very focused on condoms. The police presence was unesscessarily large. There was one arrest, and it was of a pilgrim who attacked some protesters a few metres down from where I was. He was led away in handcuffs with photographers swarming around him.
News Coverage: SMH, ABC, Canadian News
The reports don’t really cover the spirit of the event. For one thing, there were many more than three hundred people there. Also, people cycled in and out of the various events throughout the day; my most conservative estimate is that over five hundred people were involved.
Atheists, GLBT activists and sexual abuse survivor advocates marched next to aboriginal rights activists, feminists, socialists and others. What the protest really displayed was the many different groups of people the Catholic Church has managed to piss off.
You’re a champion, Hell On Hairy Legs. Thanks for the report of your experience of the protest.
By: Deborah on July 20, 2008
at 10:00 am
Thanks! We all do our best.
By: hellonhairylegs on July 20, 2008
at 10:39 pm
The media consistently UNDER report the amount of participants involved in protests, I think they try to minimise the impact of the brave people out there who dare to rock the boat.
My sister in law was there too, hanging out in one of these crowds: “Atheists, GLBT activists and sexual abuse advocates marched next to aboriginal rights activists, feminists, socialists and others. What the protest really displayed was the many different groups of people the Catholic Church has managed to piss off.”
(Great paragraph BTW)
By: rayedish on July 21, 2008
at 3:03 pm
Thanks. Yes, I notice media reports tend to differ from activist reports. Of course elements of society blame our shifty radicals for overrepresenting our cause.
It was strange going to the rally. I kept on wondering if the people next to me were people I knew online.
By: hellonhairylegs on July 21, 2008
at 3:08 pm