Professional protestors

[Lost_BMW]

Just been working on my blood pressure - raising it by watching the Dale Farm programme on BBC - and it got me thinking again about this mob of seemingly full time rent-a-mob protestors.

They seem to look like part of one corps - the sort who appear at road demos, quarrying protests, anti capital demonstrations, environ-mental-type protests with the same uniform look. Generally youngish, probably 'student' aged etc. and seemingly omnipresent. Oh, and Vanessa Redgrave!

So, who is paying for these people? For their existence, travel, ability to set up and fund camps/action for extended periods, seemingly without needing to stay in a job (or able to leave for extended periods) et cetera?

Also, if they are claiming benefits, so bleeding the state they seem to work so hard to fight against, should they - if arrested, prosecuted or just plain old identified as part of the 'movement' - have their benefits cut?

[thinfourth2]

I watched the program on BBC2 about garlic

[chris watton]

What about some kind of exchange program - send them off to N. Korea /China/Zimbabwe to do what they do best, and in exchange, we can give the people they replace a taste of the 'hardships' in the UK.

ETA - I actually watched Beenies Restoration Nightmare.....

[TankRizzo]

I'm sure the news last week said that some protestors moved on from the Dale Farm evictions to the anti-capitalist protests in London. Says it all really.

[carmonk]

To be fair they likely don't need benefits, much like cockroaches don't. They wear the same clothes for years, eat dandelions, st in the hedgerows and live up trees.

[Lost_BMW]

carmonk said:

To be fair they likely don't need benefits, much like cockroaches don't. They wear the same clothes for years, eat dandelions, st in the hedgerows and live up trees.

Now that would explain a lot!

[pete a]

carmonk said:

To be fair they likely don't need benefits, much like cockroaches don't. They wear the same clothes for years, eat dandelions, st in the hedgerows and live up trees.

Or mummy and daddy are considerably richer than thou and the tt's don't need to work in-between lectures and weekends at the family house in the country?

[elster]

pete a said:

carmonk said:

To be fair they likely don't need benefits, much like cockroaches don't. They wear the same clothes for years, eat dandelions, st in the hedgerows and live up trees.

Or mummy and daddy are considerably richer than thou and the tt's don't need to work in-between lectures and weekends at the family house in the country?

Indeed of the 1 professional protester I have come across they are a trust fund baby.

[V88Dicky]

Professional protestors maybe, but they don't like Tasers or Riot Batons do they?

[Gaspowered]

[quote=V88Dicky]Professional protestors maybe, but they don't like Tasers or Riot Batons do they? :

Or soap and water.

[Lost_BMW]

Gaspowered]88Dicky said:

Professional protestors maybe, but they don't like Tasers or Riot Batons do they? :

Or soap and water.

Or gainful employment.

[mondeoman]

Shoot the fking lot of 'em